
NDP, Liberals to propose legislation to create safety zones around hospitals, schools
CBC
Both the Ontario NDP and the Liberals introduced proposed legislation Tuesday to create safety zones around institutions such as hospitals and schools to protect them from anti-vaccine harassment.
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said people such as hospital workers and cancer patients shouldn't have to face organized anti-public health harassment.
"Health-care workers shouldn't be worried about walking a gauntlet of hate and vitriol on their way into work while they're literally going in to provide services to our loved ones who are not well, as well as people who are still battling with COVID-19," she said.
Horwath first raised the idea in August, in response to what she called organized campaigns to target small businesses implementing public health measures.
"It's a bill that everybody knows I've been looking to table for some time now," she said, after introducing her bill seconds after the Liberals'.
"I'm happy to see that the Liberals decided to jump on the bandwagon."
Solicitor General Sylvia Jones said she will look at the bills, but noted that the behaviours addressed in what the Liberals and NDP propose are already against the law.