The Rot Within

"Our analysis demonstrated that Canadian RWE [right-wing extremists] communities identified in this study engage in a range of harmful behaviours."

"This includes potentially illegal activity such as the incitement and glorification of violence and explicit hate speech."

"In particular, the communities studied in this report appear to act as hubs for disinformation and conspiracy theories, including content relating to the COVID-19 pandemic."

Institute for Strategic Dialogue, London report

 

"[Thousands of people are joining pandemic conspiracy movements through social media, so when doctors and public figures spread false online information] it lends conspiracy theory promoters an air of credibility."

"In some way, shape or form similar stuff like that is happening all across Canada,. It just seems like more of it is happening in Alberta now." 

"it's a very dangerous combination of things happening right now. In an environment like that, all it takes is one unstable person to try to act out the violent fantasies of the group."

Evan Balgord, executive director, Canadian Anti-Hate Network research group 

A video widely circulated online this week shows Dr. Gary Davidson, an emergency medicine physician at the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre, accusing the government of waiting for a drop in admittance numbers to trigger a lockdown to enable it to take credit in swift action. (Kyle Green/The Associated Press)

 

The Province of Alberta stands out as the most COVID-vulnerable poster child in Canada struggling in vain to check the surge of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta strain that has been overwhelming countries the world over in its viral contagiousness. Hospitals are overwhelmed, case counts are soaring, 'elective' surgeries are once again being cancelled, death numbers increasing. The premier of the province is in a quandary, having to backtrack on opening the province too soon, now once again re-imposing a lockdown, and with it a move to COVID passports, infuriating the population.

Unable to cope with its ICUs crowded with patients and shortages, the province sent out an appeal to other provinces for help. Those that were able to oblige are receiving air-lifted COVID patients requiring emergency hospital care that Alberta hospitals are unable to service. Neighbouring Saskatchewan was one province that was unable to open its ICU doors to Alberta patients. It too is overwhelmed with COVID patients. In Alberta the influx of patients invariably reflects unvaccinated people.

Resistance by anti-vaxxers in Alberta is endemic by a wide margin in comparison to other provinces, and more prominent in outlying areas. These are people hugely resistant to the very idea that medical science is on the right track in advising populations how best to protect themselves from the virus. These are the people convinced that government is trying to control their every thought, to take away any vestiges of personal agency and independence. And they are supported by groups that feed on this unstable paranoia.

 

On social media all manner of theories abound, posing as knowledge-based solutions, from the use of horse de-wormer medications as a 'cure' for COVID, to other bizarre remedies that sometimes land people in hospital. Suspicion of government motivations is rampant. Doctors pressured by some of their patients, provide them with vaccine-exemption letters on health grounds, from enabling patients to bypass wearing masks in public to arguing that medical conditions preclude inoculation.

The Alberta College of Physicians and Surgeons is preparing to publish a letter addressed to its physician-members and the public at large, reiterating its support for vaccines and public health requirements in place to curb the spread of COVID-19. Doctors identified by the College as spreading misinformation on social media platforms have been warned that their behaviour may impact the credibility of their profession and may in fact lead to suspension of their medical practise certification.

With the highest number of unvaccinated people in the country, the spread of misinformation continues to harm the public even as case numbers explode. Sources such as not only doctors but other public workers and well-known figures including police officers, firefighters and others weigh in on their beliefs contrary to government authorities and medical community experts. One popular country singer reported to his large following that people recovered from COVID are immune thereafter to the virus.

A report out of London by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue think tank that monitors disinformation spoke of online communication channels associated with white supremacy and racism having seen exponential growth during the pandemic. 

Alberta on Tuesday reported 29 additional COVID-19 deaths, bringing the total since the pandemic began to 2,574 people. Photo by IAN KUCERAK / Postmedia

 "It's incredibly disappointing to see your profession do things that are so harmful to others."

"We're in pretty unprecedented times. There are always events where the odd physician may say or do things that are counter to traditional pratices of medicine, but not to this degree, not to this scale."

"This is just the minority of people in the profession that are creating a problem, but that minority is having a huge impact."

"Physicians do have a very powerful voice in society and people listen to it."

"I would recommend that whoever is listening to those physicians also listen to some of the other evidence that's out there with an open mind."

"Unfortunately, we see a lot of confirmation bias where people want to believe the science that they're hearing, instead of critically appraising that science." 

"[The college had an emergency meeting and] counsel made it very clear that we need to be aggressive in dealing with [doctors spreading misinformation]."

Scott McLeod, registrar, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta