2 travelers to Canada who gave false COVID-19 info fined almost $20K

Title edited to fit. Full title is "2 travelers to Canada who gave false COVID-19 vaccination information each fined almost $20K"

https://www.usatoday.com/story/trav...ing-covid-vaccination-credentials/5442379001/

What do you think. Is Canada right to do this or is it excessive?

Personally I fully support Canada's right to do this. I don't understand why people from other countries feel they should be able to do whatever they want in other countries. Just as I support strong border laws for the US we should respect other countries too. I wonder if these 2 were some open border liberals or some strong border conservatives?

 

I believe the rules were changed on or about July 15th - that fully vaccinated people are allowed to enter and not quarantine, but still need a negative test result to enter and will be tested upon arrival. These two obviously committed the violations prior to that time, when everyone quarantined for 14 days and had to spend three days at an approved hotel until their arrival test was processed and proved negative. I'm not sure, from the article, what the false documentation was that they tried to use, but they did not quarantine and they did not fulfill the required three days at the hotel.

Bottom line - when entering a country, you comply with their laws. Failure to do so will result in punishment (if caught). And as the laws are explained thoroughly to all travelling into the country, they willfully broke the law. If they thought the laws were excessive, they should not have travelled.

 

Just like North Korea killed Warmbier. Don't go to other countries and try to apply your "US American" rights. Stay at home if you don't know how to play by the rules.

 

They are canadian citizens per newsweek so not really "people from other countries" https://www.newsweek.com/us-travele...g-international-vaccination-documents-1614839

 

I'm sure that we can loan the Canadian government some space at GITMO for these two travelers to quarantine the required amount of time.

And sure, Canada is completely right and justified with these restrictions. Too bad Dirty Donnie didn't try this at the very beginning of the pandemic, when there was still time to do something about it.

 

Thanks for that information. From the other article I had assumed they were American citizens. This seems like a non story then. Just Canadian officiald fining their citizen for violating quarantine laws. I wonder why USA TODAY even reported on it.

 

I think it is excessive, and punitive.

More and more we see people being punished because their offense did something that was symbolically offensive.

This is the type of government behavior that goes on in oppressive countries.

 

Now my question is will Europe and the US start issuing 20K fines to migrants who go sneaking in through their southern borders?

 

Another thought: Does it even really make sense for Canada to be putting up a border with the US to try to stop the virus from travelling across the border?

Isn't the US and Canada pretty similar, they get a similar group of immigrants and foreign travelers. Why treat as two separate places?

Imagine if, for example, the US put up a border between its Eastern and Western halves and had this same type of barrier attempting to slow the spread of the virus. Wouldn't that be ridiculous?

 

I don't know about Europe but I don't think the majority of people trying to sneak across our borders can pay 20K. I would be happy just to send them back.

 

There are many residents in Detroit who can't pay 20K either.

 

Canada is a sovereign country with different laws and trade restrictions. We have to have a border unless you want to go to some EU system where we share those laws and policies.

EDIT: I re-read your statement and have to edit my reply. I did not understand you correctly at first. If it is only with respect to covid I think it could still be that we treat the covid outbreak differently. Even though Canada started behind in vaccinations that have passed the US in percent of the population vaccinated. Also I think their population is less resistant to masking and covid passport laws and obviously the attitude towards the vaccine. They probably do not want unvaccinated Americans to enter their country. Thus they will only allow American travellers that are fully vaccinated.

 

I know but enforcing special border restrictions to specifically try to stop the virus doesn't make so much sense.

That may be their mentality, but as of April the infection rates in the two countries were very similar.

Canada is likely to exceed the U.S. infection rate in the coming days - Macleans.ca

(Although it has been on an upsurge in the US now)

 

Sorry, please go back to my original reply. I misread or misinterpreted your reply. I have since edited it.

 

I think infection rates are probably similar, (I haven't double checked the rates between the countries and am taking your word for it), since a large percentage of the numbers came before or during the vaccine roll out when all we could rely on was quarantine, masks and social distancing. Also Canada was way behind the US in vaccinations in the beginning so that could explain why the rates were similar. ( But I am just speculating. I am just googling this info as we converse). Now it seems like Canada has leaped ahead of the US in vaccinations and if they continue at the current pace the difference will get greater. I am not sure if American attitudes will change and suddenly catch up. In theory if we continue on this path the infection, hospitalization and death rate will become drastically different.

https://www.voanews.com/covid-19-pandemic/why-canada-leaped-ahead-us-covid-19-vaccinations

 

Just to continue our discussion as you point out in April the infection rates could be very similar but the article I posted may explain it.

from the article: https://www.voanews.com/covid-19-pandemic/why-canada-leaped-ahead-us-covid-19-vaccinations

So 3 months ago was probably around April and as the article states the vaccination numbers were totally different back then.

 

That does seem bizarre. My response assumed they were NOT Canadian.

 

Same with mine. I find it odd that USA Today even cared what Canada is doing with their own citizens and quarantine requirements.

 

My opinion, knowingly lying about this while entering a foreign nation puts yourself in a very bad position legally. Canada is a sovereign nation with rights to protect it's citizens. I would expect no difference or lenience if Canadians lied to US border agents while entering the US.

EDIT: Just read post #17, humm, what's this all about then?

 

I did look it up. The rates are both going up and down in the two countries, but at different times.

In around early May, the rate in Canada was higher than the US, but now the rate in the US is higher.

 

Post #4 clarifies this story. Apparently the 2 people fined were Canadians. I originally thought they were Americans trying to enter Canada. I find it odd that the USA Today is even reporting this story.

 

Well, the question is would Canada have still fined them if they had been Americans?

 

Could be results of the higher vaccination rates in Canada now.

Maybe this will be a good test on the effectiveness of vaccines. Both countries as you said are similar. We were all in the same boat when it started but the attitudes towards vaccines are greatly different. Canada was behind in the beginning but now they have caught up and taken the lead. Soon we will have real life stats on the effectiveness of the vaccine in a large population. If the numbers continue to rise in the US relative to Canada then that may be evidence of the vaccines effectiveness. If there is no difference it could mean the vaccine makes no difference.

 

That could possibly be, but if you take a look at the vaccination rate graph for Canada, it has not really increased all that much greatly faster than the vaccination rate in the US, it seems to me, although the timing correlation was very similar, which suggests a connection.

It could be for some reason the vaccination rate makes a much bigger difference reducing the infection rate in Canada than it does in the US.

 

Probably. I think Canada takes this stuff seriously. I remember reading some stories about Americans that were fined heavily for trying to use some Alaska clause. In a nutshell we have an agreement in place where Americans are allowed to enter Canada if the are heading to Alaska BUT they are not allowed unnecessary stops or diversions along the way. Apparently there were many Americans that took advantage of this clause to vacation in BC and Alberta. I remember reading a vacation blogger that was complaining about his treatment when the mounties came and arrestted him is a resort hotel. I will try to find that article.

EDIT: This was the first story I found on google but not the one I was thinking of. Still is relevant to the issue.
https://bc.ctvnews.ca/vacationing-a...ploiting-alaska-loophole-police-say-1.5094100

EDIT 2: Found it. This is the story I remember from last year. This guy was fined $569,000 and could face 6 months prison time.
https://www.npr.org/2020/08/25/9058...ing-canadas-covid-19-rules-faces-560-000-fine