“I know they have some serious problems in their workplaces and social gatherings, but their data tells us… Yesterday, 2,320 cases were reported in Ontario. Of these, zero cases were related to travel, so frankly, I disagree. .”

The Ford administration this week sent another letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, reiterating the requirements in the previous letter. The provincial government said it hopes that Ottawa will reduce the number of international flights allowed into Canada, require Canadians to conduct pre-departure tests before conducting domestic flights, and extend quarantine measures at Canadian airports to the land border with the United States.

Blair rejected the proposal to further restrict international flights, saying that all unnecessary travel to Canada ceased 14 months ago. He also said that international travel has been reduced by 96% and that Canadians return home from abroad because they have the right to do so.

Regarding Ford’s requirement that domestic passengers must undergo polymerase chain reaction tests for COVID-19 (usually called PCR tests) before traveling, Blair said that the federal government is willing to help, but internal travel restrictions are the province’s responsibility.

Blair said: “If General Ideal implements measures to restrict travel into Ontario from anywhere in Canada, he has the right to do so, and we are very happy to work with him.”

Land border measures are working: Blair

On February 22, the federal government implemented new quarantine measures at the airport, requiring all air passengers returning home from non-essential travel to be quarantined in federally designated facilities while waiting for the FBI (PCR) test results. Up to 72 hours upon arrival.

A three-day compulsory quarantine at a federally designated agency may cost as much as US$2,000 per person. Ford said he hopes to extend these measures to land borders.

Blair said: “This country has 117 land border crossings, many of which are hundreds of kilometers away from the nearest hotel. “The safest and most effective way to manage people arriving at our border by land is to establish the system we have established. “

Blair said that Canadians and their families were kept in cars and returned home from the United States overland. After two weeks of laboratory isolation, returning home directly is “the safest way to manage these people.”

He said: “All requirements for testing before arrival, testing after arrival and 14-day quarantine are strictly enforced at our land border. In fact, our compliance rate is 99.6%.” “And when people don’t comply with this regulation. At that time, serious consequences and fines will be imposed.”