THE WEST BLOCK
Episode 6, Season 11
Sunday, December 5, 2021
Host: Mercedes Stephenson
Company:
Omar Alghabra, Transport Minister
Dr. Zain Chagla, Infectious Illnesses Doctor
Maryscott Greenwood, Canadian American Enterprise Council CEO
Location: Ottawa, ON
Mercedes Stephenson: This week on The West Block: Ottawa proclaims new restrictions for worldwide flights and guidelines for travellers, as concern spreads in regards to the new Omicron variant.
Omar Alghabra, Transport Minister: “Journey measures might change at any second.”
Mercedes Stephenson: These adjustments have sparked confusion for airports and travellers. So what are the foundations and what is going to they imply for the vacations? We sit down with Transport Minister Omar Alghabra.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-Basic: “We’re studying extra on a regular basis about Omicron.”
Mercedes Stephenson: The race to shutdown Omicron. What the science says in regards to the new COVID variant. We put your inquiries to infectious Physician Zain Chagla.
The brand new U.S. ambassador to Canada is sworn-in. Will his arrival sign a brand new path for Canada-U.S. relations as commerce disputes warmth up on either side of the border?
It’s Sunday, December 5th, and that is The West Block.
Hi there and thanks for becoming a member of us immediately. I’m Mercedes Stephenson.
America is the newest nation to tighten journey guidelines in an effort to attempt to gradual the unfold of the Omicron variant. All air passengers to the U.S., together with Canadians, should now present a unfavorable COVID check that was taken inside in the future of their departure. It’s simply one other change after Ottawa introduced plenty of new journey and testing guidelines final week.
Becoming a member of me now to speak about that is Transport Minister Omar Alghabra. Thanks a lot for becoming a member of us, minister, good to have you ever within the studio. First interview with us in-person and there are plenty of questions, so…
Omar Alghabra, Transport Minister: Mercedes, it’s good to be with you in-studio. I’m additionally actually grateful for the chance to talk with you and your viewers.
Mercedes Stephenson: The very first thing, I feel that I wish to know, and lots of people on the market wish to know, is what precisely are the brand new guidelines? Are you able to stroll us via them?
Omar Alghabra, Transport Minister: Positive. So, , Canadians know that that is we’re nonetheless in a pandemic and the state of affairs continues to evolve. And with the emergence of this new variant, we’re nonetheless ready to listen to extra details about it, our authorities determined to behave swiftly to mitigate the danger of additional importation of this variant. And what we’ve performed is, we’ve—primarily based on the recommendation that we acquired from Public Well being Company of Canada and our consultants, is that we’ve recognized 10 nations the place there may be important—there’s studies of serious group transmission of the variant, and we put them on an inventory the place we requested Canadians to get a PCR check on their manner again house from one other nation. Plus, we barred any international nationwide who’s been to any of those 10 nations during the last 14 days from getting into Canada. These measures and now we’re testing upon arrival, all people who comes from anyone on the earth apart from the U.S., these measures are momentary for us to be taught extra about this variant, to be taught extra about its severity and we are going to regularly regulate primarily based on the recommendation and the data that we get.
Mercedes Stephenson: When are these exams upon arrival for folks coming off of worldwide flights going to kick-in as a result of airports had been saying late final week, that they had no details about this. It sounded prefer it was rapid, however Well being Canada wasn’t within the airports. When can folks count on that these exams are going to be administered?
Omar Alghabra, Transport Minister: The exams are being administered as we communicate, Mercedes.
Mercedes Stephenson: In any respect the airports in Canada?
Omar Alghabra, Transport Minister: In any respect airports, particularly the foremost airports the place a lot of the worldwide flights arrive. We’ve already, by the way in which, had and proceed to have, brokers from Public Well being Company of Canada and CBSA who’ve been administrating exams below a random obligatory check regime. What we’re doing now, we’re ramping up these obligatory testing till we attain 100 per cent. So we’re on our technique to get to 100 per cent, however these exams are occurring as we communicate.
Mercedes Stephenson: With these obligatory exams, the place are they being administered as a result of airports are saying we don’t have the capability to cram a bunch of individuals right into a room? Are you giving them to folks to take house after which they need to isolate? How does that work?
Omar Alghabra, Transport Minister: As we communicate, nearly all of exams are being performed on the airports by, as I stated, swabbed by our officers and representatives of Public Well being Company of Canada. Nonetheless, we’re going to, primarily based on the amount, will regulate some passengers. Some passengers could take house take house exams, however for now our officers on the bottom on the airports are administering these exams.
Mercedes Stephenson: The foundations proper now are that it’s a must to be examined in case you’re coming from a world vacation spot apart from the US. Why did you not apply this to Individuals or Canadians or anybody else popping out of the U.S.?
