Canadian Gov't to end pre-arrival Covid test to enter Canada April 1st

[jabberwocky]

Sure does!

Here's the press release; Government of Canada is re-establishing mandatory random testing offsite of airports for air travellers - Canada.ca

It states in part "Air travellers who qualify as fully vaccinated and who are selected for mandatory random testing, as well as air travellers who do not qualify as fully vaccinated, will receive an email notification within 15 minutes of completing their customs declaration." Since neither of us (& probably lots of incoming foreign passengers) do not have data on our cells, I sure hope the airport's wifi works well or we wont know we need to get tested until we get home.


~Diane

Yep. This is going to end well.

What could go wrong?

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

Sure does!

Here's the press release; Government of Canada is re-establishing mandatory random testing offsite of airports for air travellers - Canada.ca

It states in part "Air travellers who qualify as fully vaccinated and who are selected for mandatory random testing, as well as air travellers who do not qualify as fully vaccinated, will receive an email notification within 15 minutes of completing their customs declaration." Since neither of us (& probably lots of incoming foreign passengers) do not have data on our cells, I sure hope the airport's wifi works well or we wont know we need to get tested until we get home.


~Diane

Don't you just love autocratic - technocrat bureaucracy.
You will be inconvenienced or threatened with fines - for not having data on your phone .

All because the federal government wants your personal health information -
- even though healthcare is a provincial responsibility.

Big Brother meets 1984 .

 

[jabberwocky]

Interesting that this only applies at four airports (Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary) - all of which happen to be Air Canada hubs.

Moral of the story will be to book direct flights into Edmonton where possible from now on, or connect through Winnipeg (shudder).

Does anyone know if those with connections are still exempt?

 

[jabberwocky]

Don't you just love autocratic - technocrat bureaucracy.
You will be inconvenienced or threatened with fines - not having data on your phone .

All because the federal government wants your personal health information -
- even though healthcare is a provincial responsibility.

Big Brother meets 1984 .

Not only that, but enforcement is a provincial responsibility. I can’t see the RCMP or police in Alberta handing out fines for this if someone doesn’t show up for a test. It’s not like they have real crimes to solve or anything.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

Next up -
getting rid of the piece of crap - called the Arrive Canada App [ArriveCAN]
that is also a federal government mandated waste of time and taxpayers money.

@moonstone @bizaro86 @Tacoma @Dori @AJCts411 @maddog497 @jabberwocky @VanX

You may want to be aware of ongoing issues with the ArriveCan app and it recognizing vaccination status - as outlined in this recent news story - July 18th
ArriveCan "glitch" ordering vaccinated Canadians into quarantine without cause

and : here is a YouTube story- that includes video of airport Canadian Public Health "officer" harassing an 86 year old who is returning to Canada.
Public Health Officer harasses Travelers returning to Canada

The video part showing the 86 year old start at about 6:45 into the video

 

[Dori]

What a gong show! Just when we thought things were going to get easier for travellers!

Dori

 

[moonstone]

@T-Dot-Traveller I had almost the same issue as the guy in that article last fall. We (me, DH, DD, 91yr old dad) travelled to The Netherlands and all of us had negative PCR tests the day before our return flight as required. We were all fully vaccinated well before the trip. We also had our ArrivCan app filled out. We all passed through Canada customs at YYZ but DD and myself got the red sticker for another Covid test at the airport which we did. The following day I got an email reminding me that I was to be quarantining. DH & I had already dropped my dad off at his retirement home and picked up some groceries on the way home from the airport and DH had responded to a fire call that evening. The day after that I got a phone call from some Canada Health official woman asking about my symptoms (none) and my quarantine. I explained to her that nobody told me or anybody I was travelling with about needing to quarantine, and why was I the only one of the 4 of us to get a notice. I also told her we showed proof of our negative PCR test from Amsterdam the day before our flight and that due to the Dutch laws for visiting museums and eating inside restaurants, we had all been tested the previous 3 days in a row and all were negative. So as far as I was concerned there was absolutely no need for just me out of the 4 of us to be quarantining. The woman agreed with me and said there were glitches in the system and there was no need for me to quarantine. She did not apologize but said hopefully things would be better for my next flight in 4 weeks. The day after the phone call I got a notification on my ArriveCan app that I was in day 3 of quarantine. I deleted the app and never heard another thing!

