The 2016 Winners of our Adding Insult to Injury Awards are:
CBC Ontario Today
CBC Sunday Edition
CTV Your Morning
National NewsMedia Council
Ottawa Sun
Windsor Star
Attention: Rita Celli – Host of Ontario Today
Dear Ms. Celli,
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Vaccine Choice Canada I’m writing to inform you CBC- Ontario Today has been awarded our 2016 media award. The award titled ‘Adding Insult to Injury’ recognizes media entities that continue to disseminate deceptive, distorted and dishonest information pertaining to the topic of vaccinations in Canada.
CBC’s Ontario Today earned the award as a result of its unwillingness to address incorrect information and misrepresentations made on the program of September 15, 2016 entitled, ‘Vaccines and Who Should Get Them’.
CBC failed to make a public correction of a number of inaccurate statements made by guest Dr. Leslie Barron. Nor did the CBC apologize for any misunderstanding this misinformation may have caused in spite of being provided with corrected information and documentation by Vaccine Choice Canada.
This failure by the CBC undermines confidence in Canada’s national broadcaster as a credible source of information as pertains to the topic of vaccinations. These actions are a disservice to all Canadians, especially those children neurologically injured and killed by vaccines.
A hard copy of the award will be mailed to you and award winners will be posted on the Vaccine Choice Canada website.
Sincerely,
Edda West, President of Vaccine Choice Canada
cc. Esther Enkin, CBC Ombudsman
PDF of CBC Ontario Today letter above
Full complaint to the CBC Ombudsman Esther Enkin dated September 27, 2016 to which there has been no response.
Attention: Michael Enright, Host of The Sunday Edition
Dear Michael,
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Vaccine Choice Canada I’m writing to inform you CBC – The Sunday Edition has been awarded our 2016 media award. The award titled ‘Adding Insult to Injury’ recognizes media entities that continue to disseminate deceptive, distorted and dishonest information pertaining to the topic of vaccinations in Canada.
CBC’s The Sunday Edition earned the award as a result of its unwillingness to address incorrect information and misrepresentations made on the program of June 19, 2016 entitled, ‘The Backfire Effect’.
CBC failed to make a public correction of the inaccurate statements made in this program related to the known relationship between vaccines and autism, or to apologize for any misunderstanding this misinformation may have caused in spite of being provided with accurate information and documentation by Vaccine Choice Canada.
This failure by the CBC undermines confidence in Canada’s national broadcaster as a credible source of information as pertains to the topic of vaccinations. These actions are a disservice to all Canadians, especially those children neurologically injured and killed by vaccines.
A hard copy of the award will be mailed to you and award winners will be posted on the Vaccine Choice Canada website.
Sincerely,
Edda West, President of Vaccine Choice Canada
cc. Esther Enkin, CBC Ombudsman
PDF of CBC Sunday Edition letter above
Letter to Sunday Edition
June 24, 2016
CBC Radio
The Sunday Edition
Attention: Michael Enright
Dear Michael,
I am writing in response to your interview on Sunday, June 19, 2016 pertaining to “the backfire effect”. Your guest cited concern about vaccine safety as an example of when the public “clings to lies and myths even when presented with factual information debunking the myth”. More specifically, he referred to the ”myth” that the MMR vaccine is causally related to autism even though it has been thoroughly debunked.
As the parent of a vaccine injured child I feel compelled to address the comments made by your guest about vaccine safety and the basis of your program. It appears that your interest in those individuals who deny science is not a genuine curiosity, but rather a commentary of your own assumptions – that the science is settled and is not to be questioned. In the entire interview I failed to hear any genuine interest in why it is that some individuals do not embrace the findings of “science”.
If you are genuinely interested I am willing to provide you some information that may help you to understand the position of individuals, like myself, who no longer accept unquestioning the findings of science. The short answer is science, including and especially ‘the science of vaccinology’, has been corrupted by financial and political interests. Science is no longer in service to the truth. Rather science has become a tool of corporate and political interests to advance their agendas. Science is now “bought”.
This is not just my opinion. Rather it is the opinion of individuals who have observed the corruption of science and scientific research first hand.
“It is simply no longer possible to believe much of the clinical research that is published or to rely on the judgment of trusted physicians or authoritative medical guidelines. I take no pleasure in this conclusion, which I reached slowly and reluctantly over my two decades as an editor of the New England Journal of Medicine.”
~ Dr. Marcia Angell, Drug Companies and Doctors: A Story of Corruption
“The case against science is straightforward: much of the scientific literature, perhaps half may simply be untrue. Scientists too often sculpt data to fit their preferred theory of the world. Or they retrofit hypotheses to fit their data. Science has taken a turn toward darkness.”
~ Richard Horton, Editor in Chief, Lancet
“Science cannot have an agenda, and it appears that this science does.”
~ Bruce Stillman, President of Cold Spring Harbor Lab
Michael, like most who are labeled as “anti-vaxxers”, I accepted without question the claims made by the medical/pharmaceutical industry that vaccines are “safe and effective”. The severe and permanent injury to my son from a vaccine awakened me to the reality that vaccines are not safe and effective for all individuals. I invested many thousands of hours into researching the vaccine literature and was shocked to discover how little scientific evidence actually exists to support the claims of the vaccine industry and government promoters.
More disconcerting for those committed to scientific inquiry is the ongoing denial of vaccine injury and the censorship that prevents open dialogue about vaccine safety and effectiveness. We are denied a public forum and deemed “anti-vaxxers”, “quacks” and incapable of accepting scientific facts. Your program is an example of how the media silences debate rather than invites debate.
We are experiencing an epidemic of proportions not seen in our modern era. The media and medical industry deem a medical crisis when a few hundred individuals experience symptoms of measles, mumps, or chicken pox. Yet these same industries are silent about vaccine injury and show callous disregard for the 1 in 45 children who will be diagnosed with autism today, and the 1 in 6 children who will experience a neurological or immunological disorder.
The medical industry claim “the science is settled” with regard to the role of vaccines in autism. Your guest continued to espouse the mantra that the MMR vaccine – autism link has been “debunked” when nothing could be further from the truth. This individual is either grossly misinformed or is being intentionally dishonest. Until such time as the cause of autism is fully understood and this epidemic arrested, it is dishonest to state – “the science is settled”.
There is mounting evidence of a strong vaccine-autism link. This is the message of the documentary Vaxxed. Vaxxed reveals the CDC has known for more than 10 years that those children who receive the MMR vaccine on schedule are more likely to develop autism than those who delay receiving the MMR shot. The efforts by the media and medical industry to censor this information and prevent the showing of Vaxxed should be of concern to all of us who believe in science and free speech.
“We’ve missed ten years of research because the CDC is so paralyzed right now by anything related to autism. They’re not doing what they should be doing because they’re afraid to look for things that might be associated.”
~ Dr. William Thompson, CDC Sr. Scientist, August 2014
Your guest seems unaware that there are more than 123 independent studies that confirm a vaccine-autism link. https://www.scribd.com/doc/220807175/123-Research-Papers-Supporting-the-Vaccine-Autism-Link. There is substantial evidence the MMR vaccine is not as safe nor as effective as purported to be.
During the three-year period between 2006-2009 a large Canadian study examined the frequency of pediatric emergency room visits and hospitalizations following regularly scheduled vaccination. The study examined MMR injected at 12 months along with meningococcal C vaccine, and MMR injected at 18 months along with a pentavalent booster of diphtheria, acellular pertussis, tetanus, polio and Hib. There were a total of 11,167 ER visits and 686 hospitalizations for the 12 month vaccination period; 4,288 ER visits and 269 hospitalizations for the 18 month period.
The study concluded, “There are significantly elevated risks of primarily emergency room visits approximately one to two weeks following 12 and 18 month vaccination”, and that 1 in 168 children will experience an adverse event following vaccination.
Of great concern is the absence of follow up to determine the long-term health outcome in the children who suffered these adverse events following vaccination. Several children (undisclosed number) died during the study period. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3236196/?tool=pmcentrez
At the time the study was done, Ontario gave the second MMR shot at 18 months of age, but at some point between then and now, Ontario changed the vaccine schedule delaying the second shot to between ages 4-6.
Being concerned about vaccine safety is not anti-science. Rather, questioning and demanding clinical evidence of vaccine safety and effectiveness is pro-science, as well as being responsible parents and health consumers.
The safety of the current childhood vaccine schedule has never been proven in large, long-term clinical trials. The current vaccine schedule has never been tested for safety in the real world way in which the schedule is implemented. No safety trials exist that confirm the safety of giving multiple vaccinations at once. There is no long-term clinical evidence that vaccinated children have better overall health than unvaccinated children.
It is the failure of the vaccine industry to provide clinical and biological evidence of long-term vaccine safety and effectiveness that is anti-science. Saying there is no need to conduct long-term safety trials is irresponsible and unacceptable.
I invite you to be more open to questioning the “scientific” claims of the medical industry. Simply dismissing those of us who have experienced the negative consequences of vaccines is disrespectful and dishonest. We deserve better.
Sincerely,
Ted Kuntz
There was no response from Michael Enright to Ted.
