'Dangerous stunt': N.B. public health officers will be at planned anti-mask gatherings
The New Brunswick government says it's ready to act in response to a widely shared social media post encouraging a gathering of maskless shoppers.
The post tells people to gather at Wal-Mart locations in Saint John, Moncton, and Fredericton at a specific time and enter each store as a large group, without wearing a mask.
The post goes on to encourage people to make a purchase while in the store, and if refused, abandon items at the cash register before walking out.
Premier Blaine Higgs says the province-wide requirement of wearing a mask inside public areas will be upheld.
"I assure you that our public safety officials will have monitored what this is scheduled to be, and will be present," says Higgs.
The maximum fine for violating a COVID-19 regulation in New Brunswick is $20,400.
A statement from the Department of Justice and Public Safety says peace officers will "address any violations they see."
"New Brunswickers do not need the risk created by a dangerous stunt like this, and essential retail workers certainly don't need to be put in this position," says the written statement. "Anyone tempted to be part of this organized violation of the law should stay away."
Wal-Mart Canada didn't provide comment.
Throughout the pandemic, front-line retail employees have been forced to bear the brunt of anger about COVID-19 decisions made by government.
"Retailers, restaurants, they're not making these rules up," says Jim Cormier of the Retail Council of Canada. "They're following the law. Our members will be prepared to the best extent possible to try and de-escalate those situations and hopefully they won't have to deal with it."
Cormier says anger is being directed to the wrong people, in the wrong location.
"It's not acceptable to use a retail space, to use a restaurant, to use a hospital, as a prop," he says.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
NEW More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Polar ice is melting and changing Earth's rotation. It's messing with time itself
One day in the next couple of years, everyone in the world will lose a second of their time. Exactly when that will happen is being influenced by humans, according to a new study, as melting polar ice alters the Earth’s rotation and changes time itself.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
NEW 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire': A crowd pleaser that turns it up to 11
Hot on the heels of last year's 'Godzilla Minus One' comes 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,' the first ever Academy Award winner in the giant reptile's decades-long film career.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.