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The government has faced a barrage of criticism, including within the liberal caucus, over the ongoing travel restrictions and mandates of COVID-19.
Date Posted:
June 10, 2022 • 3 hours ago • 4 minutes reading • 278 comments A traveler
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OTTAWA – With increasing delays at the airport and increasing pressure from its own ranks to remove COVID-19 travel restrictions, Trudeau Liberals gave in slightly on Friday by suspending random tests at airports .
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There were few details available, but in a statement the government said it would suspend random testing at airports from Saturday and continue until the end of the month.
A press release said that from July 1, the tests, even for unvaccinated travelers, will be held off-site.
A source who speaks in depth, because they were not allowed to speak publicly, said details of the off-site tests are being worked out, but current plans would not require passengers to simply line up elsewhere, but which would give them time to complete the tests. .
Airports, especially Toronto’s Pearson International, have been flooded in recent weeks as Canadians return from vacation abroad after a long pandemic. But the increase in passengers has flooded customs and security controls, causing long-delayed delays, missed or canceled flights and growing frustration.
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Cancellations, staff shortages and COVID mandates: why there is chaos at Canadian airports
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Inside Pearson Airport’s ‘Hell on Earth’: There are no short flights to Toronto
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra has faced a barrage of criticism over his government’s perceived inaction, with politicians, industry groups and airlines calling on the government to remove the restrictions.
Earlier this week, Alghabra said he understood pressure from airports and that the government was hiring more security checks and other staff to help. He said they are constantly looking at existing mandates, but have not compromised on when they could be withdrawn.
“I can tell you that these examinations and re-examinations are done on a daily basis and when we consider it the right time to take and adjust our measurements we will do so.”
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Current terms expire at the end of the month, but the government can renew them.
Customs officers now have to check for VOCID-19 vaccines, which add to the delays and translate into longer times for passengers to be processed. Canada currently requires travelers to fill out their vaccine information on the Arrive Can app 72 hours before they arrive.
The Canadian government requires travelers to be vaccinated with at least two doses of a recognized vaccine before they arrive or face forty-two weeks.
Canada’s director of public health, Dr. Theresa Tam, said Friday that two doses are no longer enough to protect people.
“Two doses are not enough to provide the effectiveness of the Omicron infection vaccine,” he said. “You need a boost, or rather a third dose, to regain that immunity.”
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The United States on Friday ended its COVID-19 testing requirement for arriving travelers, but it still has a vaccination warrant for non-U.S. Citizens. Many other countries have removed all restrictions on their VOCID, while some still have strict rules.
The National Post confirmed reports first appearing in the Hill Times that most Liberal MPs are pressuring the government to end travel mandates, especially with regard to vaccines.
“If it’s not unanimous, it’s very close,” said a member of the caucus on the opposition of Liberal MPs to the current travel vaccination mandate. All members of the caucus were granted anonymity so that they could discuss internal deliberations.
“We have two options, either eliminate travel vaccine mandates or adjust them to require a third or fourth dose of vaccine. There is no one, or almost no one, in the caucus who thinks it’s a good idea to increase the number of doses like apart from the mandate “.
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“I think the best word is frustration,” said another MP who asked to remain anonymous to discuss the caucus ’internal deliberations. “People are getting a little restless.”
The MP said the Liberals are not getting better explanations within the caucus than the government is giving outside the caucus about why mandates are still needed. Voters say they are frustrated that they or their loved ones cannot travel because of the restrictions, and Liberal MPs have been raising the issue for weeks.
They said that with other countries and provinces leaving the mandates, it is difficult to explain the need for rules.
“How do we justify keeping people at home?” asked the anonymous deputies.
Several MPs said there is broad support for keeping mask rules in place and acknowledging that some rules may have to be returned if the pandemic escalates in the autumn. But they expected more announcements to arrive before the end of the month to ease the restrictions and health mandates of COVID-19.
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“There is a concern about managing a possible seventh wave in the autumn and continuing to be a responsible government that makes the right decisions for people’s health and wants to prevent health systems from becoming too obstructed,” he said. “But that only works when the provinces are on board as well.”
Conservatives jumped on media reports of the Liberals ’caucus upset. On Friday, they again asked the government about COVID-19 travel restrictions in the House of Commons.
“It’s becoming increasingly clear that these mandates and restrictions have nothing to do with science or evidence-based decision-making. It’s all about control,” said MP John Brassard.
“It’s about the Prime Minister overseeing Canadians traveling to see their families, overseeing companies recovering from COVID, and overseeing Liberal MPs forcing them to be actors in their COVID theater.”
In response, Parliamentary Secretary of Health and Liberal MP Adam van Koeverden accused the Conservatives of being “in denial” about the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Although today we are in a much better place than before, this pandemic is not over and we must be prepared for any possible future scenario,” he said. “Our government will continue to assess the evolution of the situation at home and worldwide, monitoring the data and adjusting border measures as necessary.”
Twitter: RyanTumilty Email: rtumilty@postmedia.com
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