Parliament Hill was in an uproar Wednesday amid reports that the federal government plans to waive COVID-19 vaccine requirements at the border, eliminate mandatory random COVID-19 testing and make the ArriveCan app optional.
The government is expected to make these policy changes by the end of the month, sources told CTV News and other media outlets on Tuesday. The government had said in late June that existing border restrictions, including presenting proof of vaccination to enter the country, would remain in place until at least September 30.
As part of the current regimen, foreign travelers must present proof of being fully vaccinated to enter Canada and unvaccinated Canadians or permanent residents must present a COVID-19 molecular test performed prior to entry and quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. arrival.
The government also requires all travelers, regardless of citizenship, to upload their vaccination information and travel documents to the ArriveCan app within 72 hours of scheduled flights or arrival at a land border.
In mid-July, after pausing mandatory random testing at airports at the height of this summer’s travel bottlenecks and delays, the Liberals implemented a revised external system using ArriveCan to select a small percentage of air travelers entirely. vaccinated arriving in the country at four major Canadian airports: Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Toronto.
With the current emergency order Due September 30, the window is narrowing for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet to extend or modify the special authorizations granted under the Quarantine Act.
Peppered with questions Wednesday morning about the anticipated change of course, Liberal ministers declined to confirm the reports, with Transport Minister Omar Alghabra saying “no decision has been made” and they are “constantly evaluating.” the situation and making informed decisions. we have.”
“Whenever we have something to announce, we will not only say what the announcements are, but we will explain our reason for being,” Alghabra said.
Similarly, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said: “These measures are always being reviewed on the basis of evidence, prudence and epidemiology. And as you have also been listening, there are decisions to be made… soon and obviously the communications will continue.”
In French, Duclos noted the expiration of current measures on September 30 and access to bivalent vaccine boosters.
The minister also said that as the government communicates the evolution of its COVID-19 pandemic border measures, from outright travel bans from high-risk countries and mandatory quarantine hotels, to allowing unvaccinated Canadians to board planes and trains, I would be reevaluating the standards.
MINISTERS DEFEND ARRIVECAN
Alghabra, which has faced considerable pressure from some in the aviation industry and opposition MPs to remove the ArriveCan app altogether, has consistently defended using the app, a defense that continued on Wednesday.
“ArriveCan is a critical tool to process travelers with their vaccination mandate requirements…it’s a tool that helps process arrivals as they arrive,” he said.
The app was launched early in the pandemic to help the CBSA process travelers more efficiently, and its use and functionality have evolved over the two years since, with the government threatening fines for non-compliance under the Act. of quarantine.
Amid backlash against travelers being forced to use the digital tool — a flaw that wrongly notified multiple people to self-quarantine — and now facing a constitutional challenge, the government has continually defended the app.
Facing questions about the app from his perspective as tourism minister, Randy Boissonnault said Tuesday that he agrees ArriveCan “has its use” while referencing his desire for a “frictionless border”.
“People travel and we want to make sure people get across the border as quickly as possible. Having those borders digitized will help us bring more people into the country,” she said.
“I cannot share cabinet confidences or what is going on at the moment. We will continue to follow the science. We will continue to make sure that as we open up the economy, we do so in a systematic and respectful manner,” Boissonnault said.
CONSERVATIVES TAKE CREDIT
Meanwhile, Conservatives heading to their own caucus meeting on Wednesday were quick to try to attribute the expected policy changes to the election of Pierre Poilievre as their party’s leader.
“I think it might have something to do with the science changing on Saturday night,” said Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu, referring to the September 10 announcement of the results of the Conservative leadership race.
“I think it’s really interesting… We’ve been under Pierre’s leadership for a week, and now everything has changed. So it’s very nice to see you guys listening to us. It’s nice to see you guys listening to people who have been saying this for a long time,” he said. Conservative MP Michelle Ferreri, adding that the government must take responsibility for the ArriveCan problems that Canadians have experienced.
“About time,” was how Conservative MP Mark Strahl responded to questions on Wednesday, while his colleague Kevin Waugh said he was “long overdue”.
Asked to respond to opposition suggestions that Poilievre’s push to have COVID-19 border rules scrapped was playing a role, Boissonnault said no.
“The measures we put in place during COVID had nothing to do with the Conservative Party,” he said. “And nothing they’re doing on their part affects how we’re governing or the steps we’re taking to keep Canadians safe.”
With files from CTV National News Ottawa Bureau Chief Joyce Napier