The New Brunswick Human Rights Commission said it has experienced a steady increase in COVID-19-related questions and complaints from the public, especially in relation to proof of vaccination and mandatory mask policies.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the commission said of the 318 inquiries received in the last month alone, 67 per cent were vaccine-related and in the past week, this number rose to 90 per cent.
According to the commission, many people are contacting staff and expressing concern that the new COVID-19 measures violate their human rights and want the commission to intervene and protect them “against these alleged or perceived violations.”
“Some have stated that the commission is not defending their rights,” said the commission.
The commission went on to say that “this is far from the truth,” and that if someone claims that it is their human right to be exempt from COVID-19 vaccinations, the claim must be based on the grounds of physical disability, mental disability or creed or religion.
“If a physician has certified that a person should not be vaccinated because of their disability, such a person can approach the commission for redress if an employer or service provider refuses to accommodate their disability,” said the commission.
In the meantime, the commission said it finds it “worrisome” that it’s being approached by people who are venting their frustrations or objections related to the pandemic, and not to inquire “about legitimate human rights issues.”
“It is especially regrettable that many callers have taken a disrespectful, even belligerent, attitude toward commission staff, even though employees are merely clarifying the scope of individual human rights and the commission’s powers in relation to the government’s COVID-19 regulations,” the commission said.