Here's a leader of a federal political party stating that no person with a criminal record should get a vaccine before healthcare workers or vulnerable Canadians. And, frankly, it's disgusting. https://twitter.com/erinotoole/status/1346620895125778438

First, there are plenty of healthcare workers with criminal records. Yes, you read that right. People who have criminal records are not barred from working in healthcare.

Second, criminal records BY DEFINITION make people more vulnerable. Many people in the homeless population, the underemployed, or the unemployed are in that position because of their criminal records. Many people with criminal records have mental health conditions.

Indigenous Canadians - another vulnerable population - and Black Canadians - ditto - are disproportionately more likely to have a criminal record due to that whole systemic racism thing.

Now, let's talk about all the ordinary folk who have criminal records and are thus "criminals." The people who committed simple cannabis possession offences, people who trafficked drugs to support addictions that they've since overcome, people who drank and drove in 1973.

So cool to see that the DUI from when you were 19 is now going to be a criteria that a FEDERAL POLITICAL LEADER says should cause you to be more at risk of literally dying.

I have friends with criminal records. They did dumb shit like broke property that didn't belong to them, or stole city signage on a drunken night out. I guess the difference between them and me is that I didn't get caught... so I'm more deserving of a vaccine, right?

This tweet is ignorant and disgusting and inhumane.