February 26, 2017, CBC Sunday Edition, We won an award for dishonesty, and we’re very proud of it! – Michael’s essay states “So on behalf of The Sunday Edition, I humbly accept the 2016 Adding Insult to Injury Award, and give it pride of place in our office.”
.@VaccineChoiceCA award for “deception, distortion & dishonesty” on proud display @CBCSunday says Michael https://t.co/heisXdNKYL
— The Sunday Magazine (@CBCSunday) February 26, 2017
Dear Ben Mulroney,
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Vaccine Choice Canada I’m writing to inform you CTV has been awarded our 2016 media award. The award titled ‘Adding Insult to Injury’ recognizes media entities that continue to disseminate deceptive, distorted and dishonest information pertaining to the topic of vaccinations in Canada.
CTV earned the award as a result of its unwillingness to address incorrect information and misrepresentations made on CTV’s ‘Your Morning’ program of October 18, 2016 entitled, ‘The Anti-Vax Movement: Canadian Pediatricians Weigh In’.
CTV failed to make a public correction of the inaccurate statements in this program or apologize for any misunderstanding this information may have caused in spite of being provided with accurate information and documentation.
This failure by CTV undermines confidence in the CTV and Bell Media as credible sources of information as pertains to the topic of vaccinations. These actions are a disservice to all Canadians, especially those children permanently injured and killed by vaccines.
A hard copy of the award will be mailed to you and award winners will be posted on the Vaccine Choice Canada website.
Sincerely,
Edda West, President of Vaccine Choice Canada
PDF letter to CTV Your Morning
The Your Morning Video (clipId=974434) is no longer available online here, here, or here. Clip available on Dr. Kulik’s YouTube Channel here.
Formal Complaint letter re: CTV Your Morning Segment
October 25, 2016
CTV Television Network
P.O. Box 9, Station ‘O,’
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
M4A 2M9
Bell Media
299 Queen Street West
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
M5V 2Z5
RE: Formal Complaint – Inaccurate Statements
I am writing to file a formal complaint regarding inaccurate statements made on CTV’s ‘Your Morning’ program entitled, ‘The Anti-Vax Movement: Canadian Pediatricians Weigh In’ of October 18, 2016. http://www.ctv.ca/YourMorning/Video/How-do-doctors-react-to-parents-who-decide-against-vaccinations-vid974434 [Link to video not available]
Numerous False Statements
In the program the host, Ben Mulroney, interviews two Canadian Pediatricians, Dr. Dina Kulik and Dr. Graham Black, on the topic of how Doctors react to parents who are vaccine hesitant. Dr. Kulik makes a number of false statements that require correction.
In response to parent’s concerns about the use of preservatives in vaccines, Dr. Kulik states: “The reality is there is no mercury in Canadian vaccines.” This statement is clearly at odds with information provided by the Public Health Agency of Canada – Statement on Seasonal Influenza Vaccine for 2016. 1
In Appendix A of this document, (a portion attached) the Public Health Agency clearly identifies thimerosal (mercury) in six (6) influenza vaccines alone. This does not take into consideration the known use of thimerosal in the manufacture of other Canadian vaccines.
Dr. Kulik also states: “The amount of aluminum is miniscule amounts” and “less than the amount in breast milk and formula.” Dr. Kulik seems unaware there is a significant difference in the rate of absorption between ingesting aluminum and injecting aluminum into muscle tissue.
While breast milk and conventional formula may be a source of aluminum, it is mostly cleared by the kidneys of a healthy person, and only a minute part is absorbed into the body. With injected aluminum, however, nearly all of the aluminum is retained in the body.
Dr. Kulik’s statement is also at odds with the known neurotoxicity of aluminum in vaccines. 2 No clinical studies have been conducted to establish the safety of using aluminum in vaccines. The neurotoxicity of aluminum is well documented, affecting memory, cognition, psychomotor control, and damage to the blood brain barrier. 3 The amount of aluminum used in vaccines regularly exceeds the maximum amount permitted by the FDA. 4. 5
Dr. Kulik also incorrectly refers to aluminum as a preservative when it is an adjuvant.
Dr. Kulik also references a 1998 study and incorrectly attributes the study with the claim that vaccines cause autism. The Lancet study never claimed that the MMR vaccine causes autism. The study referenced a new bowel syndrome found in some children who have autism. The concluding statement of the study was – “We did not prove an association between measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine and the syndrome described. Virological studies are underway that may help to resolve this issue.”
Dr. Kulik describes the study as “completely falsified, made up”. Again, Dr. Kulik seems unaware the results of the study have been replicated by more than 25 independent labs around the world. To continue to refer to the 1998 study as “completely falsified” is dishonest or grossly uninformed.
