Ugly border exchange as Canada redefines “quarantine” to mean AFTER you deliver your load

Welcome to Canada: this exchange with a Border Agent posted to Twitter shows the ugly side of Canada most citizens don’t want to see. Photo: Twitter

Drivers and dispatchers who need to know what it means to be “quarantined” by the Public Health Agency of Canada may find the information below helpful, provided by Health Canada and printed verbatim below.

Lead Pedal Radio host Bruce Outridge asked on January 17th, “Drivers are quarantined while they ‘proceed to their final destination’? Their final destination might be Vancouver. They could be driving for days before ‘quarantine’ starts! They’ve just redefined ‘quarantine’ so drivers can deliver their loads.”

***

In response to questions sent by Road Warrior News, Health Canada provided the following answers on January 15th. To avoid any confusion in interpreting the information, here are the questions and answers exactly as received:

“Where will the load go? What if the truck is carrying perishable products, like lettuce? Does the whole load get quarantined, or just the driver? Will drivers be allowed to quarantine at home, or could they be sent to a quarantine hotel? 

Commercial drivers who are required to quarantine are able to proceed to their final destination and be considered in quarantine while doing so, so long as they follow specific instructions provided to them on entry, including minimizing time outside of their conveyance and have no contact with others. Once drivers deliver their load to their final destination, they are required to continue to quarantine at a fixed location. 

Who pays for the down time for the truck? Who pays for the drivers’ time off in quarantine?

Such costs, as applicable, would be the responsibility of the employer.”