Omar Alghabra, Transport Minister: To begin with, let’s be clear, we’ve measures for travellers who’re coming from the U.S.
Mercedes Stephenson: However completely different measures.
Omar Alghabra, Transport Minister: There are necessities of pre-departure testing, PCR testing. There’s a requirement for vaccination, for U.S. travellers to be totally vaccinated, and so they might be subjected to the random obligatory testing. So presently immediately, we’ve 20 thousand exams a day at our borders. Each land borders and airport borders upon entry. The explanation why the U.S. has not been subjected to those extra measures but, nonetheless, we’re prepared and we’re making ready in case we have to change that, is as a result of we’ve no important reporting of transmission of this new variant within the U.S.
Mercedes Stephenson: However aren’t you afraid that individuals may simply attempt to go to the U.S. after which come to Canada to allow them to keep away from the quarantine? I imply that’s a fairly logical workaround and it looks like a little bit of a gap.
Omar Alghabra, Transport Minister: So for anyone who’s been in some other nation, they’re anticipated, they’re required to declare the place they’re coming from and primarily based on the nation they’re coming from, these measures can be utilized to them.
Mercedes Stephenson: And is there any fact to the priority that this was truly there’s not sufficient testing capability and subsequently we’re seeing that coping with Individuals and American flights would simply overwhelm the system versus that there’s no probability Omicron goes to turn into important in the US?
Omar Alghabra, Transport Minister: Look, as I stated, there are little or no studies of group transmission in the US. If that adjustments, we are going to change our measures. Now we have capability for testing. We’re ramping it up. There’s little question that this can stretch our capability that exists immediately, however we’ve been performing swiftly, quick. I wish to give a shout out to our officers at Public Well being Company of Canada who’ve actually been adjusting their measures as rapidly as attainable as a result of our precedence is to guard the well being and security of Canadians but in addition to guard our economic system. We don’t wish to return to lockdown days and we wish to guarantee that we do our greatest to guard Canadians on the borders.
Mercedes Stephenson: You’re bringing again quarantine accommodations. Stroll me via who must be in a quarantine lodge versus who can go house and isolate, if they’ve a house and truly dwell in Canada?
Omar Alghabra, Transport Minister: So anyone who, a Canadian or a everlasting resident who’s eligible to enter Canada, has been to any of these 10 nations during the last 14 days, are subjected to a compulsory check upon arrival. Then they’re anticipated to remain at a chosen facility, together with lodge for quarantine till their check outcomes are out. As soon as a unfavorable check result’s out inside a day or so, they are going to be capable of end their quarantine at a secure place at their house.
Mercedes Stephenson: This one I’ve gotten a ton of questions on and I don’t know the reply, so I’m trying ahead to listening to if type you. Once you say upon arrival, what does that imply for individuals who have a connection in Canada? Say you’re flying again from Rome and also you land in Montreal, however your remaining vacation spot is Vancouver. The place are you examined and the place do you quarantine?
Omar Alghabra, Transport Minister: Positive. So if you’re coming from any of these 10 nations, you’re examined upon arrival wherever you arrive and you’re anticipated to remain at a lodge wherever you arrive. Nonetheless, if you’re arriving from anyplace else on the earth, from Rome, for instance, you’ll be examined in case you land in Toronto and you then’ll be allowed to go to Vancouver and quarantine at house for a day or two till your check outcomes are out.
Mercedes Stephenson: So in case you’re a Canadian, you possibly can nonetheless go to your remaining vacation spot, you’re simply examined on arrival. However you will get on a aircraft earlier than that check clears you.
Omar Alghabra, Transport Minister: Sure, so long as you’re doubly vaccinated and so long as you’re not coming from any of these 10 nations.
Mercedes Stephenson: Relating to land borders, you don’t have the identical measures in place. For Canadians who’re coming in or Individuals who could be developing for the vacations, what are the foundations for travellers who’re going to be driving into Canada?
Omar Alghabra, Transport Minister: The identical guidelines apply for whoever is coming from the U.S. at land borders or airports. So a requirement for a PCR check previous to arriving to the land border, a unfavorable check, after which to be totally vaccinated and also you could be subjected to a random obligatory check upon arrival on the border.
Mercedes Stephenson: Why not require everybody coming throughout the border to take a kind of exams?
Omar Alghabra, Transport Minister: In order I stated, proper now we’re basing our selections on the consultants’ recommendation that we get primarily based on the data they’ve and up to now, there haven’t been studies of group transmission of this variant within the U.S. So, if that adjustments, we’re making ready to regulate our measures, together with testing everybody on the land border if we have to.
Mercedes Stephenson: The U.S. says that to be able to enter America, it’s a must to have a unfavorable check not 72 hours earlier than, however the day earlier than. Are you taking a look at altering that to require a shorter time window for unfavorable exams earlier than any individual can enter Canada?
Omar Alghabra, Transport Minister: We’ll at all times be prepared to regulate our measures. There’s a time of a pandemic the place we’ve to regulate, nonetheless, we really feel the layers of protections that we’ve are fairly strong. So once more, the PCR check previous to the arrival to the border….
Mercedes Stephenson: However what’s the science there between why do the Individuals have a day and we’ve three days? It looks like an enormous distinction.
Omar Alghabra, Transport Minister: Nicely it’s not the primary time that we’ve some asymmetry between us and the US. We nonetheless require totally vaccinated. We solely permit U.S. travellers who’re totally vaccinated into Canada and we’ve random obligatory testing on the border. The U.S. doesn’t have obligatory testing at their very own borders. So as a result of we’ve a number of layers of safety, we really feel that the system collectively, the regime collectively gives a extremely good safety for Canadians.
Mercedes Stephenson: There’s been plenty of criticism of how your authorities has rolled this out, everybody from the airways to the airports, to travellers who say it’s simply been mass confusion. There’s not readability. Why weren’t you higher ready for an additional variant that would set off this as a result of it appears at this level within the pandemic like extra variants is a fairly predicable end result.
Omar Alghabra, Transport Minister: Mercedes, we’re ready. We had been ready and the proof to that time is the truth that we acted so rapidly, a day after the invention of a variant…
Mercedes Stephenson: Nevertheless it was fairly complicated.
Omar Alghabra, Transport Minister: Canadians understand how fast-paced the atmosphere that we’re in immediately. They understand how there’s plenty of uncertainty and plenty of shifting components. It’s a pandemic, circumstances change rapidly and so they look to their authorities to behave swiftly and rapidly to do no matter they will to guard Canadians. I perceive that others can have questions on these new measures and such as you did, make clear what do we have to do and the way we have to do it, however they should know that their governments acted rapidly and convincingly to guard their well being and security. Little doubt there may be nonetheless uncertainty within the air and I want we didn’t have it. Nonetheless, we’re in a pandemic and their authorities, Canadians’ authorities is performing very quick and swiftly to guard their well being and security.
Mercedes Stephenson: Minister, thanks for becoming a member of us, good to see you immediately. Take care.
Omar Alghabra, Transport Minister: Good to see you. Thanks very a lot.
Mercedes Stephenson: Up subsequent, deciphering Omicron. We’ll communicate to an infectious illnesses specialist in regards to the new variant and what the info says in regards to the form of dangers it poses.
[Break]
Mercedes Stephenson: Welcome again. The WHO says the brand new COVID variant, Omicron, is prone to unfold and poses a really excessive world danger. That’s led nations like Canada to alter air journey testing guidelines and to step up vaccination efforts.
To reply a few of your questions on this new variant, I’m joined by Dr. Zain Chagla. He’s an infectious illnesses doctor at St. Joseph’s Well being Care in Hamilton. Physician, thanks a lot for becoming a member of us immediately. No person wished to have to speak about one more variant, however this appears to be a part of COVID now that we will count on extra. What can we find out about Omicron?
Dr. Zain Chagla, Infectious Illnesses Doctor: So from the molecular half, so the construction of this virus, we see a major variety of mutations and, , greater than we’ve ever seen. Once we speak about Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, the prior variants, there are 5-10 mutations and a few with a little bit bit extra transmissibility, some with a little bit bit extra immune escape. And with Omicron, we’re seeing over 30 and a few of these haven’t been seen in a variant earlier than. In order that’s primary that’s the issue. However quantity two is what’s taking place within the a part of the world it was first being described. Not the place it originated however the place it was first being described within the area exterior Johannesburg in South Africa the place they’ve seen progress that’s, , unimaginable in comparison with different waves, the place, , a inhabitants the place there was 70 to 80 per cent immunity via pure an infection, when it was 30 per cent immunity via vaccination, you’re seeing immediately 16 thousand instances in contrast to a couple hundred instances solely a few weeks in the past.
Mercedes Stephenson: So definitely looks like it’s spreading sooner. What can we find out about the way in which that it makes folks sick and whether or not it is kind of aggressive than earlier variants?
Dr. Zain Chagla, Infectious Illnesses Doctor: Yeah, I imply that’s the massive query and there’s plenty of confounding right here. A part of it’s the truth that, , it’s spreading in a inhabitants that had plenty of immunity and a few that’s had vaccine derived immunity. A few of the preliminary studies are individuals are coming in with comparatively gentle, which is nice contemplating the variety of folks it’s been infecting. That being stated, the hospitalizations in that area of the world are growing considerably and growing week on week, they will not be as profound as prior waves, however there definitely is a well being care demand that’s being seen throughout all age teams, notably those that are unvaccinated. There may be additionally some proof that individuals who have had prior an infection, not vaccinated however prior an infection, are at increased danger of being re-infected by this variant as in comparison with the rest prior to now.
