Wednesday, 29 July 2020

U.S military personnel in St. John's not isolating, as confusion swirls around exemption rules

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Surprise Surprise Surprise
Methinks Premier Ball should argue Trudeau The Younger and his many minions about that N'esy Pas?


https://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2020/07/us-military-personnel-in-st-johns-not.html



 #nbpoli #cdnpoli



https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/american-military-self-isolating-nl-1.5665789



U.S military personnel in St. John's not isolating, as confusion swirls around exemption rules

Military members told Delta staff they were given OK to go out by CBSA


CBC News · Posted: Jul 28, 2020 2:13 PM NT



American military members enter the Delta Hotel in St. John's. They offered no comment when asked by a CBC reporter whether they were isolating. (Mark Quinn/CBC)

The manager of a St. John's hotel says American military members have been leaving the hotel, telling staff they were given the OK to do so by the Canada Border Services Agency.

Delta Hotel general manager Heather McKinnon said American service members staying at the downtown hotel have been leaving the premises and causing COVID-19 concerns in the community.

People took to social media Monday night, saying they had spotted members who, according to them, were not self-isolating. The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary said it received a report on Monday night about the Americans; however, officers weren't able to locate them.


"We've become aware that they are not self-isolating in the hotel," McKinnon told CBC News on Tuesday. "They're allowed to be together as a group, but we've become aware that they are leaving the hotel but that they have been advised they can."
If there’s any doubt that members of the U.S. military are here. Here they are at the Delta in St.John’s minutes ago .

McKinnon said the military members told Delta staff the CBSA said they're allowed to be out in public while in the country.

That runs contrary to provincial rules on visitors from outside of Atlantic Canada.
Even people travelling to Newfoundland and Labrador for essential work are required to isolate when they are not working.

CBC News has asked CBSA for clarification on this case. The military personnel declined comment while walking into the Delta on Tuesday.


Health Minister John Haggie says his department is looking into reports of American military members being out and about in St. John's on Monday. (Garrett Barry/CBC)

Health Minister John Haggie said he heard the stories about American military members being in a downtown restaurant on Monday night, and his department is looking into it.


Haggie said military flights don't come through airport terminals, but rather use fixed-base operators — or FBOs — at airports.

"They have been made perfectly clearly aware that the instructions to be given to these military personnel is that they are to get in a bus or in a conveyance and go from the FBO to the hotel where they take room service and reverse the process the following morning," Haggie said.

There is an issue of federal versus provincial jurisdictions, and which sets of rules and exemptions should apply. The service members would fall under the federal Quarantine Act, and Haggie said he isn't aware of any exemptions that would allow them to wine and dine while in town on a stopover.
American military members make up a significant portion of the Delta's business. McKinnon said they account for about six per cent of total stays, and bring in around $1.8 million in annual revenue — which works out to around 8,000 room-nights.

While inside the hotel, all guests must wear face covering in public areas. McKinnon said there haven't been any issues with the Americans on those rules.

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador


With files from Mark Quinn





1425 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story.





Aaron Morris
So we have a foreign military on Canadian soil that is violating and apparently unaccountable to Canadian law?


David Amos
Reply to @Aaron Morris: Surprise Surprise Surprise


Patrick Kennedy
Reply to @Aaron Morris: Let's get our submarines ready to send a warning! Oh they are in the garage.

Kis Brink 
Reply to @Patrick Kennedy: We have multiple submarines although as we don't have any that can hop onto land and cruise around looking for Americans that was clearly a failure to plan.

Our navy is actually working quite hard to keep American leisure craft outside of Canadians waters. Instead of ridiculing our Navy you might try wondering what they have been doing lately

They risk possible infection with the closer encounters with those who have crossed over every day for us. It's not the kind of risk they thought they were signing on for and they don't get as much press as the army.

We have a current shortfall in enlistment so if you are young enough why not try it so at the very least you'd know the lengths that are gone to at any time for us.
































Gordon Wheaton
Remember, the rules don't apply to the U.S. of A.


Katy Rose 
Reply to @Gordon Wheaton:
So they think.



David Amos 
Reply to @Katy Rose: Methinks that is because it is true N'esy Pas?


Kis Brink 
Reply to @Gordon Wheaton: The article fairly clearly states that CBSA is trying to get clarification on if they were given an atypical exemption from isolation versus the standard one where they are a bit of a bubble which can travel to work and work and then return to the hotel.

So until we know for sure that the Federal govt didn't give a strange exemption they might be following the rules.

Not like they are the strong point in pandemic response late to close borders. not having any system to monitor the health of those actually exempt like truckers, and then theirs aviation.

So it's entirely plausible the Federal Govt was okay with putting Canadians at risk so let's find out if it's blame the govt time or blame the US Army.



Bal Sando 
Reply to @Gordon Wheaton: that just gives a new meaning to " come from away"





























Jason Dawe (JD)
CBSA does not have the authority to override a Provincial Health Directive.


Yoster Schnauss  
Reply to @Jason Dawe (JD): Rules never apply to narcissists, and it's an entire country of them. American exceptionalism, eh?



David Amos

Content disabled
Reply to @Jason Dawe (JD): Methinks you and Premier Ball should argue Trudeau The Younger and his many minions about that N'esy Pas?

Bernie McRae 
Reply to @Yoster Schnauss: Yes, and now we see a POTUS who is taking that so-called "exceptionalism" to historic new depths with nearly 150,000 American patriots giving up their lives so the rable and their leader can show the world who the least welcome nation on the earth currently is.


Yoster Schnauss 
Reply to @Bernie McRae: USA! USA! The dead will be called heroes and the potentially millions left with long-term health effects will be forgotten. And let's not talk about the millions of people about to be thrown out of their houses. USA! USA!


Kis Brink 
Reply to @Jason Dawe (JD): Military is Federal so while they shouldn't have the authority it's much like all provinces can do about airplanes with no physical distancing is ask the airlines to explain who can decline.

It would take the Federal Govt saying stop using the middle seat and every other row or you aren't up so the ten or so positives on flights inbound to BC wouldn't create new positives and which didn't reach too many to bring up in the daily briefing.

There are quite a lot of places where the provinces have been powerless to do more than comment that they don't think something should be happening

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