Talk:Bonnie Henry

Bias at top of article. We need to create a separate "COVID-19 handling" section, then move the quote from the article there, and add additional context to reference events that have occurred since the prior referenced article was published on June 5, 2020.

At the very top of this article, there is a massive bias one-sided view towards the Provincial Public Health Officer of British Columbia (a political figure), Dr. Henry. Please note that Dr. Henry is a public political figure who appears on news media briefings on a nearly daily basis. With Provincial Public Health Officers, their handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and any reference to comments about their handling of the pandemic is listed in a SEPARATE area and references their handling of the pandemic and comments made about their efforts not just in June, but since that period as well. This is highly biased to list one specific quote at the very top of this article from June 5, 2020 but not allow or add any additional context since that date. We need to ensure an unbiased view, create a separate "COVID-19 Pandemic" section, and move the reference at the very top of this article to the "COVID-19 Pandemic" section along with adding more context to what has occurred since June 5, 2020.

This is normally how Provincial Public Health Officers have any and all information listed about their handling of COVID-19 pandemic:

Example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Russell_(physician) NOTE: Comments about their handling of COVID-19 are listed separately and cover more than just one quote form a single article. They do not take a single positive quote from months ago and list that one comment at the very top of the article. In Dr. Henry's case, we need this to show a balance and especially add in context regarding her handling of the pandemic since June 5, 2020.

Example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Strang_(physician) NOTE: Comments about their handling of COVID-19 are listed separately and cover more than just one quote form a single article. They do not take a single positive quote from months ago and list that one comment at the very top of the article. Again, in Dr. Henry's case, we need this to show a balance and especially add in context regarding her handling of the pandemic since June 5, 2020.

Exmaple https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theresa_Tam NOTE: Comments about their handling of COVID-19 are listed separately and cover more than just one quote form a single article. They do not take a single positive quote from months ago and list that one comment at the very top of the article. Again, in Dr. Henry's case, we need this to show a balance and especially add in context regarding her handling of the pandemic since June 5, 2020.

I have been trying to correct this by adding more recent context by means of news media articles and providing an unbiased view yet a user keeps reverting the changes. At the very top, this article states, "Her handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in British Columbia earned praise in a dedicated New York Times article that called her "one of the most effective public health officials in the world, however that article and quote was published June 5, 2020. Since that date, British Columbia has seen a massive spike in COVID-19 infections under Henry's leadership. Just a few of countless examples: On August 12, 2020, https://globalnews.ca/news/7270275/bc-coronavirus-update-august-12/ "B.C. records 85 new coronavirus cases, its third-highest ever single-day total"

Another example, on August 7, 2020, https://www.dawsoncreekmirror.ca/covid-19/b-c-s-covid-19-cases-near-50-spike-this-week-1.24182824 B.C.'s COVID-19 cases near 50% spike this week

Another example, on July 21, 2020 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-covid-update-july-21-1.5658115 Curve continues to trend upward as B.C. announces 30 new cases of COVID-19

Another example, on August 13, 2020, https://globalnews.ca/news/7272412/bc-new-modelling-data-covid19/ Coronavirus: B.C. is trending towards massive growth of new cases in September

Another example, on July 24, 2020, https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-is-it-time-for-dr-bonnie-henry-to-get-tough/ Is it time for Dr. Bonnie Henry to get tough?

So again, the first article cited at the very top of Dr. Henry's Wiki is extremely biased and does not provide context regarding events that started to occur under Henry's leadership shortly after the first article was published on June 5, 2020. We need to provide an unbiased view showing the article on July 5th, 2020 but also providing facts regarding what has occurred since then. I would suggest we follow the same article format found about other Provincial Public Health Officers. We need to create a separate heading which covers Dr. Henry's full handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in British Columbia. We need to highlight all facts that have occurred under her leadership with both the highs and the lows.

Please let me know your thoughts as soon as possible since we need to address the clear bias that exists at the very top of this Wikipedia article. More importantly, we need to add in additional facts concerning her handling of COVID-19 throughout this pandemic, not just up to June 5, 2020. — Preceding unsigned comment added by VirtualVisionary (talk • contribs) 00:17, 15 August 2020 (UTC)

I am relatively new to editing wikis so please excuse and correct me if I've made any faux pas in my editing of the article! I was researching the responses of Drs. Tam and Henry with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic and their policies regarding return to school, and under Dr.Tam's page, saw a synopsis of her response to the pandemic, which illustrated her evolution of her advice to the public. However, for Dr. Henry, there was firstly no sub-heading, so I created one that is similar to the one on Dr.Tam's wiki. I am now starting to add content following the manner of Dr.Tam's wiki and will continue to do so over the next little while. However, as I was reading upon the fascinating world of Wiki editing, I realize there may be a lot more to it than just adding and removing text. So firstly I am adding this comment here to make sure I am not inadvertently offending anyone with my edits. Secondly, I wanted to explain the edits I've made so far. Thirdly, and this one I'm not sure how to deal with, but of the scarce points made with respect to Henry's response to the pandemic, two of them are just noting opinions of how Dr. Henry's response is lauded and wonderful. These are subjective views. There are other opinion pieces which have also criticized her response, but none of these I feel really belong in a factual article. Should I just remove this? I don't want to offend anyone so I'm hoping someone with more experience here can advise or make the changes. Thanks! Edmond Wong (talk) 23:25, 4 September 2020 (UTC)

Split COVID19 into its own section and balanced it as coverage has varied from her earlier handling to her latter handling. Thanks for the suggestions. Doc James (talk · contribs · email) 16:59, 6 November 2020 (UTC)

Enlisted?

