EDITORIAL: Politicians can and should push back on restrictions

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There has been a lot of frustrations felt by Canadians from coast to coast as their governments engaged in radical experiments in locking down society.

For the most part, the country has stepped away from the worst of it. Restrictions have been relaxed. People are allowed to return to some of the things that made life worth living.

That said, there are still many restrictions in place across the country. Some of them make sense. Some of them, to put it mildly, do not.

Canadians should feel empowered to ask questions, speak up and demand better. It’s their right.

Then again, so should politicians. We’ve created this strange atmosphere where politicians feel like they have to behave as if unelected public health officials are their bosses.

It’s not true and it shouldn’t happen that way.

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Chief medical officers are very important senior public servants, now more than ever. Their advice and experience matter. They’re not infallible though. They’re also not the ones ultimately in charge.

Politicians shouldn’t be sheepish about taking the reins. In fact, many of their constituents would likely applaud their leadership.

Such a scenario is currently unfolding in the Toronto area. Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie recently made it clear that she wants restrictions relaxed in her city, despite the fact her region’s chief medical officer previously put the region on hold and kept restrictions in place.

Crombie is right to push for a responsible re-opening and by doing so publicly she’s both giving something for her residents to rally behind and is also putting pressure on the chief medical officer to act.

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The Toronto area is now the most locked-down region in North America. It’s surprising that it’s taken politicians as long as it has to speak out, but it’s good to see things finally heading in the right direction.

All Canadians should expect politicians to have their backs during these unprecedented times. That certainly means they make the decisions necessary to help protect our health. But it also means they need to strike a balance and not give total control over to unelected bureaucrats who, while well-intentioned, may not always be making the right decisions.