A billboard advertisement just outside Nelson含羞草研究社檚 city limits that questions COVID-19 vaccines and mandates has been ruled to be in contravention of Canadian ad standards.
The billboard, which shows two children and advertises the website for Vaccine Choice Canada, was paid for by Kootenay Freedom, a West Kootenay-based group that describes itself as supporting 含羞草研究社渕edical freedom, vaccine choice, informed consent, privacy rights, unbiased journalism, transparent science, free speech, democracy and the opening of the economy.含羞草研究社�
A complaint about the ad含羞草研究社檚 content was lodged last August with Ad Standards, which administers the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards.
In a Dec. 7 decision, Ad Standards found the image 含羞草研究社減lays upon fears to mislead consumers,含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社渕ade inaccurate and otherwise misleading claims,含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社渄isplayed a disregard for safety by encouraging unsafe or dangerous practices through discouraging vaccinations, recognized as an important and necessary pandemic public health measure.含羞草研究社�
By doing so, the ad contravenes three clauses of the advertising code.
Matt Wynne, the Nelson resident who made the initial complaint about the billboard, said he was pleased with the ruling含羞草研究社檚 outcome but remains concerned by its influence over people who are hesitant to receive a vaccine.
含羞草研究社淚 think it含羞草研究社檚 important that we live in a free society,含羞草研究社� said Wynne. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 great for people to get freedom of choice about whether to get vaccinated or not. But those choices need to be made with factual information and not be influenced by manipulation. And that billboard is manipulative.含羞草研究社�
In an email to the Nelson Star, Kootenay Freedom含羞草研究社檚 Kevin Shaw said he views the ad in two parts.
On the right-hand side, it encourages questioning of safety mandates because 含羞草研究社渢hese measures are inarguably having a detrimental effect on our children.含羞草研究社� The other side, Shaw said, 含羞草研究社渆ncourages its viewers to familiarize themselves with the dangers associated with the COVID-19 vaccines.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淭he Ad Council seems to be saying that the degree of danger must be proved to them to their satisfaction as if they are some sort of arbiter of truth,含羞草研究社� added Shaw.
含羞草研究社淚 reject the notion that this Ad Council is in any way qualified to make a judgement such as this, or even that it is their role to do so.含羞草研究社�
Health Canada含羞草研究社檚 National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends that children ages five to 11 receive Pfizer含羞草研究社檚 vaccine.
Despite the ruling, there is nothing preventing the billboard ad from staying put.
Ad Standards can含羞草研究社檛 compel Kootenay Freedom to change or take down the ad, and is limited to . That ruling also cites Vaccine Choice Canada, not Kootenay Freedom, as the advertiser.
Vaccine Choice Canada did not reply to requests for comment.
Wynne said he believes the ad is an embarrassment for the city, and contributes to misinformation about the pandemic.
Seventy-eight per cent of people in the Nelson local health area ages 12 and older have received at least two vaccine doses as of Jan. 25, according to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control. Only 36 per cent of children ages five to 11, however, have had their first dose.
A crowd of hundreds, meanwhile, in downtown Nelson on Saturday.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 very easy for things that look legitimate to get out there and really confuse people,含羞草研究社� said Wynne. 含羞草研究社淚 think it seems like there含羞草研究社檚 a lot of that happening in our community for one reason or another, and it含羞草研究社檚 worrying.含羞草研究社�
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| tyler.harper@nelsonstar.com
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