B.C. mayor uncertain if journey restrictions the reply for rule-breakers

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Oszust mentioned he wonders if B.C. Premier John Horgan has the flexibility to enact such a restriction beneath Canadian regulation.

“Then it comes down to who is going to enforce it? And how do we police that?” he mentioned. “We need to go back and say, essential travel is essential travel. We can rationalize and justify mental health as a reason to potentially spread a virus, but let’s really stop for a moment to think about it and do the right thing.”

Horgan mentioned Tuesday there are issues about folks coming into B.C. from different provinces or territories and spreading COVID-19. He and different premiers throughout the nation have made a case for Canadians to remain residence however journey continues, he added.

He mentioned the problem has been mentioned for months and it’s time to find out if the federal government is ready to act.

“I want to put this either to rest, so British Columbians understand we cannot do that and we’re not going to do that, or there is a way to do it and we’re going to work with other provinces to achieve it,” he mentioned.

Public well being orders issued by B.C. provincial well being officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, that are in impact till Feb. 5, inform B.C. residents to not journey for holidays, recreation or social visits.

“I think that we’ve tried our best to appeal to people’s common sense,” Horgan mentioned about discouraging journey. “Those are individual choices at the end of the day, there’s no prohibition in terms of a legal requirement.”

Henry mentioned throughout a COVID-19 briefing Thursday that she didn’t imagine she had the authority to restrict out-of-province journey nor was she contemplating including such orders.