Canada's Closed Border Policy No Longer Needed, Airline Unions Argue

Canada’s Closed Border Policy No Longer Needed, Airline Unions Argue

December 8, 2020 ctn_admin

Canada’s closed border measures are causing immeasurable harm and are no longer necessary, two Canadian unions say.

With no end in sight to the current COVID-19 border measures that mandate international travellers quarantine for a 14 day period, two unions representing approximately 1,500 airline workers are joining with the federal Conservative Party in calling for a change to the Trudeau government’s border policy.

The demand comes after the completion of the first month of the testing on arrival pilot project that is underway in Alberta and on the heels of a December 2^nd announcement by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, which argues that evidence shows the quarantine of air travellers should no longer be a recommended policy option.

“Ten months into the pandemic less than 100 of our 1,500 members are back at work,” said Barret Armann, president of Unifor Local 7378. “The same scenario is playing out across Canada’s entire travel and tourism industry,

“In those same ten months our understanding of the virus has evolved and the global community has learned how to implement safe alternatives to travel quarantines. Sadly the same can’t be said for Canada.

“Thankfully a few premiers have taken the initiative to look for ways to modify border restrictions but the federal government has been stuck in neutral since March. It’s time for them to finally shift gears.”

Two major changes to the current border policies are being requested prior to the start of 2021. The first is for the federal government to restore the ability for airlines to operate international scheduled service from all Canadian airports with customs availability. Currently international arrivals are restricted to the country’s four major international airports.

The second requested change is for the federal government to reduce the 14 day quarantine policy for all travellers entering Canada by air and instead replace it with testing on arrival to ensure the earliest possible detection of travellers who may be positive for COVID-19.

“Canada is a nation built on immigration and global trade,” Armann said.
“It’s well past time the federal government provides all regions of the country the ability to safely reconnect with the world without the need for connecting flights.

“Eliminating the 14 day quarantine in favour of testing on arrival acknowledges the latest science and is the safe and sustainable way to move forward with international travel, allow Canadians to work and our infrastructure to remain. We’re happy to see that the Conservatives recognize that fact and we thank them for it,” Armann said.

“We hope the Trudeau government will also see the light soon. Canada’s battle against the second wave will be won or lost due to the individual actions of Canadians, not at the borders ”