Farmer's Market Letter

Contact info:

Feel free to both call and email the letter.

The Stop:

Email: general@thestop.org

Phone: 416-652-7867

Artscape:

Email: critchie@artscape.com

Phone: 416-562-1038

Letter Template:

RE: Open letter to:

Chris Valentine, President, The Stop Board of Directors

Shae London, Vice-President, The Stop Board of Directors

George So, Treasurer, The Stop Board of Directors

Stacy McLean, Secretary, The Stop Board of Directors

Charles Yu, Director, The Stop Board of Directors

Nuria Bronfman, Director, The Stop Board of Directors

Sarah Powell, Director, The Stop Board of Directors

Sabina Vohra-Miller, Director, The Stop Board of Directors

Alison Brennan, Director, The Stop Board of Directors

Koel Loyer, Director, The Stop Board of Directors

Michael Steinburg, Director, The Stop Board of Directors

Steve Thuringer, Director, The Stop Board of Directors

Carla Ritchie, Senior Manager, Event Operations, Artscape

It has come to my attention that The Stop Farmer’s Market at Wychwood Barns has implemented a proof of vaccination policy to purchase food inside the building of Wychwood barns.

The Stop’s mission statement “The Stop strives to increase access to healthy food in a manner that maintains dignity, builds health and community, and challenges inequality.” is proudly displayed on The Stop’s website, yet the vaccine policy implemented is a completed contraction of this statement. Excluding individuals who are not vaccinated does not build community, maintain dignity nor challenge inequality, instead this policy creates inequality.

This policy is a not only a violation of privacy it is a criminal act and this is medical apartheid. I will NOT stand for this type of blatant abuse of basic and fundamental human rights. Forcing your customers to show their identification and their personal and private medical information to purchase food is absurd, and is direct violation of the following legal provisions:

1. Canadian Bill of Rights (CBR) S.C. 1960, c. 44:

Section 1(a) the right of the individual to life, liberty and security of persons, which protects the right of informed consent for medical procedures and the right to privacy. And section 1(b) the right of the individual to equality before the law and the protection of the law.

https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-12.3/page-1.html

2. Privacy Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. P-21):

https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/P-21/

3. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights:
Article 25:

Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights

Furthermore, ALL laws in Canada are federally regulated through the Criminal Code of Canada (CCC). As per section 25 of the CCC, any enforcement of the Reopening Ontario Act bylaw, regulation 364/20 by any private person, peace officer, public officer or by virtue of his office, and can be met with criminal and/or civil liability and is a criminal act under the following CCC sections:

1. Uttering Threats

Section 264.1 (1) Every one commits an offence who, in any manner, knowingly utters, conveys or causes any person to receive a threat

(a) to cause death or bodily harm to any person;

2. Assault

Section 265 (1) A person commits an assault when

(a) without the consent of another person, he applies force intentionally to that other person directly or indirectly;

(b) he attempts or threatens, by an act or a gesture, to apply force to another person, if he has, or causes that other person to believe on reasonable grounds that he has, present ability to effect his purpose; or

(3) For the purposes of this section, no consent is obtained where the complainant submits or does not resist by reason of

(a) the application of force to the complainant or to a person other than the complainant;

(b) threats or fear of the application of force to the complainant or to a person other than the complainant;

(d) the exercise of authority.

3. Extortion

Section 346 (1) Every one commits extortion who, without reasonable justification or excuse and with intent to obtain anything, by threats, accusations, menaces or violence induces or attempts to induce any person, whether or not he is the person threatened, accused or menaced or to whom violence is shown, to do anything or cause anything to be done.

4. Public Incitement of Hatred

Section 319 (1) Every one who, by communicating statements in any public place, incites hatred against any identifiable group where such incitement is likely to lead to a breach of the peace is guilty of

(a) an indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years; or

(b) an offence punishable on summary conviction.

If you cease and desist requiring proof of vaccination to enter the farmer’s market int the Wychwood Barns within 7 days, then this matter will be resolved.

If this matter is not rectified within 7 days, there will be a private collection and criminal and civil proceeding to seek compensation and a request in civil court.

Sincerely,