The COVID-19 situation is serious and requires great care. That much is undisputed. The question of government overreach, however, is disputable, especially in these tough times.
Recently, a number of checkpoints have been set up by the police on the border between Quebec and Ontario to prevent “non-essential” travel. This raises an important question: to what degree should the government be able to curb our rights during a crisis?
While the provincial government’s intentions of blocking unnecessary travel might seem positive and costing little sacrifice, the implications of these measures are significant.
Canada is one country. The government should hold no authority to stop a citizen going from one part of Canada to another.
Whether a motorist wishes to enter Quebec for lunch, for work, or simply to go for a drive, the government stopping their travel for an interrogation is nothing short of authoritarian.
While the danger of the virus is significant, it is no excuse for curbing freedom of movement. The police are welcome to suggest staying at home, but blocking people from operating such basic rights is a slippery slope.
The more naïve among us might say, “I have nothing to hide, I am travelling for a valid reason, why should I care?” The reason you should care is that the government has no business asking you where you are going and why.
Times of crises are well-known for being points at which a government gives itself temporary powers, or curbs freedoms until the crisis is over.
It should come as no surprise that these freedoms rarely return. Does anyone recall 9/11 and the Patriot Act? How did panicking and allowing the government to curb liberties work out in that situation?
The proof is in the precedent. It’s never smart to allow the government to take away your rights for any reason, including during a crisis.
Admittedly, this is a small start: fines haven’t been issued and only 10 per cent of motorists are turned back. Yet, Gatineau police have stated that fines for non-essential travel are a future possibility, and even admitted that the definition of “essential travel” is at the discretion of the police officer that stops a motorist.
Everybody can make up their own minds on this, but does such a situation sound like something that would happen in a free and united country with freedom of movement?
Since people will say it’s too early to worry about this breach of rights, it must be said: have we already forgotten what we learned so far from COVID-19?
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of correction. Precedent of the government being allowed to take away movement rights simply cannot stand, and the longer it is allowed, the more confident the police will be in using this power.
Of course we ought to obey reasonable medical precautions. But at the same time, we have to avoid surrendering all of our rights out of sheer panic.
More importantly, we cannot break apart the country simply because of the virus. If we are one nation (and we are), then all borders must remain open permanently. No exceptions, no “temporary measures.”
With that, why not head over to Quebec for a nice drive, and maybe grab some lunch. Just don’t tell the cops!
Photo by Spencer Colby.
