A protest held in Lethbridge against that city's mandatory mask bylaw. (Lethbridge News Now photo)

By Alex McCuaig

Mask bylaw opposition

No-win situation for city hall when it comes to mask controversy, says mayor

Sep 8, 2020 | 10:48 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Medicine Hat doesn’t have a mask bylaw but that doesn’t mean it’s getting pressure to adopt one as well as those that are pushing for a stronger commitment to say it won’t, according to the mayor.

“I thought at least when we had a rally from the anti-maskers that we would get some credit for not having (a mask bylaw),” said Mayor Ted Clugston on Tuesday. “But then it was turned around in that we haven’t gone far enough in basically coming out and saying there will be no mask bylaw in Medicine Hat.”

Several dozen protesters converged on city hall on Saturday rallying against the idea of wearing masks, questioning the science and motivation of the move by many municipalities in Alberta.

The move by Lethbridge city council to adopt a mask bylaw saw anti-mask protesters enter its city hall Tuesday demanding councillors revoke it.

Clugston says the city currently isn’t planning to adopt one but stopped short of committing to never support one in the city.

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“Obviously, if we had some massive spike in cases, we’d have to take a look at it,” he said.

The mayor says the province should take the lead on the issue rather than municipal governments more acustom dealing with water lines, sewers and roads than healthcare.

He said because the province hasn’t passed a mask law, “it’s been downloaded to municipalities to do it. And now if you have a municipality like us that isn’t taking action by implementing (a bylaw), now we have downloaded that to businesses that have to make a choice if they are going to force their customers to use a mask or not.”

Clugston noted the city currently only has three active cases and has faired better than many other municipalities which have mask bylaws.