愛污传媒

Politics

    • COVID-positive travellers fell through cracks, quarantine hotel system flawed: AG report

    Share

    The Public Health Agency of Canada struggled to enforce COVID-19 restrictions at the border through the first half of 2021, resulting in failures to contact positive COVID-19 cases and uncertainty over whether those required to be tested or stay in a hotel quarantine actually did so, according to the Auditor General.

    Auditor General Karen Hogan identified 鈥渟ignificant gaps鈥 in the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)鈥檚 administration of emergency travel measures that came into effect in early 2021.

    Specifically, she called out major shortcomings with the enforcement of the requirement for incoming travellers to take a COVID-19 test 72 hours before arriving Canada, and the introduction of required quarantine hotel stays for returning travellers awaiting test results.

    Not all air and land travellers actually completed their mandatory COVID-19 tests when coming back from international locations, Hogan found.

    鈥淲e found gaps in the verification of mandatory COVID-19 tests for incoming travellers: 14 per cent of travellers did not complete an on-arrival test, and 26 per cent did not complete a post-arrival test,鈥 reads the report.

    Further, according to the performance audit:

    • Between February and June 2021, PHAC was either missing or unable to match 30 per cent of COVID-19 test results to incoming travellers;
    • The agency was responsible for verifying travellers completed their COVID-19 tests and was to follow up with these who had positive results to inform them of the need to isolate, however 14 per cent of positive travellers (1,156) were not contacted;
    • Due to not having records of stays or an automated system to track them, for 75 per cent of travellers who flew into Canada, the agency didn鈥檛 know whether those who were required to stay at quarantine hotels actually did so; and
    • PHAC did not reliably track whether air travellers who had been notified of positive COVID-19 tests had stayed at a government-authorized hotel as required.

    These measures were supposed to limit the importation of COVID-19 and its variants into this country. In Hogan鈥檚 view, despite some improvements, PHAC has largely fallen short on its responsibility to direct the implementation of border control measures as they have evolved over the last 20 months.

    Notably, while the requirement for a negative test result has remained in place since it鈥檚 been enacted, the hotel quarantine stay requirement ended in August 2021, but has recently come back into wider use for certain incoming travellers amid fears over the Omicron variant.

    鈥淲ith travel increasing and new variants continuing to emerge, the agency needs to improve the way it manages and enforces border control measures that are meant to limit the introduction of the COVID-19 virus and its variants into Canada,鈥 said Hogan during a press conference unveiling her report.

    鈥淚鈥檓 concerned that the department and agencies are unable to show us whether or not these border measures are effective border measures.鈥

    Asked whether she would draw the conclusion that Canadians鈥 health was put at risk by the patchwork border enforcement, Hogan hesitated to make such a link. She said that in the case of failing to contact positive cases, it was her understanding that the lab that completed the test 鈥渓ikely鈥 would have reached out to those individuals.

    鈥淲e don't have enough information in order to be able to determine a causal link between the spread of the virus and individuals coming into the country. There's so much more information about health-related matters that the agency doesn't have, and that we don't have,鈥 Hogan said.

    鈥淏ut, when there is no evidence for us to be able to determine whether or not the person was reached, all we can tell you is that they didn't monitor and enforce the requirements properly.鈥

    Responding to the report, the federal government acknowledged that its border response has been 鈥渇ar from perfect,鈥 but said there have been improvements to its tracking and record keeping and further actions will be taken.

    Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos also said that regardless of if PHAC was able to, the test providers would have informed travellers of their results and those without had their quarantine periods extended. However, he couldn't guarantee 100 per cent of travellers being contacted going forward.

    "Such a system doesn't exist, however, a good and improving system is better than no system at all," he said.

    SOME IMPROVEMENT FROM LAST AUDIT

    Hogan did note that despite continued shortcomings, PHAC has improved its verification of traveller compliance with mandatory quarantine orders over the course of the pandemic.

    The performance audit picked up where a previous study left off, looking at whether PHAC had made improvements in enforcing the evolving range of border measures.