Luckily our next flight home from Florida 4 weeks later was uneventful.


~Diane

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

What a gong show!

Just wen we thought things were going to get easier for travellers!
Dori

IMO - The ArriveCan app implementation was never about making it easier for travellers.

It was mandated for control and tracking

***************

Here is a CTV News story from 2018 that discusses the Canadian & Dutch pilot project of a KDTI - [ Known Traveller Digital Identity ] app

Canada leading project for trusted traveller smartphone app - CTV News- Feb 12. 2018

Note how -it was going to be optional
Note how- it is mandatory.

Note how - It was going to help you speed thru the border
Note how - in the YouTube I posted - how the Public Health "Officer" helps travellers "speed thru the border ".

Note how - it says - the traveller can select which information is shared.
Note how - it requires you give your Covid 19 vaccine status (ie) private health information.

If it looks like a - If it smells like a - If it tastes like a .........
LOL

 

[geist1223]

We have entered Canada twice by car since the Border reopened using ArriveCAN at PeaceArch. Both times everything went very smoothly. Prior to completing ArriveCAN make sure you have all the documents with needed information. If you are a Visitor to Canada you will need the address where you are staying in addition to your Passport and Vaccine Card. When there is more than one of you have one person as the Reader of Information and another person as the person that types the information into ArriveCan.

 

[beejaybeeohio]

We have entered Canada twice by car since the Border reopened using ArriveCAN at PeaceArch. Both times everything went very smoothly. Prior to completing ArriveCAN make sure you have all the documents with needed information. If you are a Visitor to Canada you will need the address where you are staying in addition to your Passport and Vaccine Card. When there is more than one of you have one person as the Reader of Information and another person as the person that types the information into ArriveCan.

Do we need only the address of our 1st night's stay or all lodging for the entire visit?

 

[geist1223]

Do not know. We are spending 2 weeks at the WM Canadian.

 

[jabberwocky]

Do we need only the address of our 1st night's stay or all lodging for the entire visit?

I would just use your first night. this is what we do when traveling to the US by air and have to provide our address while in the US.

Of course if you wanted to have a bit of fun, you can always enter 24 Sussex Drive in Ottawa.

 

[beejaybeeohio]

I would just use your first night. this is what we do when traveling to the US by air and have to provide our address while in the US.

Of course if you wanted to have a bit of fun, you can always enter 24 Sussex Drive in Ottawa.

Conversely, when you enter the US, you might use 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington DC!

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

Fully Vaccinated Canadian Senior given 14 day Quarantine - for not using ArriveCan app
[ YouTube video ] includes her interaction with Canadian Border Service

Fully Vaccinated Senior forced into quarantine for not using ArriveCan app

The YouTube I found was from July 22- 2022 - I assume the senior"s interaction with the CBSA agent was very recent .
The video of her interaction is from about the .30 second to 4.30 .

 

[timsi]

They can solve some problems if they ditch the app and tell those employees they are needed for handling luggage and other more useful jobs at the airports.

 

[Chrisky]

timsi, CBSA agents do not handle baggage at airports.

Part of the problem at land crossing borders with people not filling out the ArriveCan app, or the website.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/windsor-arrive-can-app-border-1.6527437

 

[timsi]

timsi, CBSA agents do not handle baggage at airports.

During Covid a lot of airport/government employees all over the world have been assigned to do other things that they were doing before Covid and to this day some of the cumbersome processes are still in place. From your article: "We're in a situation where we're kind of not doing our actual work as border service officers anymore. All of our time is being spent on the app".

 

[Chrisky]

Exactly timsi, « We're in a situation where we're kind of not doing our actual work as border service officers anymore. All of our time is being spent on the app". So there it is, if only people would do their research and use the proper app when entering Canada. At least that would ease some of the congestion at airports and land crossings. Is it perfect, no, but what is? There are always people complaining about something. All sorts of things happen when travelling.

It surprises me that some people think they do not have to follow a particular country’s entry requirements. The US has the ESTA , Canada the eTA, there are also countries that require visas, all countries require a passport, immigration forms have to be filled out, to name just a few things.
Personally, if I want to travel to any country, I check what is required to enter that country and just do what is necessary, otherwise my only other option is not to travel.

