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David Raymond Amos‏ @DavidRayAmos
Replying to @DavidRayAmos @alllibertynews and 49 others

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Methinks Higgy and his minions know why I will try to contact John Oakes N'esy Pas?




https://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2020/06/nb-border-closure-leaves-ontario-couple.html



#nbpoli #cdnpoli



https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/new-brunswick-retirement-covid-19-entry-restrictions-1.5619433

N.B. border closure leaves Ontario couple stranded in van for almost 2 months

Before the pandemic hit, John and Lorraine Oakes planned to retire and move to New Brunswick in May

Elizabeth Fraser · CBC News · Posted: Jun 21, 2020 9:00 AM AT |



An Ontario couple has called this van home for almost two months, while they wait to see if they can enter New Brunswick, where they plan to spend retirement. (John Oakes/Submitted)

John Oakes and his wife Lorraine have been living inside their 20-year-old Dodge conversion van for almost two months.

The Ontario couple decided to retire and move to New Brunswick after a two-week vacation three years ago.

So they sold their 3,200-square-foot home in February, chose May 1 as their closing date, and booked a campground spot in Florenceville for May 15, so they could look for a house.

They planned to live in the Woodstock area because of their love for the country and living near water.

Then COVID-19 hit.

• N.B COVID-19 roundup: Atlantic travel bubble will have to wait until early July, Higgs says

"I had nowhere to go," said the 65-year-old.

They've been living inside the 19-foot van on their nephew's 48-acre property, with their cat Snoopy and Australian shephard Gizzy.

The property was previously bought by John's parents in 1969.


John Oakes said he had big plans to retire and live in New Brunswick. But he never expected living in a van to be part of the move. (John Oakes/Submitted)

The property is near Orillia, where they're both from, almost 150 kilometres north of Toronto.

"Other than that I would've been living in a driveway somewhere," said Oakes, the former manager of a motor sport business nearby.

The New Brunswick government has closed its borders to non-essential visitors to help limit the spread of COVID-19. Provincial enforcement officers have set up screening checkpoints to question people coming into the province.

A van is 'not meant for living' 

Oakes said they have everything they need, including bottled water, a generator and a trailer to hold their personal belongings. But it's a tight space for the couple, who has been married for 46 years this coming July.

They have dishes for their pets under their bed. And have purple drapes set up to prevent the sun from getting into their home. But they argue over issues such as toothbrushes getting in the way or doors being left open.

"We are arguing a lot more now than we have been in 45 years, which isn't good or healthy," he said from a lawn chair in the middle of the field.


Lorraine Oakes sits in the couple's bedroom, which could also be considered their kitchen, which sits right next to their washroom. (John Oakes/Submitted)

Oakes gets claustrophobic at night when he's sleeping inside the van, and hyperventilates if a window isn't open.

On Thursday, he was also rushed to the hospital by ambulance after he blacked out for about 45 seconds and stopped breathing. He attributes this to stress and anxiety of not knowing where they're going to live.

"It's a van, it's not meant for living in."

Couple doesn't get a clear answer from government 

But he said the most frustrating part is not being able to receive a clear answer from the New Brunswick government about whether they can come into the province.

"When I can't get answers to questions, it's frustrating," he said.

"Everybody gave me a different answer .... nobody knew."

Oakes said he received an email from Service New Brunswick on Thursday, saying the couple could enter the province as long as they could prove they were not coming for vacation.


New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs expects to see a travel bubble among the Atlantic provinces by early July. (Government of New Brunswick/Submitted)

At a Friday news briefing, Premier Blaine Higgs said anyone moving to New Brunswick from outside the province can come and self-isolate for 14 days.

"We certainly want to find a way to accommodate that and we want to encourage people to come and live here," Higgs said.

However, if someone wants to come and look at houses to live in, they will have to do so virtually, Higgs said.

"It is problematic."

Atlantic bubble planned for 1st week of July 

Higgs said New Brunswick could open its borders to the rest of Atlantic Canada as early as the beginning of July.

Depending on the number of COVID-19 cases, New Brunswick could open its borders to the rest of Canada by mid-July.

But Oakes and his wife can't wait that long.

He plans to head to Woodstock and self-isolate in a hotel room with his wife on July 1.

There, they will look at potential houses online with an agent, until their two-week self-isolation period is over

"We've got to get out of here."

