So, council made the big decision: Wearing a mask or face covering is now mandatory in indoor public spaces in Jasper.
If you have followed my editorials over the last few months, you will know I am an advocate for public mask-wearing. I have felt exasperated by excuses against mask-wearing and the politicization of the practice. It seems like such a simple thing to do to help keep others safe and, to be honest, I really don’t want to be breathing in other people’s germs at the moment.
Saying this, I understand council’s hesitation on making masking mandatory. There are pros and cons, as have been lengthily discussed, like proper mask-wearing practice and issues with enforcement.
But following the outcry from the population for Jasper to make this happen, I think councillors have made the right decision.
It’s like the shopping cart scenario - we all know it’s the polite and proper thing to do to return our shopping cart to the designated area after we’ve unloaded our groceries. It’s easy and takes seconds to do, but still you see shopping carts abandoned around parking lots.
Except - not so many of those shopping carts you have to put a dollar in to unlock.
Not everyone is thoughtful and polite by nature - some need an incentive or a reason to do the right thing.
We’ve certainly seen an increase in mask-wearing in Jasper recently - and far more than I have seen in other communities. Jasperites have been very forward-thinking and set a great example to our visitors - and I believe the municipality’s education campaign has helped a lot too.
Hopefully now, with the incentive of avoiding a $250 fine, we will see many more face-coverings in town to help keep our community safe.
Fuchsia Dragon
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