Credit…Spencer Platt/Getty ImagesWhile the protests in Ottawa have, at times, been co-opted by a far-right fringe, the demonstrations in Canada’s capital have also tapped into widespread frustration with pandemic restrictions that have been among the toughest in the developed world.Stuck at home for weeks on end, unable to go to restaurants, places of worship or gyms, Canadians in provinces like Quebec and Ontario have looked jealously across the border at Americans living with fewer constraints. The speedy rollout of the U.S. immunization campaign also produced vaccine envy in Canada.As many countries around the world are easing restrictions, a majority of Canadian provincial governments, which are responsible for administering health care, have, until recently, maintained restrictions imposed earlier this winter, as Omicron surged and hospitals became overstretched.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government has imposed vaccination mandates for federal public servants and workers in the airline and railway industries.In late December in Quebec, the government imposed a 10 p.m. curfew — even on New Year’s Eve. The move, which provoked an angry backlash, was accompanied by a ban on private indoor gatherings beyond members of the same household.Until the curfew was lifted in mid-January, Quebecers were required to remain indoors from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., and those who broke the rules faced fines as high as $4,750.Bars, restaurants and gyms were also shuttered in December, and the restrictions have only recently been eased, with restaurants allowed to open at 50 percent capacity, gyms opening at partial capacity next week and bars allowed to reopen at full capacity on March 14.The police patrolling the sleepy city of Sherbrooke, Quebec, last year observed an unlikely curfew violation: a woman “walking” her boyfriend, attached to a leash, as he padded along the sidewalk on all fours. She said she was merely taking her dog for a walk. After all, dog-walking close to home is one of several activities, along with trips to the pharmacy, exempt from the curfew.The police, unconvinced, slapped the couple with a total of nearly $3,100 in fines.Close to 34,700 Canadians have died from Covid-19, with the highest death rate per 100,000 people in Quebec, according to federal public health data.Atlantic Canada managed to stave off virus spread by imposing inter-provincial travel requirements.In Ontario, the government has called states of emergency to control virus spread at various points during the pandemic. Last April, before Canada was able to ramp up its vaccination rollout, the provincial government of Premier Doug Ford expanded police powers to enforce Covid-19 orders, which included outdoor gatherings limited to one household. It also banned the use of playgrounds, but public outcry led it to swiftly reverse the decision.Some people in Ontario’s long-term care homes, among the hardest hit during the pandemic, spent the better part of a year indoors.This week, the premiers of Saskatchewan and Alberta said their provinces would be lifting some public health restrictions, including indoor mask requirements and proof of vaccination requirements.More than 78 percent of Canadians are fully vaccinated, and 84 percent of the population has received at least one dose.— Dan Bilefsky and Vjosa Isai
