The topic of the province's new emergency measures towards travel and its at times confusing roll out made for some commentary in the Wednesday session of the BC Legislature, with Skeena MLA Ellis Ross posing a number of questions towards the program and how it has been introduced by the Premier and his Public Safety Minister.
We are a third of the way through the Premier's travel restrictions, and we still don't have answers on how it will be enforced. These include basic answers about what happens at the actual police checkpoints.
People want to know if a police officer enforcing a checkpoint will turn someone around or if they'll just give them a fine and let them continue. Which is it?
Will the Premier tell us if police can detain and turn people around at checkpoints or not?
In response to the questions, the Public Safety Minister and Government House Leader Mike Farnworth, outlined how the government had engaged with the police towards how the enforcement program will work, advising Mr. Ross that the opposition members would be briefed on Thursday (today)
As I indicated last Friday, later this week the enforcement provisions will be made public in terms of the details of how the COVID checks will take place when they're implemented by the police in the province of British Columbia.
I can tell you that we've been engaged with discussions with police in terms of how things will work, in terms of legal services branch, in terms of how the order will be constructed under the Emergency Program Act.
I can tell you we've had discussions, not only with members of the BIPOC community but with local government. I can tell you that the opposition is going to be briefed tomorrow.
What I can tell you is this — that most British Columbians understand what's in place, which is to stay local, stay within your health authority. That's what they're already doing.
The reply from the Public Safety Minister, was not one that seemed to measure up to the Skeena MLA's expectations.
To be honest, that doesn't answer the question. People need to know right now what the police powers are at the checkpoints, and they should have known the day that the Premier made this announcement about checkpoints in the first place.
Police and the citizens of B.C. need an answer.
They deserve an answer, with all the confusion adding to the stress and anxiety of this COVID crisis.
We don't know if the police will be detaining drivers or not and whether or not they can force drivers to turn around.
Will the Premier be turning around drivers at the checkpoints, yes or no?
In response to the questions, the Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth, reinforced the path taken towards consultation with the police services, as well as to reassure the MLA that there are no plans to turn people around adding that the government is mainly focused on the health border between the Interior and Lower Mainland.
"I can tell the Honourable member that the Premier most definitely will not be turning around people at checkpoints.
Though what I can also tell the honourable member is that the police who will be working at the checkpoint, or checkpoints are professionals who are well trained, know their job and know how to treat people respectfully and courteously.
And So it's not a question. And they've been doing it for a very long time.
What we have been working with is the police in terms of the order as it will be in place, how it will be implemented and where it will be implemented.
And we've also made it clear over the last week that, for example, it is not going to be random around health authorities but will be at the borders between those health authorities — in particular, the one between the Lower Mainland and the Interior.
That's because that's where the issue of stopping the spread of the virus is most effective.
The Minister also made note of the success that the government has seen from the measures since they were announced last Friday.
"We are already seeing that the restrictions that have been put in place — when it comes to ferries, for example — are working extremely well.
I can tell the member, for example, that already, on this past weekend, the Tsawwassen–Swartz Bay route: vehicle traffic, down 24 percent; passenger traffic, down 34 percent.
I can tell you that, in terms of the Horseshoe Bay–Departure Bay route: vehicle traffic, down by 37 percent; passenger traffic, down by 42 percent.
That's already on reduced capacity.
Because you know what?
The public understands the restrictions. The public understands the need to stay local.
It's a shame they don't."
The full discussion between the Minister and MLA Ross can be reviewed from the Legislature archive page, as well as from the House Video of the Wednesday Question Period, both can be reviewed at just before the 2:30 PM mark.
Last Friday, the Public Safety Minister relayed some of the background to the new travel restrictions, some further details were to be released this week.
For more items of note from the Legislature see our archive page here.
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