Premier Jason Kenney speaking at a Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce event in 2021. (Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Kenney calls on Ottawa to lift COVID travel restrictions

Feb 10, 2022 | 10:50 AM

EDMONTON, AB – Alberta’s Premier is calling for more COVID restrictions to be lifted.

During a meeting of Canada’s premiers at the Council of the Federation on Wednesday, Jason Kenney voiced his opinions that federal travel restrictions should no longer be in effect.

“Our response to COVID needs to change as the disease and the threat change, and with respect to travel, there are many jurisdictions around the world that have adopted more common sense travel protocols than we have now in place in Canada.”

Kenney is calling for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the federal government to eliminate three current restrictions on international travel: 72-hour pre-departure testing, testing and isolation upon arrival, and quarantining for children under the age of five.

He adds that, while many industries have seen at least partial rebounds since the initial onset of the pandemic, travel and tourism are “still brutally hard hit from COVID,” and hopes that the lifting of these measures will help them out.

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On Tuesday, Kenney announced plans to lift provincial COVID restrictions, which include the Restrictions Exemption Program being removed as of midnight the same day.

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Below, you can watch Kenney’s full remarks to the Council of the Federation. LNN has also provided a full transcript of his speech.

“I would like to speak to this on behalf of Alberta. I think this was not on our agenda for the Council of the Federation this morning, but I do think it’s, there’s a widespread recognition across the country and amongst the provinces that we need to respond to.”

“Our response to COVID needs to change as the disease and the threat change, and with respect to travel, there are many jurisdictions around the world that have adopted more common sense travel protocols than we have now in place in Canada.”

“Recognizing the nature of the current nature of COVID-19 and Omicron, you know, for example, we have tens of millions of people between Canada, the United States with current Omicron infections, and so the notion that we can interrupt or reduce community transmission through very rigid travel protocols, I think is unrealistic.”

“Professor, I think it’s [Zain] Chagla of Professor of Infectious Disease at McMaster University had a really thoughtful opinion piece in the Globe and Mail on February the 1st, pointing out that these current travel restrictions are not meeting their intended goal.”

“So for Alberta’s perspective, we would call for an end to the 72 hour pre-departure testing, the arrivals testing and self-isolation requirements, and to eliminate guidance for all children under five to quarantine, as well as the global travel advisory.”

“We don’t think these measures are effective in the current context, and let’s not forget that there are two sectors of the Canadian economy still brutally hard hit from COVID, and those are travel and tourism.”

“Hundreds and hundreds of thousands of Canadians whose livelihoods depend on those industries still being very significantly impaired so I hope that the federal government is mindful of that as we move forward.”