About the Author

Elizabeth Fraser

Reporter/Editor

Elizabeth Fraser is a reporter/editor with CBC New Brunswick based in Fredericton. She's originally from Manitoba. Story tip? elizabeth.fraser@cbc.ca

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices

90 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story.

David Amos 

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"Canadian residents can visit family in New Brunswick if they self-isolate for 14 days"

I wonder how many cousins I have throughout Canada








David Amos

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Methinks Higgy and his minions know why I will try to contact John Oakes N'esy Pas?

Johnny Almar

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Reply to @David Amos: No one cares about your thoughts other than you.

David Amos

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Reply to @Johnny Almar: Nay not so Obviously you do

Lou Bell

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Reply to @David Amos: Free leftover Timbits from the leadership Convention in Timmies parking lot ???

David Amos 

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Reply to @Lou Bell: Methinks your "Me Party" nonsense has you confused Just the other night you claimed the snitch Almar was going to Timmies for a meeting you dreamed up N'esy Pas? 



























SarahRose Werner
I note that the couple's original plan was to stay in a campground. Now they've decided to shell out for a motel instead. If they'd been offered the motel option back in May, would they have been willing to pay for it? Also, how many realtors were actively selling homes in early-mid May? May was simply not the right time.


David Amos 

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Reply to @SarahRose Werner: Does Higgy et al pay you and Lou overtime on the weekend?

 

Peter Wylie

Trump tried to buy Green Land but was turned down. Maybe Trump would be interested in everything south of the
St. Lawrence River?

SarahRose Werner 

Reply to @Peter Wylie: I have a better idea. Castine, Maine, has many fine homes built by British Loyalists who thought that the border between the new country and the British colony to the north was going to be set at the Penobscot River. Instead it was set at the St Croix, and the Loyalists had to abandon their new homes to move further up the coast. Maybe we should rethink that border and move it back down to the Penobscot?

Peter Wylie 

Reply to @SarahRose Werner:
The Treaty of Ghent, the peace treaty that ended the War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain, was signed by both sides on December 24, 1814, in the city of Ghent.

The treaty restored relations between the two parties to status quo ante bellum, restoring the borders of the two countries to the lines before the war started in June 1812.

No I like my idea better.

David Amos

Reply to @SarahRose Werner: Your Forefathers were not Loyalists

David Amos

Reply to @Peter Wylie: You want to be a Yankee?

john smith 

poor planning on your part does not constitute a problem on mine with that said let them in and quarantine for 2 weeks if their story checks out and they want to be nbers

SarahRose Werner 

Reply to @john smith: Not sure it was poor planning as much as plain ol' bad luck. They sold their home in February and at that time agreed to close the sale May 1. They had no way of knowing what would happen in March. I agree, however, that (1) their bad luck is not NB's problem, and (2) they're welcome in now as long as they self-isolate for 2 weeks and do their house-shopping virtually.

JoeBrown 

Reply to @john smith: You can't have rules that you break for some people. Therefore, let them all in like the rest of Canada has done all along, since in all provinces Covid is manageable and there isn't even any community Covid in NB.

SarahRose Werner 

Reply to @JoeBrown: We're not breaking rules "for some people." Per the article: "anyone moving to New Brunswick from outside the province can come and self-isolate for 14 days." Note that this only applies to people who are moving here, not to people coming in to vacation here.

David Amos

Reply to @john smith: "Canadian residents can visit family in New Brunswick if they self-isolate for 14 days"

Wayne Wright

Reply to @JoeBrown: oh guess everything was hunky-dory in Ontario & Quebec all along! Thank gawd authorities instituted the measures they did in this end of Canada

.  

SarahRose Werner 

The headline of the article should really be, "Ontario couple stuck in van for two months finally allowed to enter NB." They were told on Thursday by SNB that they could enter the province as long as they can prove they're not on vacation. The deed for the sale of their home in Ontario should be sufficient. And on Friday Higgs said that they can enter if they self-isolate for 14 days and do their house-shopping virtually, both of which they plan on doing. Why the negatively slanted headline given that the problem has effectively been resolved? 

Winston Gray

Reply to @SarahRose Werner: To give fodder to the "we need to reopen" people who don't yet understand that all of our actions have saved countless lives.

Lou Bell

Reply to @SarahRose Werner: Headline should actually read " Ontario Premiers late actions with COVID leave Ontarians out of luck " !!

SarahRose Werner 

Reply to @Winston Gray: The weird thing is, we *are* reopening. Just ask the folks in Zone 5 about how many restrictions the rest of the province is no longer under! The government has laid out steps for the removal of further (not all) restrictions in July. The argument is not about reopening. It's about the rate at which we're doing so. I'm all in favour of slow and steady.