Finally, Dr. Kulik states: there have been “thousands of studies that show no relationship between MMR and autism”. This statement too is completely false. There have been less than a dozen studies that were unable to find a relationship between the MMR vaccine and autism. Most of these studies have been discredited as being of poor design. Also, the inability to find a link between vaccines and autism does not mean there is no relationship, it only means those researchers using that particular study design did not find a link.
Dr. Kulik seems unaware of the findings of an extensive meta analysis done by the Cochrane Collaboration on MMR safety where they state, “The design and reporting of safety outcomes in MMR vaccine studies, both pre- and post-marketing, are largely inadequate. The evidence of adverse events following immunisation with the MMR vaccine cannot be separated from its role in preventing the target diseases.” 6
The most commonly referenced study where researchers were unable to find a relationship between the MMR vaccine and autism is the 2004 CDC study. This is the subject of the documentary Vaxxed in which one of the lead authors and senior scientists with the CDC, Dr. William Thompson, has taken whistleblower status and declared the CDC has been fraudulently manipulating data for ten years in their effort to deny a clearly evident vaccine-autism link.
There are more than 127 studies that demonstrate vaccine-autism causation. 7
Your host and guests also express a distorted perception of the potential risk posed by unvaccinated individuals. The fact is individuals recently vaccinated with live-virus vaccine pose more of a health risk to the immune compromised than healthy unvaccinated individuals.
Consider that individuals who are immune compromised or being treated for cancer are advised to avoid anyone who has received a live-virus vaccine because these viruses can and do shed, some for as much as four weeks, potentially infecting the immunocompromised patient with disastrous results. This includes the MMR vaccine, the intranasal flu vaccine, and the chicken pox shot. In fact, it is much more likely for an immune compromised individual to encounter a peer at school who has been recently vaccinated with a live-virus vaccine than he or she is to encounter natural disease from an unvaccinated child.
It is well established that pertussis is more easily “spread” by vaccinated people than non-vaccinated people because vaccinated people can be asymptomatic carriers who don’t even know they harbor an active pertussis infection.
Program Bias
Mr. Mulroney clearly demonstrates a bias in this program. By using the terminology “anti-vax” he fails to recognize that those expressing hesitancy about the safety of the current vaccine program are mostly parents whose children have been injured by vaccines. If these parents were truly “anti-vax” their children would never have been injured in the first place.
These parents ought to be respectfully referred to as “pro-safety”, “pro-choice” and “pro-accountability” or “anti-unsafe vaccines”. Further, describing the relentless efforts to silence the voices of parents of vaccine injured children as “a war against the anti-vax movement” shows callous disregard for the suffering families have experienced as a result of our systemic and willful blindness to vaccine injury.
The pediatricians failed to disclose that every G7 nation other than Canada has a national vaccine injury compensation plan. Canada is the outlier with its systemic denial of vaccine injury, aided and abetted by a complicit media. This is in stark contrast to the more than $3 billion paid to date by the U.S. government to individuals and families whose loved ones have suffered catastrophic injuries and death from vaccines. This alone should be cause for concern.
The pediatricians also failed to disclose they have a financial conflict of interest in recommending vaccinations. Canadian doctors, in addition to compensation for administering the vaccines, receive bonuses for achieving a high rate of vaccination amongst their patients.
This episode of ‘Your Morning’ is a compelling example of why having balance in the media is so necessary. When only one perspective is offered, there is no opportunity to hold those who blindly advocate their perspective accountable for their inaccuracies, biases, and distortions.
My request is that CTV and Bell Media make a public correction of the inaccurate statements in this program and apologize for any misunderstanding this may have caused. Any failure to do so undermines confidence in the CTV and Bell Media as credible sources of information as pertains to the topic of vaccinations.
Sincerely,
Ted Kuntz, parent of a vaccine injured child
References:
1. Statement on Seasonal Influenza Vaccine for 2016
2. Vaccine Papers
3. Does an Elevated Aluminum Burden From Vaccine Adjuvants Contribute to the Rising Prevalence of Autism? Lucija Tomljenovic, PhD & Chris Shaw, PhD
4. New Parent Guide – Vaccine Choice Canada – page 23
5. Aluminum Exposure in Neonatal Patients
6. Cochrane Library. Vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella in children
7. 127 Research Papers Supporting the Vaccine-Autism Link
PDF of complaint letter (above) to CTV Your Morning
Dear John Fraser, President and CEO.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Vaccine Choice Canada I’m writing to inform you The National NewsMedia Council has been awarded our 2016 media award. The award titled ‘Adding Insult to Injury’ recognizes media entities that continue to disseminate deceptive, distorted and dishonest information pertaining to the topic of vaccinations in Canada.