Did she actually become a non-commissioned member in the Royal Canadian Navy, or did she become a commissioned officer? In the U.S. we strictly say "enlisted" for the former, it may be different in Canada. ☆ Bri (talk) 01:49, 2 November 2020 (UTC)

Well, we're not the US. :) According to the COD, the definition of the verb "enlist" is, "enrol or be enrolled in the armed services". Your view is definitely American and does not apply in Canada. Medical doctors in the Canadian Armed Forces are indeed commissioned officers, and that she was. --Craig (t|c) 08:14, 21 October 2022 (UTC)

Use of weasel words and passive voice

Other health officer wikipedia articles don't treat them as "political figures" or suggest debate about their public health advice in the same way this article does. For example, while it does show the evolution of Dr. Tam's recommendations it doesn't talk about "criticism" or politicize her recommendations. A similar treatment of the evolution of Dr. Bonnie Henry's mask recommendations and eventual mask mandate would be more appropriate.

The statement "In August, September, and October 2020, Henry was criticized for not mandating public mask usage and BC's back to school plans." uses vague and passive "weasel words" and is poorly supported by the references. It also incorrectly suggests that she, rather than the Education Ministry, authored the back to school plan.

The source themselves don't really support this statement. First source is mostly about Alberta with the only supporting statement referring to non-specific social media criticism. The second and third references are focused on BCTF criticisms of an ad produced by the Education ministry. The forth reference does support criticism, but only from Calgary based Dr. Amy Tan with the group Masks4Canada. --Davisrf (talk) 23:02, 21 December 2020 (UTC)

Further to the original comments this article seems to be devolving into a coatrack article discussing issues around the provincial government response to the Covid crisis rather than being strictly biographical.

It also looks like this BLP is, to a degree, being used to continue disputes.

While that may not be the main intent of these edits, it seems to be more appropriate to move much of this content to the COVID-19_pandemic_in_British_Columbia article. -Davisrf (talk) 07:00, 11 January 2021 (UTC)

Concerns were raised about the very one sided nature of this article above. Have restored until consensus develops. The concerns were raised by CTV news [1] Doc James (talk · contribs · email) 19:59, 21 February 2021 (UTC)

First source says "B.C.’s popular Dr. Bonnie Henry has also made some misstep in recent days. Henry appeared in a 30-second government ad detailing the precautions the government is taking to keep classrooms safe. The video shows Henry talking about the return to school in front of a handful of children. “The reality of classrooms is that they’re going to be crowded,” Teri Mooring, president of the B.C. Teachers’ Federation told a Vancouver radio station. “There aren’t sufficient sinks, running water, windows that open in many of our classrooms across the province.” As the number of COVID-19 cases rise in B.C., criticism is also surfacing on social media for the lack of any mandatory mask policy in the province."[2]

Second source says "Union president Teri Mooring says the advertisement doesn’t paint an accurate picture of what schools will look like. “It saddens me that Dr. Henry was used in this ad,” she said. Mooring said many classrooms do not have windows that open, and questioned the quality of ventilation in others. She said she wants to see hand washing stations in all classrooms, but that some may only have hand sanitizer instead. The union has been pressing for smaller class sizes and a requirement that all children Grade 4 and up be required to wear masks in classroom settings."[3]

Third source says "A new BC government-produced ad featuring provincial health administrator Dr. Bonnie Henry gets bad marks from the BC Teachers’ Federation.The 30-second spot is for parents and students returning to class next month under new COVID-19 protocols."[4]

The four ref contains criticism by "The B.C. director of the Retail Council of Canada, Greg Wilson, agrees. “It would be much clearer if there was a mandate, and it seems appropriate at a time when cases are high in particular health regions for a mandate in those health regions. But it’s Dr. Henry’s call,” said Wilson."[5] Doc James (talk · contribs · email) 20:15, 21 February 2021 (UTC)

Per the link you listed "Criticism and praise should be included if they can be sourced to reliable secondary sources, so long as the material is presented responsibly, conservatively, and in a disinterested tone." Doc James (talk · contribs · email) 20:16, 21 February 2021 (UTC)

Photograph

For nearly 2 years I have been looking at a photograph which annoys me because I have seen much better photographs associated with her honorary degrees from Royal Roads and UBC, and even on the front page of the Victorian Times Colonist. I presume copyright is the impediment to use of images. Based on the existing picture, I deduce that YouTube must be considered public domain. It is an area in which I have no experience so I haven't pursued it. Is someone willing to jump through the hoops to get a better photograph? I'm willing to dig out some Internet references. Humphrey Tribble (talk) 18:23, 7 February 2022 (UTC)

All images used for Wikipedia articles come from Wikimedia Commons, where there are only three pictures of her, and the one used is the best one. Zefr (talk) 18:28, 7 February 2022 (UTC)