It is “completely unacceptable” for people to yell “freedom” but then impede the freedom of others, B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said Sunday.
“It is not freedom to attack other people’s freedoms and rights in the expression of your own desires.”
Dix said that Canadians have the right to dissent and to criticize.
“This is a democracy and we’re very proud of that,” he said. “But we don’t have the right, I think, in the exercise of that to attack other people’s freedoms.”
There is no freedom without responsibility, he said, calling some of the actions that have gone on completely unacceptable.
Dix made the comments at a media availability on Sunday to announce new training seats for nurses in B.C. They came a day after police were called to respond to a group of people protesting against COVID mandates outside the Port Coquitlam home of Mike Farnworth, B.C.’s public safety minister, solicitor general and deputy premier.
Farnworth has publicly supported using the federal Emergencies Act to deal with protests in Ottawa.
Ravi Kahlon, minister of jobs, economic recovery and innovation, said watching television images of people being spat upon and seeing people gather at Farnworth’s home was disturbing.
“What I found the most offensive was they wrapped themselves with a Canadian flag to to help justify their behaviour … That’s not who we are as Canadians.”
Several protests in support of the anti-government demonstration in Ottawa have been held in Victoria and the Lower Mainland over the past four weeks, with weekly Saturday rallies outside the B.C. legislature in Victoria and blockades of the Pacific Highway border crossing in Surrey. “Freedom” has been a common refrain of the protesters.
An estimated 1,500 people gathered along Belleville Street on Saturday afternoon, before marching along Government Street and back to the legislature.
In James Bay in Victoria, residents have complained of incessant honking on Saturdays from drivers expressing opposition to health restrictions. A petition calling on the city to enforce noise bylaws is circulating.
Victoria police said that one person was arrested Saturday for blocking a highway and later released pending further investigation.
“As always, we will continue to work to ensure the safety of all protest participants and bystanders at any future events,” a spokesman said.
cjwilson@timescolonist.com
— With a file from the Tri-City News