The National NewsMedia Council earned the award as a result of its unwillingness to correct misrepresentations in the media pertaining to the status of vaccinations in Canada even when provided with accurate government supported documentation confirming there are no required or mandated vaccinations in Canada.
It is our expectation the National NewsMedia Council would uphold the standards of responsible journalism in Canada as well as respect and protect the rights and freedoms of Canadians, rather than erode and undermine them. The National NewsMedia Council has failed on both counts.
These actions by the National NewsMedia Council are a disservice to all Canadians, especially those children who have been permanently injured or killed by vaccines. Additionally you have undermined confidence in the media to be honest, accurate, and fair brokers of information.
A hard copy of the award will be mailed to you and award winners will be posted on the Vaccine Choice Canada website.
Sincerely,
Edda West, President of Vaccine Choice Canada
cc: Pat Perkel, NNC Executive Director
PDF of NNC letter above
Complaint to NNC re: Ottawa Sun Article
October 2, 2016
National NewsMedia Counci
RE: Formal Complaint – Breech of Journalistic Standards
I am writing to file a formal complaint with regard to an article written by Ms. Elizabeth Payne of the Ottawa Sun. The article I wish to draw your attention to is entitled “With New School Year, Vaccine Blitz Begins” (September 29, 2016) http://www.ottawasun.com/2016/09/28/with-new-school-year-vaccine-blitz-begins-again
In the article Ms. Payne creates the false impression that vaccination is a requirement in the Province of Ontario in order for children to attend school. This is a clear misrepresentation of the facts. All vaccinations in Canada are voluntary. What is required in the Province of Ontario is up-to-date documentation of adhering to the recommended vaccine schedule or a statement of exemption for medical, religious or reason of conscience. Payne fails to inform readers that parents have the legal right to exempt their children from the practice of artificial immunization.
I suggest that Ms. Payne would reasonably be expected to have knowledge of Ontario’s laws governing vaccination of children in school and daycare. This begs the question why Ms. Payne omits vitally important information about parents’ legal right to obtain conscience or religious based vaccine exemptions under ISPA.
The Ottawa Sun and Ms. Payne appear to be actively engaged in depriving Ottawa’s citizens of their Charter rights to fundamental freedoms of conscience and religion, their legal right to security of the person, and their medical right to informed consent.
The efforts of the Ottawa Sun are also a violation of numerous international Conventions to which Canada is signatory including the Nuremberg Code and Helsinki Accords which defend the basic human right to the Informed Consent ethic and reject the moral argument that the creation of alleged benefits for the many justifies the sacrifice of the few, as well as the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights; Article 6 – Consent:
“Any preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic medical intervention is only to be carried out with the prior, free and informed consent of the person concerned, based on adequate information. The consent should, where appropriate, be expressed and may be withdrawn by the person concerned at any time and for any reason without disadvantage or prejudice.”
Parents with legal exemptions for their unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children feel under attack when they read articles like Ms. Payne’s because a Canadian’s legal right to exemption from vaccination isn’t acknowledged and shared with the general community. Such reporting creates fear, distortion, and division in a community. The fear and distortion, however, is created by the media’s misrepresentation of the facts.
When citizens are denied their right to even know that they have a legal right under the law to exempt their children from vaccines for school or day care, that vaccination is NOT mandatory, and that no one can force them to vaccinate their children against their will in order to go to school, the result is a government and medical industry imposed tyranny supported by a complicit media.
The media ought to be independent of government and corporate agendas, and instead serve as an honest broker of information and work to safeguard and protect the rights and freedoms of Canadians. The kind of deceptive reporting of Ms. Payne and the Ottawa Sun harms not only those who may not be aware of their legal right to chose not to vaccinate, it also undermines confidence in the integrity of the media to be accurate, fair, and balanced.
It is my expectation that Canada’s media would respect and protect our rights and freedoms as citizens of Canada rather than erode and undermine them. I request the NewsMedia Council to uphold the standards of responsible journalism and address the inaccurate and deceptive efforts of Ms. Payne and the Ottawa Sun.
Our communities deserve better.
