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By James Peters

Two & Out

PETERS: Does it matter whether masks are ‘expected’ or ‘required’?

Oct 30, 2020 | 11:42 AM

THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION this week after the City of Kamloops released its statement regarding masks in city buildings.

The news release said masks would be “expected” in all public facilities operated by the City. But in a corresponding video, Mayor Ken Christian let slip the word “requirement”.

It’s not a requirement, but you can start to see the confusion.

It contrasts with what’s happening in some other Canadian cities — and as nearby as Tk’emlups, where Chief Rosanne Casimir stated very clearly that masks are required.

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Certainly, language matters.

Expectation and requirement are two different words with two different definitions but, in this case, the difference in connotation may not be that big.

A requirement would suggest that you are prepared to deal with a person who disobeys. You will eject them from the facility or sanction them in some way.

That’s a slippery slope for a public entity like a local government.

The provincial health officer has not enacted a mask requirement in B.C. and a locally-enacted mask requirement might open the municipality up to a legal challenge.

The City of Kamloops would rather not end up in court, pitted against someone on a crusade for personal liberties in the face of a viral pandemic.

Dr. Bonnie Henry has steadfastly refused to put a mask mandate in force.

The seemingly stubborn position is consistent with her philosophy that strong, consistent messaging around desired behaviours is preferable to enacting public health orders.

For the most part, that philosophy has worked.

Anyone going against a mask expectation is likely also going to disobey a mask requirement, knowing how difficult a requirement is to enforce. So why put the pressure on municipal employees to enforce a mask requirement when a mask expectation will have the same effect?

Think about when your parents told you to clean your room as a child.

Did they say they expected your room to be clean? Or did they say you have to clean your room?

It never really mattered, did it? You knew what you had to do.

And so it is with wearing masks. We know what we have to do, regardless of how it’s worded. Let’s just do it.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.