    The previous report issued in March found that PHAC 鈥渦nderestimated鈥 the potential impact of COVID-19 and was unprepared to respond as a result. It also highlighted shortcomings in how the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and PHAC applied and followed up on border restrictions, which impacted the federal government鈥檚 overall efforts to control the virus鈥 spread.

    The March audit covered the agencies鈥 response from Jan. 1, 2020 to June 30, 2020, and Thursday鈥檚 report focused on what was going on at the border between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021.

    that lacking a pre-existing national plan for mandatory quarantine, PHAC attempted to follow-up with incoming travellers, but was unaware whether 66 per cent of those ordered to complete a 14-day quarantine, actually did. Even when people were flagged for being a risk for breaking the rules, there wasn鈥檛 always follow-up.

    At the time, PHAC agreed with recommendations to improve its practices to better verify whether travellers actually complied with the restrictions the federal government has imposed.

    As of her latest findings, the agency has improved its tracking of incoming travellers, seeing the percentage of untracked incoming travellers dropping to 37 per cent during the window of time this audit was focused on.

    This improvement was tied to beginning to collect travellers鈥 contact information electronically through the ArriveCAN application, rather than on paper as it was previously being done.

    Although we found that the percentage had dropped鈥 this is not a success story,鈥 said Hogan on Thursday. 鈥淭he Agency鈥檚 inability to confirm whether more than one-third of travellers complied with quarantine orders remains a significant problem.鈥

    Hogan said she hopes that that more lessons will be learned from this audit and applied going forward, since these measures are currently being relied on and without the ability to track compliance, the government would have a hard time knowing whether the border measures it has imposed are effective.

    鈥淭he findings in the Auditor General鈥檚 report reveal a pattern of incompetence, with severe gaps in the application of policies. The report that makes clear that this Liberal government has once again failed to take action on lessons learned,鈥 said Conservative health critic Luc Berthold in a statement.

    According to the report, from the outset of the pandemic in March 2020 to August 2021, PHAC has spent $614 million to administer border measures, including:

    • $65 million for 14-day quarantine orders;
    • $342 million for COVID-19 testing orders;
    • $7 million to operate government-authorized hotels; and
    • $200 million to house incoming travellers at designated quarantine facilities.

    As for how effective the compliance regime has been in issuing fines for those found to be breaking the Quarantine Act requirements, PHAC did not know what the outcome was for 59 per cent of priority referrals to law enforcement for follow-ups.

    鈥淭hat鈥檚 still too much, way too much,鈥 Duclos said.

    Further, the auditor general found that 鈥渢icketing of travellers for non-compliance was dependent on the enforcement regime in each province and territory, and in some jurisdictions, no tickets were issued.鈥

    According to the audit, between December 2020 and June 2021, the only provinces that issued tickets were British Columbia, Manitoba, and Ontario. The total amount collected was more than $21 million.

    In response to these compliance findings, the federal government noted Thursday that since border restrictions have been in place, officials have made more than 7 million compliance verification calls, and made 500,000 visits to confirm travellers were quarantining at home.

    鈥淲e agree that we need to be constantly vigilant in our approach to border measures,鈥 Duclos said.

    鈥淥ne of the key lessons we have learned is that we have to respond quickly as new information becomes available. We have seen this most recently in the border measures we have introduced to reduce the risk of importation and transmission of the Omicron variant of concern.鈥

    IN DEPTH

    Opinion

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

    When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

    A memorial is growing outside a Walmart in Halifax after a 19-year-old employee was found dead inside an oven in the store Saturday night.

    A search has started at Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of two victims of a serial killer.

    He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

    Canada

    • Two B.C. RCMP officers won鈥檛 face criminal charges for their use for force that left a man who had been arrested for public intoxication with a concussion, a torn shoulder and a chunk of his hair missing 鈥 but they could face professional discipline.

    • Speed was a possible factor in a Tuesday night rollover involving a semi-truck that left 17 cows dead. In a news release Wednesday, Calgary police said officers were called to the area of Stoney Trail S.E. and Macleod Trail S.E. around 8:10 p.m. for a reported rollover involving a semi-truck carrying 95 cattle.

