B.C. health minister speaks out about ‘unacceptable’ personal attacks against Dr. Bonnie Henry

B.C.'s Health Minister is not impressed with people who are turning their opposition to public health orders into personal attacks and threats towards the provincial health officer.

“We live in a democratic society and it’s absolutely legitimate to disagree, even about issues such as the pandemic,” Adrian Dix said during a news briefing yesterday, Feb. 26. “But some of the disagreement is totally unacceptable.”

Dix said Dr. Dr. Bonnie Henry is an extraordinary leader. 

“That doesn’t mean she’s right all the time," he said. "It doesn’t mean I’m right all the time. It doesn’t mean the government’s right all the time. All of us have to find ways to disagree without personal attack.”

For her part, Dr. Henry was more concerned about the impact on her family and coworkers.

“This is one of the things that have been incredibly challenging,” she said. “We have people who have been protesting outside our office. It affects me but it also affects my family and it affects the people we work with. That’s the part I find hardest to deal with."

She said she speaks regularly with her counterparts in other provinces, some of whom face similar criticism and they support each other.

“I recognize that, when people are in crisis, part of the way they respond or react is to lash out, to become angry,” Dr. Henry said. “That is a reaction that is sometimes fed by certain groups, by social media posts, etc.

“I do believe it is our collective support for each other that helps mitigate the impacts of these things. Having said that, I do have a security system at my house. I have ways that I make sure I check in with people. It’s really not acceptable.”

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