Ted Kuntz
Complaint to NNC re: Ottawa Sun article (pdf)
Response from NNC regarding the Ottawa Sun article Complaint (pdf)
Complaint to NNC re: Windsor Star editorial
October 4, 2016
National NewsMedia Council
RE: Formal Complaint – Breech of Journalistic Standards
I am writing to file a formal complaint regarding an editorial written by unidentified author(s) at the Windsor Star. The editorial I wish to draw your attention to is entitled “Star’s View: Immunization drive long overdue” (September 30, 2016) http://windsorstar.com/opinion/editorials/stars-view-immunization-drive-long-overdue
In the article the author(s) makes the false statement that vaccination is a requirement in the Province of Ontario in order for children to attend school. Quote: “It’s provincial law that all children by (sic) immunized against infectious disease for the protection of all from the folly of the few.” This statement is a clear misrepresentation of the legal requirements pertaining to vaccinations.
All vaccinations in Canada are voluntary. In Ontario, the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) is the legal instrument that sets out vaccine requirements for school children, as well as providing explicit legal exemptions from vaccination.
What is required in the Province of Ontario is up-to-date documentation of either adhering to the recommended vaccine schedule OR a statement of exemption based on conscience, religion or medical reasons.
The author(s) fail to inform readers that parents have the legal right to exempt their children from the practice of artificial immunization.
“Unlike some countries, immunization is not mandatory in Canada; it cannot be made mandatory because of the Canadian Constitution. Three provinces (now two) require proof of immunization for school entrance: Ontario and New Brunswick for diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, and rubella immunization; . . . But, exceptions are permitted on medical or religious grounds and reasons of conscience; legislation and regulations must not be interpreted to imply compulsory immunization.” Immunization in Canada; May, 1997; Vol 23S4
Canadian National Report on Immunization – 1996
I suggest that the editors of the Windsor Star would or should reasonably be expected to have knowledge of Ontario’s laws governing vaccination of children in school and daycare. This begs the question why the author omits vitally important information about parents’ legal right to obtain conscience or religious based vaccine exemptions under ISPA.
The Windsor Star appears to be actively engaged in depriving Windsor’s citizens of their Charter rights to fundamental freedoms of conscience and religion, their legal right to security of the person, and their medical right to informed consent.
The efforts of the Windsor Star are also a violation of numerous international Conventions to which Canada is signatory including the Nuremberg Code and Helsinki Accords which defend the basic human right to refuse unwanted medical treatments. These human rights treatise uphold the Informed Consent ethic and reject the moral argument that the creation of alleged benefits for the many justifies the sacrifice of the few, as is so well articulated in the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights; Article 6 – Consent:
“Any preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic medical intervention is only to be carried out with the prior, free and informed consent of the person concerned, based on adequate information. The consent should, where appropriate, be expressed and may be withdrawn by the person concerned at any time and for any reason without disadvantage or prejudice.”
Parents with legal exemptions for their unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children feel under attack when they read editorials such as presented in the Windsor Star because a Canadian’s legal right to exemption from vaccination isn’t acknowledged and shared with the general community. Such reporting creates fear, distortion, and division in a community. This fear and distortion, however, is created by the media’s misrepresentation of the facts.
When citizens are denied their right to even know that they have a legal right under the law to exempt their children from vaccines for school or day care, that vaccination is NOT mandatory, and that no one can force them to vaccinate their children against their will in order to go to school, the result is a government and medical industry imposed tyranny supported by a complicit media.
The media ought to be independent of government and corporate agendas, and instead serve as an honest broker of information and work to safeguard and protect the rights and freedoms of Canadians. This kind of deceptive editorializing by the Windsor Star harms not only those who may not be aware of their legal right to chose not to vaccinate, it also undermines confidence in the integrity of the media to be accurate, fair, and balanced.
It is my expectation that Canada’s media would respect and protect our rights and freedoms as citizens of Canada rather than erode and undermine them. I request the NewsMedia Council to uphold the standards of responsible journalism and address the inaccurate and deceptive efforts of the Windsor Star.
Our communities deserve better.
Ted Kuntz
Windsor Sun Complaint to NNC (pdf)
Response from NNC regarding the Windsor Star Editorial Complaint (pdf)
Ted’s appeal to the NNC
October 25, 201
Patricia Perkel, Executive Director
National NewsMedia Council
37 Front Street East, Suite 200
Toronto, Ontario M5E 1B3
RE: Breech of Journalistic Standards – Ottawa Sun and Windsor Star
Dear Ms. Perkel:
Thank you for your response on October 19, 2016 to my formal complaints pertaining to inaccuracies in the Windsor Star and Ottawa Sun with regard to vaccine requirements for school entry in Ontario
Your reply fails to acknowledge that the Windsor Star and Ottawa Sun have misinterpreted the law and the legal parameters of the Immunization of School Pupils Act with its clearly stated provisions allowing for legal vaccine exemptions. The Act outlines the “prescribed” vaccines required for school entry, and simultaneously gives legal provisions to refuse any or all vaccines.