    • A Real Canadian Superstore in B.C.'s Fraser Valley was evacuated Tuesday night due to a "suspicious" fire in the toilet paper aisle, according to authorities.

    • The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

    • He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    • Vancouver Fire Rescue Services received its first shipment of new firefighting gear on Wednesday, advancing the department's plans to reduce cancer risk for its members.

    • A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

    Entertainment

    Business

    • Canada's discount airline is suspending operations to and from Saskatoon.

    • Things could be looking up for Waterloo, Ont.-based company and former tech darling Sandvine, after being removed from the U.S. Department of Commerce Entity List earlier this week.

    Lifestyle

    • A new resident at a Manitoba animal rescue has waddled her way into people's hearts.

    • The Radium Hot Springs in British Columbia's Kootenay National Park has undergone a $29-million makeover.

    Sports

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

    A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

    Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

    A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.

    A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.

    A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.

    Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.

    Looking for a scare with good intentions this Halloween season? The ghosts and ghouls of Eganville, Ont. invite families to tour the Haunted Walk at Lekbor Manor.

    The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that 鈥 and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.

    • Legend has it that on a dark evening in 1988, friends of Supt. Joe Atherton quietly buried his body on the site of the old provincial RCMP headquarters in Vancouver.

    • Since the record-breaking atmospheric river hit Metro Vancouver last Friday, 266 drivers have filed ICBC claims for water damage to their vehicles. In some places, flood water was so deep, cars floated away with the drivers still inside, and the engine running.

    • Brittany La Torre and her husband Marc moved into their West Vancouver home just six months ago, but after last weekend's storm brought a torrent of muddy water and debris into their basement, knocking out power, they're not sure whether they'll be living in it six months from now.

    • He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

    • Brampton is looking to the federal and provincial government to address the growing number of its vulnerable international students being exploited and trafficked.

    • A proposed inner-city apartment complex development by Anthem Properties is raising concerns for some residents of Hillhurst and West Hillhurst.

    • A new report suggests that Canadians' exposure to a radioactive gas is increasing, putting millions of people at a higher risk of developing lung cancer.

    • Speed was a possible factor in a Tuesday night rollover involving a semi-truck that left 17 cows dead. In a news release Wednesday, Calgary police said officers were called to the area of Stoney Trail S.E. and Macleod Trail S.E. around 8:10 p.m. for a reported rollover involving a semi-truck carrying 95 cattle.

    • NEW THIS MORNING

      NEW THIS MORNING

      The City of Ottawa is hoping to learn this week just how many residents in the capital are homeless.

    • One person has died and others have been injured after a two-vehicle collision involving a tractor trailer and a car on Highway 7 in eastern Ontario, according to police.

    • Homeowners with a variable rate mortgage in Ottawa can expect to see some savings thanks to a significant rate cut by the Bank of Canada.

    • A pedestrian is in critical condition after being struck by a car in Saint-Michel Wednesday evening.

    • Nigel Berkley and CRARR plan to file complaints with the police ethics commissioner and the human rights commission after Berkley was repeatedly stopped while driving his mother's car over four months.

    • Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante will not be seeking re-election.

    • An Edmonton tow truck operator has been charged after police say he refused to release a vehicle to its owner.

    • The City of Edmonton has a long road ahead to replace aging ice arenas as demand for ice time increases.

    • The leader of Alberta's Official Opposition rolled up his sleeves for his COVID-19 and flu shots today, opting to receive them in front of media because he's concerned about vaccine uptake.

    • A memorial is growing outside a Walmart in Halifax after a 19-year-old employee was found dead inside an oven in the store Saturday night.

    • A volunteer treasurer is facing charges after funds went missing from Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston鈥檚 riding.

    • The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

    • A search has started at Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of two victims of a serial killer.

    • A 59-year-old man has died following a crash involving three vehicles that started after a tire fell off a car on the Trans-Canada Highway Wednesday morning in the RM of Tache.

    • A Manitoba inmate who was released from custody by mistake has been arrested, according to Winnipeg police.

    • Former Saskatchewan Party MLA Gary Grewal is defending his conduct and disagreeing with a recent report from the Conflict of Interest Commissioner (COIC) 鈥 which found he broke rules that prohibit MLAs from being involved with government contracts.

    • Southey RCMP say drivers should expect delays on Highway 6 Wednesday night after a serious crash.

    • Regina police says officers will provide an update Thursday in its search for the suspect of a homicide that took place in the city during the summer of 2023.

    • Detective Robert Hofstetter examined Erb鈥檚 home after her death and came to several conclusions based on the blood stains he found there.

    • A psychologist who recently assessed Geovanny Villalba-Aleman believes he may have experienced a psychotic break before stabbing three people in a gender studies class at a University of Waterloo.

    • Things could be looking up for Waterloo, Ont.-based company and former tech darling Sandvine, after being removed from the U.S. Department of Commerce Entity List earlier this week.

    • The race to form government is heating up ahead of the provincial election on Monday. Both the Saskatchewan NDP and the Saskatchewan Party feel they have the momentum as each leader has been focusing on different areas of the province as the campaign trail nears its end.

    • Canada's discount airline is suspending operations to and from Saskatoon.

    • The Saskatoon civic election is drawing closer, with mayoral candidates outlining their visions to keep the city competitive and attract businesses.

    • A Sudbury jury has found Felicity Altiman guilty of second-degree murder in the December 2020 stabbing death of a Sudbury man.

    • It only took minutes for North Bay pharmacist Brian Chute to be out $1,500 after fraudsters deceptively swapped his bank card with another.

    • The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

    • More cancer-fighting isotopes will be produced by Bruce Power thanks to a new partnership between Bruce Power, the Saugeen Ojibway Nation, and two international partners.

    • Under tough cross-examination at the London courthouse on Wednesday, Rachel Johnson, 21, was asked a number of times why there was a delay in calling 911

    • A 27-year-old man is miraculously alive after his pickup went over Hawk Cliff near Port Stanley. Fire fighters estimate that from the top to bottom of the embankment is around 270 feet.

    • A haunted house in the Town of Innisfil is causing a real scare for some people a week before Halloween.

    • Barrie police conducted a search on Wednesday of the last place Autumn Shaganash was seen in hopes of giving her family some answers to her mysterious disappearance.

    • A 34-year-old motorcyclist has died following a collision in Barrie鈥檚 south end on Tuesday.

    • The Windsor Jewish Federation responded on Wednesday evening to a decision by the board of governors for the University of Windsor concerning its agreements with pro-Palestinian protesters.

    • Windsor Fire and Rescue Services has been working to prepare for heightened HAZMAT risk ahead of relaxed restrictions around the transportation of some hazardous materials across the Ambassador Bridge.

    • As hospitals elsewhere in Ontario reintroduce mask mandates due to rising respiratory illnesses, Windsor hospitals are taking a more measured approach.

    • Two B.C. RCMP officers won鈥檛 face criminal charges for their use for force that left a man who had been arrested for public intoxication with a concussion, a torn shoulder and a chunk of his hair missing 鈥 but they could face professional discipline.

    • When 16-year-old Kaydence Bourque was struck and killed in a crosswalk on Cedar Hill Cross Road in Saanich in 2021, the community was shaken to the core.

    • A man who fired at least 19 gunshots at an RCMP detachment in northern British Columbia, narrowly missing officers inside, has won a reduced prison sentence from the province's highest court, which ruled the sentencing judge failed to fully weigh the man's mental illness at the time.

    • Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.

    • A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.

    • Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.

    • Graduate students looking to become mental-health professionals will have more opportunities to study in the University of Lethbridge鈥檚 Master of Education Counselling Psychology program.

    • A dazzling light display is making its return to Lethbridge this holiday season.

    • As part of anniversary celebrations, the City of Lethbridge is inviting the community to see VisitLethbridge.com Arena like they never have before.

    • The lack of 24-hour public washrooms has been a long-standing issue in the Sault, especially considering the rise in homelessness.

    • The union representing the fire rangers with the Ministry of Natural Resources says money won鈥檛 fix the systemic problems in the workplace.

    • Rallies by a group called Voices Against Violence took place across the country on Monday, including Sault Ste. Marie.

    N.L.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 愛污传媒