(Ottawa) The Trudeau government is hindering economic recovery by maintaining the obligation to provide a molecular test (PCR) for fully vaccinated travelers to enter Canada.
The Trudeau government intends to abolish this obligation shortly only in the case of Canadians making a trip of 72 hours or less to the United States and who have received their two doses of the vaccine.
But this measure remains clearly insufficient to allow sectors of the economy hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as tourism and accommodation, to regain momentum, the Canadian Travel Roundtable said in unison. and tourism, business groups and former foreign minister John Manley.
Currently, everyone must show a recent PCR test that shows a negative result for COVID-19 before entering Canada. But this test is very expensive: from $ 150 to $ 300 per test, which has the effect of inflating the bill for families who want to travel to the United States. Rapid antigen detection tests, which are less expensive, are not accepted.
“Not up to the task”
The president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Perrin Beatty, affirmed that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should take advantage of the holding of the “three amigos” summit in Washington, in order to harmonize the health rules that apply to the frontier. To travel to the United States by land, Canadians do not need to take a PCR test.
“Leaders in Canada, the United States and Mexico must prioritize eliminating friction at our shared borders. This is the only way to get people and businesses back to normal. Canada’s rules for international travel risks are a drag on our businesses, ”said Beatty.
According to former Foreign Minister John Manley, it is obvious that the Canadian government’s demands are not based on science and must be removed.
“The border between the United States and Canada has not yet returned to its normal pre-pandemic functioning, and recent changes do not measure up to a ‘new normal’ to which citizens and companies can adapt. As Minister of Foreign Affairs during the events of September 11, I saw for myself how necessary it is to cooperate in cross-border politics. “
High vaccination rate
Business Council of Canada President and CEO Goldy Hyder lamented the Trudeau government’s slowness in adapting border rules to Canadian reality. Canada has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world.
“Our rules on COVID-19 must reflect this reality. It was yesterday that the mandatory pre-departure PCR test had to be removed for fully vaccinated travelers, as it harms businesses and their customers, in addition to separating families. It has to change immediately. We don’t want half-measures or updates in three weeks, ”he said.
Press revealed on Wednesday that the Trudeau government intends to end the requirement to provide a PCR test at border crossings to return home for Canadians making a 72-hour trip or less to the United States and who are fully vaccinated.
In recent weeks, the Trudeau government has come under heavy pressure from business people, mayors of border towns in the two countries, members of the United States Congress and the Conservative Party to throw ballast into the air. Canada-US border.