David Amos

Reply to @Winston Gray: Yea Right

 

Terry Tibbs
I have E-Mailed Elizabeth Fraser with an offer to put these folks up, through their isolation period, in an empty property I have........ they have my phone number.


doug kirby

Reply to @Terry Tibbs: thanks for that...nice to see

Terry Tibbs

Reply to @doug kirby:
It's only fair, it's sitting empty, can't sell, can't rent........... though it is amusing, once offered I had, just after, a reasonably serious inquiry. But no matter, my offer stands, they are most welcome to hang there for their 14 days, FREE.

David Amos

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Reply to @Terry Tibbs: Methinks Higgy er al know that I can easily can easily help because i have already done so in the past N'esy Pas?

David Amos

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Reply to @Terry Tibbs: Perhaps you and I should talk

David Amos

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Reply to @Terry Tibbs: Methinks if you know a certain Junkman who writes about Shades of Pink Floyd on a certain wall then you can read what I wrote on it as well N'esy Pas?

Lou Bell

Reply to @Terry Tibbs: And REAL name ?

David Amos

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Reply to @Lou Bell: Lourdes Correct?

Ellen Williamson
Everyone has had to make changes and put plans on hold during this time.

JoeBrown

Reply to @Ellen Williamson: If you substituted "the rest of their lifetime "for "this time", you could be an honourary member of Higg's cabinet. There is no Covid in the NB community, btw.

Winston Gray

Reply to @JoeBrown: There is no COVID in the NB community because we acted.

JoeBrown

Reply to @Winston Gray: No, because you collected cerb and pretended it was an economy while hiding from the world. The debt piper will be calling in JT's printing machine though.

Dianne Bastarache

Reply to @JoeBrown: What in the world does the one have to do with the other?

David Amos

Reply to @Dianne Bastarache: Everything

George Smith

Why is a story like this on CBC? It makes N.B. look bad when it's the people CBC is making out to be the victim here that are their own problem. They have caused all their problems by not thinking things out and now want to get press hoping it'll get them in. They belong in their Van not in this Province. People from here and with connections here are having trouble getting in.

Wire Paladin  

Reply to @George Smith:
CBC wrote the story because it DOES make New Brunswick look bad. Imagine someone thinking they could move from Ontario to New Brunswick.

SarahRose Werner 

Reply to @George Smith: I wouldn't say that they've caused all their own problems. At the time they sold their Ontario home in February and chose May 1 as a closing date, they didn't have a crystal ball telling them what would happen in March. They just had really bad luck! However, I wouldn't say that their bad luck entitled them to enter the province in May. Things have progressed since May, and they now have permission to enter the province and then self-isolate for the next 14 days. Looks as if their luck is starting to turn around.

Terry Tibbs 

Reply to @SarahRose Werner:
You can't convince me that 2 elderly folks in a camper, towing a trailer load of possessions, willing to self isolate, pose any greater threat than health professionals flitting back and forth from Quebec, seemingly at their whim, without ANY thought, or concern, for self isolation.

Dianne Bastarache

Reply to @Wire Paladin: in my opinion, it does not at all make NB look bad. It makes NB look exactly as it is...careful and (almost) Covid free. What it does though, is to point out how important it is during a pandemic to NOT assume things will be as normal. Don't make decisions in the same manner as you would have, pre pandemic. Plan carefully...it seems the Ontario couple missed a few steps on this, and that, combined with bad timing has placed them where they are today.

David Amos

Reply to @Wire Paladin: Have laptop will travel

George Smith

"N.B. border closure leaves Ontario couple stranded in van for almost 2 months"
This is not about N.B. having closed borders. It's about a couple foolishly deciding to sell their home in Ontario and moving to another Province that's closed and not even having a place to buy or live in. Don't most people have a place to move to when leaving their place of residence? They sold their home and were going on a shopping trip to N.B. Not very smart.

Bob Smith 

Reply to @George Smith: There might be a sense of entitlement as well. Retiring and moving to another province during a pandemic is not a good decision.

SarahRose Werner

Reply to @George Smith: "Don't most people have a place to move to when leaving their place of residence?" - Not necessarily. It can be tricky selling a home in one place while at the same time trying to find one in another place that's not right near by. For example, my mother - who was living in the States - sold her home in Connecticut, got her belongings moved into storage in Maine and then lived in a motel in Maine while she house-shopped.