For the National News Media Council to continue to hold the position that the statements from the Windsor Star (“It’s provincial law that all children by (sic) immunized against infectious disease”) and Ottawa Sun are accurate indicate the NewsMedia Council themselves are unclear about what is legally required in the province of Ontario with regard to vaccinations and school entrance.
Let me explain again what is required.
What is legally required in the Province of Ontario is documentation that students have received all “prescribed” vaccines as stipulated by the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA), OR documentation of legal exemption based on conscience, religion or medical reasons.
Legal exemptions from vaccination are clearly laid out in the Act in section 3, subsections 2, 3 and 4. https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90i01
The legal requirement for school entry is an administrative requirement to provide documentation, and is NOT a medical requirement to be vaccinated.
To state – “It’s provincial law that all children be immunized against infectious disease” is simply inaccurate.
The failure of the Windsor Star, Ottawa Sun, and NewsMedia Council to recognize and accurately articulate this distinction suggests either a misunderstanding of the provincial regulations on this matter, or an intentional effort to deceive the public. I sincerely hope this is a misunderstanding.
In my formal complaint I referenced government documentation that very clearly presents this information:
“Unlike some countries, immunization is not mandatory in Canada; it cannot be made mandatory because of the Canadian Constitution. Three provinces (now two) require proof of immunization for school entrance: Ontario and New Brunswick . . . But, exceptions are permitted on medical or religious grounds and reasons of conscience; legislation and regulations must not be interpreted to imply compulsory immunization.”
Immunization in Canada; May, 1997; Vol 23S4 Canadian National Report on Immunization – 1996
The final statement is unambiguous and not open to editorial opinion. It states: “legislation and regulations must not be interpreted to imply compulsory immunization.”
I request that you require the editors of the Windsor Star and Ottawa Sun to read the Act, or demand their legal department read it, and that they acknowledge that the Act, as it represents the law in Ontario, clearly provides for legal vaccine exemptions. Further, that they have a duty to interpret the full meaning of the law to their readers.
An accurate statement on this matter would be:
“For school admission, two provinces in Canada require proof of certain prescribed vaccines OR proof of exemption for conscience, religion or medical reasons. This requirement for documentation does not and must not be interpreted to imply vaccinations are compulsory. Ontario is one of the provinces that require documentation for school entry.”
I further request that you require the Windsor Star and the Ottawa Sun to make a public correction of the inaccurate statements in these articles and apologize for any misunderstanding this may have caused.
Any failure to do so undermines confidence in the Windsor Star and Ottawa Sun to be credible sources of information as pertains to the topic of vaccinations.
Sincerely,
Ted Kuntz
cc.
Marty Beneteau – Windsor Star
John Fraser – NewsMedia Council
Anne Marie Owens – Postmedia.com
Michelle Richardson – Editor in Chief, Ottawa Sun
Edda West – Vaccine Choice Canada
Ted’s appeal letter to NNC above (pdf)
Response from NNC – No to Ted’s appeal (pdf)
2015 correspondence with the National NewsMedia Council (pdf)
Reply from the NNC regarding their VCC Award:
From: John Fraser
Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2016 7:28 AM
To: Vaccine Choice (Canada)
Cc: Pat Perkel ; Brent Jolly
Subject: RE: atten: John Fraser – CEO National NewsMedia Council
On behalf of the National NewsMedia Council of Canada, we would like to thank you for awarding us the “Adding Insult To Injury Award for 2017” which we are going to have framed and placed on our Wall of Honour. In return, I hope you will accept our irregular presented award, entitled – familiarly — The Flat Earth Award, which honours brave people who stick to their guns regardless of facts and universally accepted scientific research and history. Enjoy!
All the best for the holidays,
John Fraser
John Fraser | President & CEO | Président Directeur-Général
37 Front Street East. Suite 200 | Toronto | Ontario M5E 1B3 | 416.340.1981 x1
Dear Michelle Richardson, Editor in Chief of the Ottawa Sun,
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Vaccine Choice Canada I’m writing to inform you The Ottawa Sun has been awarded our 2016 media award. The award titled ‘Adding Insult to Injury’ recognizes media entities that continue to disseminate deceptive, distorted and dishonest information pertaining to the topic of vaccinations in Canada.
The Ottawa Sun earned the award as a result of its misrepresentation of the status of vaccinations in Canada in its September 29, 2016 article – “With New School Year, Vaccine Blitz Begins” and its unwillingness to correct the misrepresentations even when provided with accurate government supported documentation confirming that there are no required or mandated vaccinations in Canada.
These efforts by the Ottawa Sun are a disservice to all Canadians. They undermine the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, erode the medical ethic of informed consent, and add insult to injury to the many Canadians injured by vaccines.
A hard copy of the award will be mailed to you and award winners will be posted on the Vaccine Choice Canada website.
Sincerely,
Edda West, President of Vaccine Choice Canada
cc: Anne Marie Owens
PDF of Letter to Ottawa Sun
Ottawa Sun Complaint
Subject: Formal Complaint with National NewsMedia Council
Date: Sun, 2 Oct 2016 15:20:27 -0700
From: Ted Kuntz
To: mrichardson@postmedia.com
Ms. Richardson,
Please find attached is a copy of a formal complaint I have registered with the National NewsMedia Council with regard to an article written by Ms. Elizabeth Payne of the Ottawa Sun. The article I wish to draw your attention to is entitled “With New School Year, Vaccine Blitz Begins” (September 29, 2016) http://www.ottawasun.com/2016/09/28/with-new-school-year-vaccine-blitz-begins-again
In the article Ms. Payne creates the false impression that vaccination is a requirement in the Province of Ontario in order for children to attend school. This is a clear misrepresentation of the facts. All vaccinations in Canada are voluntary. What is required in the Province of Ontario is up-to-date documentation of adhering to the recommended vaccine schedule or a statement of exemption for medical, religious or reason of conscience. Payne fails to inform readers that parents have the legal right to exempt their children from the practice of artificial immunization.
I suggest that Ms. Payne would reasonably be expected to have knowledge of Ontario’s laws governing vaccination of children in school and daycare. This begs the question why Ms. Payne omits vitally important information about parents’ legal right to obtain conscience or religious based vaccine exemptions under ISPA.
The Ottawa Sun and Ms. Payne appear to be actively engaged in depriving Ottawa’s citizens of their Charter rights to fundamental freedoms of conscience and religion, their legal right to security of the person, and their medical right to informed consent.
I look forward to your considered response.
Sincerely,
Ted Kuntz
Dear Marty Beneteau,
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Vaccine Choice Canada I’m writing to inform you The Windsor Star has been awarded our 2016 media award. The award titled ‘Adding Insult to Injury’ recognizes media entities that continue to disseminate deceptive, distorted and dishonest information pertaining to the topic of vaccinations in Canada.
The Windsor Star earned the award as a result of its misrepresentation of the legal status of vaccinations in Canada in its September 2, 2016 article – ‘Kids born in 2008 face school suspension if they don’t have proof of vaccinations’ and its unwillingness to correct the misrepresentations even when provided with accurate government supported documentation confirming there are no required or mandated vaccinations in Canada.
These efforts by the Windsor Star are a disservice to all Canadians. They undermine the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, erode the medical ethic of informed consent, and add insult to injury to the many Canadians injured by vaccines.
A hard copy of the award will be mailed to you and award winners will be posted on the Vaccine Choice Canada website.
Sincerely,
Edda West, President of Vaccine Choice Canada
PDF of Windsor Star letter above
Complaint to Windsor Star
September 4, 2016
Windsor Star
Re: Kids born in 2008 face school suspension if they don’t have proof of vaccinations
Dear Editor
I’m not certain whether Windsor Star staff Brian Cross is misinformed on the legalities of vaccination in Canada or being intentionally deceptive in his September 2 2016 article – Kids born in 2008 face school suspension if they don’t have proof of vaccinations.
Mr. Cross misrepresents the status of vaccinations in Canada. There are no required or mandatory vaccinations in Canada. Ontario is one of two provinces that require either proof of vaccination or proof of exemption for medical, religious or philosophical reasons in order to attend school. To imply that vaccinations are “required” is inaccurate and dishonest.
Mr. Cross also fails to acknowledge that vaccines are an invasive medical procedure with known adverse effects including permanent disability and death. The US Vaccine Injury Court has awarded more than $3.3 Billion in compensation to individuals injured by vaccines since 1986 including at least 83 families whose children developed autism following vaccination. Autism is now affecting 1 in 45 children today. Unlike the US, Canada has no vaccine injury compensation program or mandatory vaccine injury reporting requirements. Canada is the only G7 Nation without a vaccine injury compensation program.
The efforts by the Ontario government and the Windsor Star to coerce those who legally choose not to partake in this invasive medical procedure undermine the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Additionally, citizens are entitled to the medical right of “informed consent”.
If Mr. Cross’s article is typical of the information about vaccines provided to Ontario parents, it is not surprising so many parents are uninformed of the risks and dangers posed by artificial immunization. The Windsor Star needs to do better than this.
Ted Kuntz
Parent of a Vaccine Injured Child
Also see the National NewsMedia Award Section for a complaint regarding a Windsor Star editorial here