 

[bizaro86]

Exactly timsi, « We're in a situation where we're kind of not doing our actual work as border service officers anymore. All of our time is being spent on the app". So there it is, if only people would do their research and use the proper app when entering Canada. At least that would ease some of the congestion at airports and land crossings. Is it perfect, no, but what is? There are always people complaining about something. All sorts of things happen when travelling.

It surprises me that some people think they do not have to follow a particular country’s entry requirements. The US has the ESTA , Canada the eTA, there are also countries that require visas, all countries require a passport, immigration forms have to be filled out, to name just a few things.
Personally, if I want to travel to any country, I check what is required to enter that country and just do what is necessary, otherwise my only other option is not to travel.

There is a difference between requirements for foreign nationals who enter at the pleasure of their hosts and requirements for citizens who enter as-of-right.

 

[Chrisky]

bizaro86, I realize that, so what is your point?
Are you saying that because you are Canadian you don’t want to fill in any forms or an app when returning to Canada.
As far as I know every country wants to know who is coming into their country, be they Canadian or not. The right to return does not mean you do not have to follow the rules of entry.

 

[bizaro86]

The right to return does not mean you do not have to follow the rules of entry.

I mean, the point of rights is that they are inalienable, not that they are subject to the whims of the government of the day.

I would suggest requiring Canadian citizens to provide personal health information via an app and submit to testing to avoid confinement when entering the country are an abrogration of that right.

 

[CanuckTravlr]

I mean, the point of rights is that they are inalienable, not that they are subject to the whims of the government of the day.

I would suggest requiring Canadian citizens to provide personal health information via an app and submit to testing to avoid confinement when entering the country are an abrogration of that right.

All Charter rights are subject to reasonable restrictions, which can be arbitrated through the courts. References to "inalienable" rights is a term used in the US Constitution, not the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The concept that the federal government cannot ask health questions of those travelling internationally in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, because the administration of healthcare is primarily a provincial responsibility, is IMO just a "talking point" by those opposed to it.

If it is solely a provincial jurisdiction, why do we have the Canada Health Act and why did the recent meeting of provincial premiers complain that they need more money from the federal government to fund it, which I happen to agree with? Very little is cut and dried in terms of jurisdictional responsibilities between the federal and provincial governments, since we mostly have an integrated tax system and a national criminal code, as well as a national health act. Until it is challenged in the courts and a ruling is made by the Supreme Court of Canada, it is still a legitimate regulation we all must follow, whether you agree with it or not.

We did not have an integrated, national, public healthcare system until 1966, when the Canada Health Act came into being. Prior to that, under the original articles of confederation, originally known as the British North America Act, 1867, now referred to as the Constitution Act, 1867, the provinces were responsible for the administration of most hospitals, sanatoriums charitable institutions, and the like. The federal government was responsible for "quarantine and the establishment and maintenance of marine hospitals", so your argument is very muddy.

In the meantime, if everyone did their homework and followed the rules, it might help all of us when travelling internationally. If you don't think it's right or fair, then complaining to your MP and MPP/MLA/MNA is probably a more productive route, IMO.

 

[Chrisky]

Canucktraveler, you are absolutely correct, the term ‘inalienable right’ is a term used in the US Constitution not the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

 

[jabberwocky]

bizaro86, I realize that, so what is your point?
Are you saying that because you are Canadian you don’t want to fill in any forms or an app when returning to Canada.
As far as I know every country wants to know who is coming into their country, be they Canadian or not. The right to return does not mean you do not have to follow the rules of entry.

While I think it is good to know who is entering your country, there are more effective ways to do this, and absolutely zero legitimate reason in 2022 to require an app to do so.

Consider those entering Europe on a European passport don’t have to fill out any forms or even talk to anyone when entering Europe. You simply put your passport into the reader, the camera matches your face to the biometrics in your passport and the gates open up. Crossing a border within Europe? I’ve never been asked to stop and present ID when driving across borders within Europe.

Why can’t we have a system like this for returning Canadians (Nexus used to function somewhat like this)? Just think of how much faster it would be. The border agents could then focus on higher risk travelers.

Again, the app serves no useful purpose other than to slow things down and take border agents away from useful things they could be doing (like reviewing Nexus applications/renewals - which are seriously backlogged).

Canada is broken right now and we can’t seem to run anything half-competently these days. But go ahead and enjoy your false sense of security.

 

[DeniseM]

This is not the COVID forum - unless you want the thread moved to the COVID forum, the political BS needs to stop.