A sign held by one of the couple of dozen individuals outside City Hall this week protesting against the municipal mask bylaw. (CHAT News)

By Alex McCuaig

City bullying bylaw could be used to cool off disputes about mask bylaw

Dec 4, 2020 | 5:48 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – When city council passed its mask bylaw earlier this week it also heard of the little utilized bylaw passed a decade ago as a way to quell disputes for those on both sides of the debate.

The Public Safety Bylaw covers a range of behaviour from loitering, fighting and panhandling.

And it also includes bullying which carries a $250 fine.

“Anyone who bullies someone for not wearing a mask or to bully someone for wearing a mask,” city legal counsel Jamie Freeman told council Wednesday, “they could be ticketed.”

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Medicine Hat police Insp. Brent Secondiak says that is something officers don’t want to do and, along with the mask bylaw, they’ll be using public education on the health regulations as their first line of dealing with situations.

“I think the general public should be aware who can’t wear a mask for various reasons. And that’s ok,” said Secondiak. “Just take care of yourself, take care of your family and let us deal with any non-compliance issue with the (mask) bylaw.”

The mask bylaw carries a maximum penalty of $50.