David Amos

Reply to @SarahRose Werner: So?

Bob Smith

I must have missed the part where the borders were opened in May.

David Amos

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Reply to @Bob Smith: Higgy did too

Ben Hague

Be patient like most people are. We are all in the same boat. Why cater to a particular couple from Ontario. They made the choice to sell their property & temporarily live in a van. Surely it won't kill them to wait until July for the borders to open. They have a van do some traveling in their area or wherever else is possible. Stop the whining.

David Amos

Reply to @Ben Hague: Say Hey to your hero Higgy for me when you see him on the BBQ circuit this summer

Alex Stevens

Provinces don't have borders, they have boundaries. Canada has borders.

David Amos

Reply to @Alex Stevens: True

Peter Wylie 

Reply to @Alex Stevens:
Papers please.

Dave Corbin

Defund New Brunswick's government.

Peter Churcher 

Reply to @Dave Corbin: Don't worry the Feds have already effectively done this! Do you live in New Brunswick? I do. We are happy that the borders were restricted during this crisis. It ha preserved lives and our already weakened and underfunded health care system.

Winston Gray 

Reply to @Peter Churcher: Exactly, I don't understand how people think that the government WANTS to shut things down and thus shut down THEIR OWN funding. They are doing all of this for US. It makes zero sense to call the government officials greedy and then also ignore the fact that they essentially shut off their own funding for OUR well-being.

Some people are just contrarians and will be opposed to everything.

Sarah Brown 

Reply to @Peter Churcher: Speak for yourself...not everyone is happy that we have been so restricted by our government with our civil libberties trampled. It's time to opne our borders with the other Atlantic provinces using commin sesne. COVID 19 may be around for awhile, but we should not stop that from getting back to the business of living our lives.

David Amos

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Reply to @Dave Corbin: Methinks the government has been doing that for many years then borrowing even more N'esy Pas?

Dianne Bastarache 

Reply to @Sarah Brown: **getting back to the business of living our lives** When Covid is not safely managed and controlled, there is risk that there would not be a **life to live**. It should not be so difficult to see the examples of this, in several states south of the border. Lives and safe health first; economy, second.

John Pokiok

OK it's time for this foolishnes to end open the borders we are one country. Now that everyone is aware of how you get disease and people are largely complying with social distancing it's time to open provincial borders.

Bob Smith 

Reply to @John Pokiok: People are complying? Tell that to the folks in northern NB.

David Amos

Reply to @John Pokiok: Yup

James Smythe

I'm sure the torch wielding mob would just prefer this couple starve because they have out of province license plates.

John Oliver 

Reply to @James Smythe: They are still in Ontario. But I am sure it is (or will be) a problem.

David Amos 

Reply to @James Smythe: Of that I have no doubt

Ray Oliver 

Reply to @David Amos: Maybe when they get here they have room for you in the van. Call them, ya call everyone else who's names in an article here.

Dianne Bastarache 

Reply to @James Smythe: Good lawrd...why would they starve???? Nobody said anything about them not having $$$ for groceries; the issue is the inconvenience of looking for a house in a province that asks that you follow reasonable health safety guidelines. They have options...isolate in a hotel room, if the issue of a van is too much to bear; shop for homes online with the use of an agent.

DON MOFFATT

What a classic case for a Charter Case.

David Amos

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Reply to @DON MOFFATT: Nope Close but no cigar

Mac Isaac

The two points made by Premier Higgs seem quite obviously to be at cross purpose: Telling people "from away" that they're welcome to move to New Brunswick as long as they self-isolate and that they must do their property shopping virtually. One of the things Covid-19 supposedly did was get rid of red tape...this is a classic case of red tape. Considering the length of time these people (and their pets!) have been here it quite obviously shows their fortitude and resolve to live in NB.
It's time for the powers that be get the hell out of the way and start using a little bit of common sense.

Terry Tibbs

Reply to @Mac Isaac:
From ANY dealings I have had with government, I suspect many employed there live in constant fear of losing their jobs, so their hands are tied when a common sense requiring situation confronts them.

SarahRose Werner 

Reply to @Mac Isaac: They haven't been here, they've been living on a nephew's property near Orillia, Ontario. As for property shopping virtually, they can hardly do it in person while they're self-isolating for their first 14 days in NB. And even after that it would be probably be a good idea to weed out the less likely contenders virtually and only check out the most promising candidates in person.

