Small anti-vaccine passport demonstration outside Ottawa Hospital

A small group of demonstrators in Ottawa gathered to protest the COVID-19 vaccine passport system which was introduced to the province earlier this month and will come into effect on September 22.

After being widely condemned by politicians and health officials including Ontario's Premier Doug Ford, Ottawa's Mayor Jim Watson and countless others the protest got underway at 2 p.m. Monday, September 13, across from the Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus on Carling Avenue.

Len, who did not give their last name to CityNews, was among those taking part in the demonstration and said it was never their intention to block access to the hospital.

“The thought of anyone here blocking any of the entrances to the hospital or interfering with the staff or patients is abhorrent.”

The small crowd dissipated from the hospital shortly after 4:30 p.m.

A group that calls themselves “Canadian Frontline Nurses” are behind five protests Monday in the province (Ottawa, Toronto, London,  Barrie, and Sudbury) and a number of others across the country.

Organizers are the same group responsible for the major demonstrations that took place across Canada on September 1 when thousands showed up, blocking several streets in front of and around Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) and city hall.

They are calling for people to stand together “for informed consent & medical freedoms.”

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau says a re-elected government will make it a crime to block access to health care facilities. Trudeau says he will also make it a crime to intimidate a health care worker or medical patients.

“We’re going to make it a criminal offence for anyone to threaten or intimidate a healthcare practitioner on their way to work in the practice and exercise of their duty,” Trudeau said Monday. “Or a patient on their way to get medical services.”

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole said peaceful protest is one thing, harassing people accessing and working in health care is another.

“This type of harassment and protest in front of hospitals is completely unacceptable,” he said during a campaign event in Ottawa.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said it is wrong to protest at hospitals.

“No health-care worker, no patient, no one seeking health care should in any way be limited or have a barrier to getting the care they need,” he said while campaigning in Sioux Lookout. 

— with files from The Canadian Press