A billboard advertisement just outside Nelsonsa国际传媒檚 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 sa国际传媒渕edical freedom, vaccine choice, informed consent, privacy rights, unbiased journalism, transparent science, free speech, democracy and the opening of the economy.sa国际传媒�
A complaint about the adsa国际传媒檚 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 sa国际传媒減lays upon fears to mislead consumers,sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒渕ade inaccurate and otherwise misleading claims,sa国际传媒� and sa国际传媒渄isplayed a disregard for safety by encouraging unsafe or dangerous practices through discouraging vaccinations, recognized as an important and necessary pandemic public health measure.sa国际传媒�
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 rulingsa国际传媒檚 outcome but remains concerned by its influence over people who are hesitant to receive a vaccine.
sa国际传媒淚 think itsa国际传媒檚 important that we live in a free society,sa国际传媒� said Wynne. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 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.sa国际传媒�
In an email to the Nelson Star, Kootenay Freedomsa国际传媒檚 Kevin Shaw said he views the ad in two parts.
On the right-hand side, it encourages questioning of safety mandates because sa国际传媒渢hese measures are inarguably having a detrimental effect on our children.sa国际传媒� The other side, Shaw said, sa国际传媒渆ncourages its viewers to familiarize themselves with the dangers associated with the COVID-19 vaccines.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淭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,sa国际传媒� added Shaw.
sa国际传媒淚 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.sa国际传媒�
Health Canadasa国际传媒檚 National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends that children ages five to 11 receive Pfizersa国际传媒檚 vaccine.
Despite the ruling, there is nothing preventing the billboard ad from staying put.
Ad Standards cansa国际传媒檛 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.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 very easy for things that look legitimate to get out there and really confuse people,sa国际传媒� said Wynne. sa国际传媒淚 think it seems like theresa国际传媒檚 a lot of that happening in our community for one reason or another, and itsa国际传媒檚 worrying.sa国际传媒�
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| tyler.harper@nelsonstar.com
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