KITCHENER, Ontario (LifeSiteNews) — Wilfrid Laurier University in Kitchener, Ontario has finally ended its mandatory masking policy, making it one of the last universities in Canada to drop the requirement.
The news was announced on Twitter by the non-profit group Students Against Masking, which tweeted on February 15: “BREAKING: In light of the recent student and staff protest of Wilfrid Laurier University’s… mask mandate, the school has emailed students that the mask mandate will end tomorrow!”
BREAKING: In light of the recent student and staff protest of Wilfrid Laurier University’s (@Laurier ) mask mandate, the school has emailed students that the mask mandate will end tomorrow!
What is your science @umanitoba ? Time to drop your mask mandate. Students want choice. pic.twitter.com/83Q4TaP5ua
— Students Against Mandates (@S_A_M_CDN) February 15, 2023
The move comes after students and staff gathered together to protest the mandate on February 4.
Wilfrid Laurier students, faculty, & allies held a protest against the university’s mask mandate. The latter was organized by @Kam_Bach, who has gone viral several times for using random objects as face coverings. #CampusWatchpic.twitter.com/d4FAKRr7uX
— Élie Cantin-Nantel (@elie_mcn) February 4, 2023
Presently in Ontario, only medical facilities have mask mandates in place, as the provincewide policy ended in March 2022, shortly after the now-famous Freedom Convoy protest took place in Ottawa through January and February.
The protest at Laurier was organized by fourth-year philosophy student Kamil Bachouchi and Students Against Mandates.
Bachouchi had made waves on campus and on social media with his unique way of ridiculing the continuation of mandates at Laurier.
In November 2022, Bachouchi started posting videos and images of himself wearing parody masks in an attempt to show what he viewed as the ridiculousness of the policy.
On November 3 he posted a picture of himself wearing a Ziplock bag as a mask.
I’ve gotten a lot of support for showing what @Laurier is doing to students. I appreciate it.
I intend to wear a different “face-covering” every class until the University removes the authoritarian measures.
Today, I‘ll be wearing a Ziploc bag on my face.#NoMoreMasks🇨🇦
(1/5) pic.twitter.com/jvn22E0x4D
— Kamil Bachouchi 🇨🇦 (@Kam_Bach) November 3, 2022
A week later he posted himself wearing a bucket on his head as a face covering.
Today’s mask: a bucket on my head.
Wilfrid Laurier University needs stop trying to force their tyrannical mandate onto free-thinking students and faculty.
If I need to make a mockery of myself and this criminal “rule” to spark change, so be it…#EnoughIsEnough #DoNotComply pic.twitter.com/bMo0PoKAlB
— Kamil Bachouchi 🇨🇦 (@Kam_Bach) November 10, 2022
At one point he even wore a hollowed out grapefruit as a mask.
Mask of the day: a hollowed-out grapefruit!
Apparently, I wasn’t harmful to society without a mask 2 years ago, but now, God forbid I get caught without a mask on…COVID only exists on campus!
I encourage all students to stand up for their rights! #NoMoreMasks #EnoughIsEnough pic.twitter.com/HuyDImDsT7
— Kamil Bachouchi 🇨🇦 (@Kam_Bach) November 15, 2022
Other masks he wore included a piece of red pepper, snorkeling gear, and a piece of romaine lettuce.
Students Against Mandates has implied that the University of Manitoba is the last university in Canada with a remaining mandate and has called on them to drop the policy.