By Nicolle Amyotte
...Since Bill 46, the Gunshot and Stab Wound Mandatory Disclosure Act, is a brand new policy, there are currently not too many opinion pieces about it out there. I still felt that it needed to be addressed in my blog however, and also felt that journalist, Gwendolyn Richards, did an excellent job in regards to her piece written about the Bill in the Calgary Herald on October 26, 2009. It is not an incredibly opinionated article, but I thought it worthy of blogging about for my purposes...
The bill being proposed would force health care workers to report any stab or gunshot wounds, rather than leaving the information at the discretion of physicians and nurses. Exceptions would be for an accidental or self-inflicted wound. John Dooks, head of Calgary’s police association, says this will serve to protect both victims as well as health-care professionals.
Furthermore, John Dooks elaborated on a strategy that some gang members employ in rivalry- to attack a family member of an opposing gang member and wait at the hospital for their intended victim. With disclosure becoming necessary, security would be heightened around gang affiliates, and the risk of an in-hospital attack would be greatly decreased.
With the evidence given, it seems the opinion of Richards, or of the Calgary Herald, is that the new legislation is a great idea. Opposing viewpoints may include the argument that more gang affiliates would choose not to report their injuries for fear of their identity giving them away.
Another aspect of Bill 46 was that an injured person receiving treatment out of a hospital would have their location disclosed and one might argue that this is something gang associates would fear as well. Another is the potential for a breach of doctor-patient confidentiality to become the norm. It is allowable in this case, so who's to say that it could not go any further?
Richards, G.(October 26, 2009). Police welcome proposed bill 46. The Calgary Herald. Retreieved October 27, 2009 from http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/city/story.html?id=71b0e8b7-8fb3-4d02-a1b2-2d25e83ee68b
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