The Other Side

Name withheld by request | Feb 23, 2022

Until recently I was a student at the Canadian Coast Guard College in Sydney, NS, where I studied marine navigation in what is known widely as one of the top nautical institutes in the world. Shortly before Christmas I received word that my request for a religious exemption from the federal public servant COVID-19 vaccine mandate had been denied, and that I would be placed on "administrative leave without pay" forthwith. Years of focused hard work and dedication leading up to my acceptance into this school were pushed aside. My lengthy letter outlining the reasons why my sincerely-held religious beliefs prevented me from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine was scorned, while the oath that I took to serve my Queen and country was called into question. I am not a radical conspiracy theorist. I am not anti-science. I am not a misogynist or a racist (as my Prime Minister would have Canadians believe about the un-vaccinated). I am young man that wants to serve his country with pride and honour. I am young man that wants to raise a family in peace, without fear that said family will be threatened or harmed. I am a young man that wants the freedom to serve his God without interference from the government. And, this young man simply wants his rights and freedoms back.

Name withheld by request