Under this new law, the Nova Scotia government could decide to issue citizens new health ID cards and require that every physician send in the patient health record of each citizen. These new health ID cards would contain the personal health information of each citizen.
With its new electronic database, the government could then (for the sake of “safety”) create new regulations to restrict freedom of movement and activity. For example, in order to keep everyone safe, citizens could be forced to swipe their cards to gain access to certain highways, certain cities, certain neighbourhoods, certain stores, etc.
Nova Scotia’s new law could open the door to barring pregnant women from entering a pub or a restaurant that serves alcohol. Special restrictions could be placed on people who drink alcohol, consume cannabis, eat too much junk food, or fail to get enough exercise. People who have not taken an annual flu shot could be banned from airports, train stations, or even public transit.
With health care costs straining the budgets of every Canadian province, the government could also conceivably use the private medical information of individual patients to proactively offer citizens assisted suicide (usually referred to as “Medical Assistance in Dying” or MAID).
Canadians have already seen and experienced firsthand the dangers of government using private individual medical information to control people.
During the pandemic, personal medical data was used to prevent some individuals from playing team sports, watching their own children play team sports, travelling by plane to visit a dying parent, working out at the gym, eating in restaurants, and watching a movie in a theatre.
One might hope that Nova Scotia’s College of Physicians and Surgeons would step up to the plate to defend medical privacy and the doctor-patient relationship. Sadly, no. After initially opposing Bill 419, the College took a 180-degree turn and actually supported this law.
It is, therefore, up to the Justice Centre to fight this fight.
We are a registered charity. We rely entirely on the generosity of freedom-loving Canadians to fund a team of lawyers across Canada who fight for your rights and freedoms every day.
We are not influenced by politicians. We do not ask for or accept any government funding.
If you want to live in a country that respects medical privacy, where Canadians can confide in their doctors and know that their personal medical information will not be disclosed to anyone, then please help us defend your rights and freedoms by donating to the Justice Centre.
Yours sincerely,
John Carpay, B.A., LL.B.
President
Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms |