Canada ending all Covid travel restrictions

Or, as some of us see it, our government is removing all protections.

It's about time. I was amused on my flights to and from Gatwick earlier this month on WestJet. The announcement at the start of the flight both times about wearing masks was "you don't like it, we don't like it, but the government requires us to enforce it." On the flight over I had assumed it was the flight attendant's own way of making the announcement, but when the pilot made the same announcement with the same phrasing on the flight home, it was clear this opinion and how to phrase it, was company policy. The government's increasing unpopularity and pressure from the travel industry must have finally helped pushed the needle.

Allan, I would have told them in no uncertain terms that I do, in fact, like it, and they do not speak for me. I'm guessing this was WestJet. (Blech.)

I have to fly in a week (a trip I've had booked for months, flying within Canada), and I have a VERY vulnerable close family member. She had cancer surgery just under 3 weeks ago. She had a heart attack 2 days after her diagnosis. I can avoid visiting her until I'm sure I'm okay, but my husband drives to her place (not in our city) and stays with her to care for her when she needs it, and we don't always know ahead of time when that will be. So, I need to be extra cautious not to catch anything I might spread to her, and this untimely removal of protections is causing me untold stress. It means I will have to be on the plane for 6+ hours with a heavy duty, more uncomfortable mask (elastomeric respirator) (I don't find the disposable N95s uncomfortable), and I will not feel safe in removing it momentarily to drink water. (I would not have removed a mask long enough to eat in any case.)

Very glad to see these restrictions removed. Hope RSE will do the same. Everyone should manage their own Covid health just like every other potential illness.

Exactly, periscope. Plus, masking works best when it's two-way.

Allan has provided another example of the unprofessional approach of WestJet staff that turns me off. I was on a WestJet flight and one of the attendants got on the PA to tell a joke. It was a hateful, anti-French joke. I was stunned.

Just one of the many reasons I loathe WestJet, Andrea.

Well this helpful post by Frank went downhill in a hurry...

I’m curious if there are any federal elections in Canada coming up for that decision to be made. I say that because a few weeks ago, the governor of New York (unelected) removed mask rules on ALL public transportation as she is running to be elected governor in November. There are also no more universal requirements for mask wearing in public schools. I suspect mask rules will go back into effect after election day if she wins. The virus of course knows not to be contagious until after election day.

Continental, no scheduled election although one can be called at anytime in the next 3 years. However, the Official Opposition has a new leader who has a number of views on issues related to how the government handled aspects of the pandemic.

Interesting. Thanks for the explanation.

We just returned from France, and did the ArriveCan app the day before traveling. We got the QR codes on our phones, but no one actually checked them on our arrival. I just assumed that they had all the info linked to our passports, and so it was OK. The signs are still up in the arrival terminal saying that it's required.

Same with us on Sunday arriving from England. The WestJet person at Gatwick checked, but nobody on the Canadian end. Even more surprising, nobody was masking at YYC. Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought masks were still required in federal government facilities.