Lawyer implores hospital to embrace compassion over aggression as mask mandate returns

Facebook/ Ottawa Police Service and Google Maps/ The Ottawa Hospital

Lawyer Daniel Ari Freiheit of Lion Advocacy recently sent a powerful letter to the Ottawa Hospital as it prepares to reinstate a mask mandate next week.

Beginning September 11, masking will be required in all clinical areas and waiting rooms at The Ottawa Hospital. pic.twitter.com/uk3QQUBCkh

— The Ottawa Hospital (@OttawaHospital) September 6, 2023

“Had you told me 23 years ago in law school that I’d be writing to the Ottawa Hospital and Ottawa Police not to beat up patients who refuse to wear masks, I’d have thought you were on drugs. Alas, here we are,” Freiheit wrote on X (formerly Twitter) yesterday.

Had you told me 23 years ago in law school that I'd be writing to the Ottawa Hospital & Ottawa Police not to beat up patients who refuse to wear masks, I'd have thought you were on drugs.
Alas, here we are.
My letter to the Ottawa Hospital, cc Ottawa Police Services Board. pic.twitter.com/rc3vgiOxag

— Lion Advocacy (@LionAdvocacy) September 7, 2023

The letter says that it is “imperative” that the Ottawa Hospital Board of Governors “not use any force whatsoever to implement it’s new ‘mask mandate.’”

Freiheit calls on the board to “issue a policy in writing, and direct the Hospital executive team to instruct security and police accordingly, not to use any force on anyone in the hospital who refuses or fails to mask up.”

Furthermore, the letter rightfully notes that the psychological and emotional well-being of those affected by such implementations should be considered. Those who do not want to wear a mask, Freiheit says, “have good authority to reply on (given the Cochrane review study).”

A Cochrane review published in January concluded “there was not a clear reduction in respiratory viral infection with the use of medical/surgical masks,” after a thorough dissection of all existing medical evidence.

Mask mandates are nothing more than ideologically motivated directives

The Cochran review proves it

Get involved @ https://t.co/4s9Qixz4ZKpic.twitter.com/rjd6tKeBOW

— Tamara Ugolini 🇨🇦 (@TamaraUgo) September 8, 2023

In the letter, Freiheit concludes:

By adopting a compassionate and understanding approach, the Ottawa Hospital can maintain a safe environment while also upholding the values of respect, empathy, and patient-centered care that have been hallmarks of the institution.

The timely and appropriate urging comes after years of the arbitrary revolving door of recommendations, requirements and mandates that were hypocritically
implemented.

A man engaging in physical exercise at a YMCA was Tased over his heart after police were called on him for not covering his nose with a bandana in January of 2021. This enforcement contradicted the legislation at the time that clearly stated masks could be removed “as may be necessary for the purposes of health and safety.”

Another man was Tased three days later by the same officer, for what started as an alleged mask “violation.”

The heavy-handed enforcement of police applying only one side of the law became commonplace in Ontario and other jurisdictions across Canada.