Good morning. It’s James Keller in Calgary.
The Canada-U.S. border has been closed to non-essential travel such as tourism for almost three months, but as it turns out, it may not be closed for everyone.
Americans who are travelling to Alaska in some instances have been allowed to enter Canada. They’re asked to use drive-thrus, avoid hotels and not make any unnecessary stops along their journey.
But there have been anecdotal reports that some American tourists are using that as a loophole to enter Canada to visit places in the Rocky Mountains such as Banff. The federal government has promised to look into those reports to ensure that Americans are only permitted to enter the country for essential reasons.
Health officials in Alberta say they have been screening 20 vehicles carrying U.S. citizens a day at just one crossing in Coutts, Alta., which is southeast of Lethbridge and a 3,000-kilometre drive away from the Alaska border.
The Canada Border Services Agency says it can’t provide any statistics on the number of Americans travelling by land through Canada to Alaska, but the statistics from Coutts offer a small window into how many Americans are making their way into Canada via Alberta’s main land crossing with the U.S.
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says Banff RCMP are following up on the issue and police are asking the public to let them know if they see more American travellers who appear to be vacationing in Canada during the border closure.
She said the border closure is to protect both Canadians and Americans.
“I would say to our American friends and neighbours: I love the Rockies, too. I grew up in Alberta. Personally I can think of no better place to spend time," she said.
“But now is not the time to visit.”
COVID-19 cases are still climbing in some U.S. states, and it was announced Tuesday that both the United States and Canada have agreed non-essential travel between the two countries will remain shut-down until at least July 21.
This is the weekly Western Canada newsletter written by B.C. Editor Wendy Cox and Alberta Bureau Chief James Keller. If you’re reading this on the web, or it was forwarded to you from someone else, you can sign up for it and all Globe newsletters here. This is a new project and we’ll be experimenting as we go, so let us know what you think.
AROUND THE WEST
DATA ON POLICE AND RACE: The agency that investigates serious incidents involving police in Alberta says it is unclear what would be gained if it tracked data on the race of people killed or injured by officers, arguing such statistics would do nothing to address systemic racism. The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team’s position runs counter to police watchdogs in Ontario and British Columbia, which shifted their approaches as critics argued that without such data, it is impossible to figure out whether police are more likely to victimize people of colour than white citizens. Susan Hughson, the executive director of ASIRT, said in a statement that her agency has never identified a “principled reason” to collect and release racial information.
CONDO INSURANCE: Condo owners faced with skyrocketing insurance premiums for their buildings and massive deductible costs are stuck in an “unhealthy” insurance market that is likely to get worse, says a report by a government oversight agency asked to probe the matter. The interim report by the B.C. Financial Services Authority found condo properties in the Lower Mainland have seen an average of 50-per-cent increases in insurance premiums, about 40 per cent in B.C. overall. Deductibles have risen to more than $100,000 in many cases.
SASKATCHEWAN BUDGET: The Saskatchewan government is predicting the COVID-19 pandemic will result in a deficit of $2.4-billion but says it won’t cut programs and services. Finance Minister Donna Harpauer tabled a full 2020-21 pre-election spending plan Monday after submitting only expense estimates in March. Officials said at the time that economic shutdowns to prevent spread of the novel coronavirus, along with a fall in oil prices, made it too unpredictable to properly forecast revenues. The government now expects to take in $1.2-billion less than the previous year. It forecasts revenues to be at almost $13.7-billion, while spending is earmarked at $16.1-billion.
TRANS MOUNTAIN PIPELINE SPILL: The pipeline company on Saturday reported the spill, at the Sumas pump station in Abbotsford, B.C., saying the pipeline had been shut down and crews were investigating. By Sunday afternoon, the pipeline had been restarted. The company said it estimates that between 150 and 190 cubic metres, or between 940 and 1,195 barrels, of light crude oil was released, with all of that contained on Trans Mountain property. Trans Mountain linked the cause of the spill to a fitting on a 2.5-centimetre pipe, and says the oil was contained, recovered and slated for disposal. In an e-mail Monday, Trans Mountain said it would be checking other similar fittings at the pump station for any problems. Indigenous leaders said the accident reinforces their concerns about the expansion project.
B.C. FIRST NATIONS: First Nations in B.C. have been deeply involved in keeping the pandemic at bay. Dozens of communities have shut their doors to visitors, and the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) has been part of the province’s emergency response team, helping shape B.C.'s pandemic strategy. The agency, which is unique in Canada, has provided access to clinical nursing support and testing equipment, and it has delivered more than 715,000 pieces of personal protective equipment to front-line health-care workers.
A NEW REALITY FOR CALGARY’S AIRPORT: One airport staffer quipped that it felt like a zombie apocalypse. This Canadian airport terminal in June, 2020, is a quiet, monotonous world of constant cleaning, thermal camera temperature scans and muffled conversations through masks. Besides the worry of inbound COVID-19 infections, there’s the uncertainty about how airports and related sectors will survive a drawn-out pandemic slump that could go on for years. There are usually 24,500 passengers a day flying out of Calgary’s airport – Canada’s fourth-busiest – on domestic and international flights. At the depths of this spring’s lockdown, there were some Saturdays with only 300 departing passengers. Now there are about 1,000 people flying out of Calgary each day, at least 95-per-cent fewer than normal.
WINNIPEG HAMMER ASSAULT: Police say it’s believed that the suspect and the 15-year-old boy didn’t know each other and were waiting in a restaurant on May 30 when they began talking. They allege the suspect then showed the boy a firearm which he had concealed in his backpack. The boy received his food and began to walk away, police say, at which time they allege the suspect struck him with a hammer causing “catastrophic injuries.”
SASKATCHEWAN SUPERVISED CONSUMPTION SITE: AIDS Saskatoon, which supports people living with AIDS, HIV and hepatitis C, had requested $1.3-million from the province to open the site around the clock 365 days a year. Executive director Jason Mercredi said the province told the group before the COVID-19 pandemic hit that it wouldn’t be getting the full amount, but there would be some money for two case managers. On Monday, the province tabled its budget with no money for operating the drug site.
OPINIONS
Perry Bellegrade, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, on racism in Canada: “A day later came news that Chief Allan Adam was badly beaten and his wife roughed up during a routine traffic stop by RCMP officers in Fort McMurray in March. The pictures of Chief Adam’s battered face were disturbing, but it is the officers’ voices captured on tape and the speed with which the police escalated the confrontation that should alarm everyone.”
André Picard on the benefits of home care: “In institutional settings, COVID-19 proved deadly because it spread among highly vulnerable patients who were sharing rooms, bathrooms and support staff. Home care is one-on-one care. It is true that home-care workers see many clients, but rarely as many as those toiling in institutions. In individual home visits, the virus doesn’t have the opportunity to take root. Workers take care of one person at a time, so there is little chance of spread.”
Robyn Urback on clawing back pandemic pay for grocery store workers: “So while these grocers might feel confident in their carefully crafted messages about normalcy returning to their stores, the reality is that in many regions, grocery-store workers will still continue to get sick. The difference is, they will now get sick while back on minimum wage."
Erica Ifill on Jessica Mulroney and white privilege: “But it is also only logical that Ms. Mulroney, who has enjoyed a solid career as an influencer, has lost work. In her field, success is measured by one’s ability to recognize and capitalize on trends – and Black Lives Matter is, if nothing else, trending across the culture. By failing to do her job well, Ms. Mulroney has tied her brand to the infamy associated with pivoting to the wrong side of history.”
Wendy Cox
James Keller