Fred Brewer 

Reply to @Mac Isaac: "One of the things Covid-19 supposedly did was get rid of red tape"
Where did you hear that?

David Amos

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Reply to @Terry Tibbs: Methinks thats par for the course with every government job everywhere N'esy Pas?

Troy Murray
Feel sorry for the pets They had no choice to move during a pandemic that started well before closing date.


David Amos 

Reply to @Troy Murray: Cry me a river 

 

Justin Gunther
Is our state broadcaster now throwing Higgs under the bus in an attempt to save face? There are always so many peripheral matters to consider when reading these articles, it's annoying. He still deserves it though.

I can relate to not getting clear answers from our provincial government and its endless barrage of poorly designed websites, IVRs, transfers to incorrect voicemail boxes, etc. ad nauseum.

I was actually advocating for a total closing of our borders. I hope these people get some resolution. It probably wouldn't matter at this point. There are many out of province plates driving around all over Fredericton. It's all politics. There's no logic to any of our COVID-19 policies.


Justin Gunther 

Reply to @Justin Gunther: to be clear, advocating for a total closure with a carveout for essential workers and supply chains.

Justin Gunther 

Reply to @Justin Gunther: It's important I add that qualifier because it seems like all some people do these days is deliberately take people out of context and then call it news.

Justin Gunther 

Reply to @Justin Gunther: "Why wouldn't you do it on purpose if it fits the narrative? It's like a no brainer, duh!"

David Amos 

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Reply to @Justin Gunther: Methinks Higgy's ego won't fit under a bus N'esy Pas?

Jos Allaire 

Let these good people in forthwith! Let them quarantine. After that, they are not a threat.

 

SarahRose Werner 

Reply to @Jos Allaire: Are you somehow implying that "good people" don't get infected?

Jos Allaire 

Reply to @SarahRose Werner: Where did I imply anything of the sort? After quarantined, they are as clean safe as you and I.

Jos Allaire

Reply to @SarahRose Werner:Tay Ann moody fall! Pea say pas ta sit. Say eh vie dans!

Jos Allaire

Reply to @Lou Bell: Ton chum Higgs, yeah come Trump!

Jos Allaire

Reply to @Jos Allaire: Foo come toi pea Trump!

Jos Allaire

Reply to @Jos Allaire: Ann COR, pea bee goat!

Jos Allaire

Reply to @Lou Bell: Pea les ignore rant, say les bee go come toi!

Fred Brewer 

Reply to @Jos Allaire: Ahhh. C'est le vee.

David Amos

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Reply to @Jos Allaire: I like your style

Jos Allaire

Reply to @David Amos; Merci M. Amos as I am sure a lot on here do not like my style a single bit.

David Amos

Reply to @Jos Allaire: Methinks when the flak is the greatest you are right over the target N'esy Pas? 

























 

Doug McBride 

Welcome as you plan your arrival in New Brunswick. We came here 15 years ago from Western Canada and fell instantly in love with the life here. I bet once you are here and settled in the community will throw you a big kitchen party to celebrate. You chose well with your retirement location!

David Amos 

Reply to @Doug McBride: I concur

 

Kate LeBlanc 
Talk about bad timing. I myself got moved to New Brunswick just in time just before the virus got called a pandemic so I wish you and yours good luck and welcome to New Brunswick and the new world order.


Winston Gray 

Reply to @Kate LeBlanc: New world order? Sheesh some people certainly like to make mountains out of mole hills.

Kate LeBlanc 

Reply to @Winston Gray: Chill for pete's sake. Just got tired of calling life as it is now "the new normal"

Jos Allaire

Reply to @Winston Gray: Overkill is what I call these rules devoid pf common sense.

Terry Tibbs

Reply to @Winston Gray:
We are not allowed to call it what it is.......... and it is very likely a lady would not choose to use those words in public.

Terry Tibbs

Reply to @Jos Allaire:
When different rules apply to different folks it is neither overkill, or containing any common sense.

Jos Allaire

Reply to @Terry Tibbs: Coming in, quarantining with the intent of moving and staying here should apply to all folks.

David Amos

Reply to @Jos Allaire: YUP

 

David Amos

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Reply to @Kate LeBlanc: Welcome to the circus

Winston Gray 

Reply to @Kate LeBlanc: It's just the world, though. It's not "new normal", it's not a "new world order", it's just our world. It literally changes from year to year, but some people simply want to pause society/culture because they are afraid of change.