Mercedes Stephenson: Wow, that’s actually fascinating and there are such a lot of questions I do know nonetheless. They’re finding out it and attempting to take a look at it and we’re watching science unfold in real-time. One of many large debates we’ve seen politically, and folks use science on either side of it, is journey bans. The federal government was gradual to implement them in earlier waves. They moved in a short time on this one and now they’re taking plenty of criticism from that. Do journey bans work as a technique to decelerate the entry of the virus?
Dr. Zain Chagla, Infectious Illnesses Doctor: Approach initially of this in 2020, once we fascinated by journey bans, there was, , the thought {that a}) the general public that had COVID-19 had been symptomatic and so they had been shedding once they had been symptomatic and, , so long as you could possibly display screen them and goal them, you’d be capable of cease the unfold of the virus. Nicely, we realized rapidly that there’s a big asymptomatic part and, , a lot of the transmission is definitely performed by the point signs begin. And so that actually places plenty of challenges into utilizing explicit journey bans as a result of, , so long as sure people who find themselves infectious get in your soil, even when they don’t have signs, they might not, , they might begin cascades of an infection. We’re listening to about group transmission in the US. We’re listening to about group transmission in Europe and so, , once more, , slapping sure nations with journey bans and never banning everybody actually doesn’t make plenty of sense. Utilizing a mitigation technique of testing on the airport might be a long run answer that makes probably the most sense contemplating once more, you could possibly be in the US, or you could possibly be in Sub-Saharan Africa and face an analogous danger relying on what’s happening to be the Omicron variant again to Canada.
Mercedes Stephenson: I do know lots of people speak about boosters and NACI put out a press release on Friday speaking about boosters and once we’ll get them. Are boosters a manner out of this pandemic? Is that the brand new lifestyle? Like flu photographs, individuals are going to get them yearly, and the way does that handle the worldwide state of affairs if we’re regularly re-upping our vaccination right here, however vaccination isn’t taking place in locations like South Africa or Botswana?
Dr. Zain Chagla, Infectious Illnesses Doctor: Yeah, completely. I imply, , the final level right here might be an important, proper? You realize this isn’t—that is going to be a worldwide drawback till we’ve world options. The World Well being Group (WHO) is attempting to arrange a pandemic treaty, such that nations don’t act alone and act in a worldwide context. And we’re seeing, , so long as we’re linked to one another through journey, we’re going to be linked to one another through variants a method or one other. And so we’re not secure till everyone seems to be secure. You realize there may be some information for boosters. I’m not going to say there isn’t. There may be information that’s come out of Israel. There are some randomized scientific trials that do present boosters could cut back symptomatic illness in some people and going from 70 per cent safety again to 95 per cent safety. In extreme instances, , notably these over the age of 70, there could also be a discount in folks ending up in hospital. In youthful instances, it’s not as clear if that profit is there given the danger is so, so low. And so, , there could also be some advantages on a inhabitants degree by giving boosters in some populations. We nonetheless need to be very conscious of what provide we take from the world. Sadly, or happily, as a result of Canada does have a big stockpile that we’ve conserved over the previous few months, , we’re largely eroding away at that. The provision could be very troublesome to redeploy elsewhere on the earth due to expiry dates. However, , equally going into the longer term, we actually need to be cognisant of the truth that we will’t stockpile this vaccine, that there are numerous, many consumers that want this vaccine and a dose that finally ends up on Canadian soil is a dose that’s not ending up elsewhere on the earth.
Mercedes Stephenson: Physician, thanks a lot for becoming a member of us immediately and sharing your experience.
Dr. Zain Chagla, Infectious Illnesses Doctor: No drawback, all one of the best.
Mercedes Stephenson: Up subsequent, Canada’s commerce minister headed again to Washington final week. There’s so much at stake from softwood lumber to P.E.I. potatoes. We’ll ask former U.S. diplomat Maryscott Greenwood in regards to the newest rounds of commerce disputes between Canada and the US.
[Break]
Mercedes Stephenson: Commerce Minister Mary Ng wrapped up a Workforce Canada type mission to Washington final week. The go to comes as the brand new U.S. ambassador to Canada was sworn-in by Vice-President Kamala Harris.
Kamala Harris, Vice-President of the US: “I, David L. Cohen…”
Mercedes Stephenson: David Cohen steps into the function as Canada and the U.S. face some important commerce challenges.
Becoming a member of us now to debate that is Maryscott Greenwood. She is the CEO of the Canadian American Enterprise Council and a associate with Crestview Technique. Good to see you, Scotty. A fairly high-stakes journey down there, how did Canada’s ministers’ do?
Maryscott Greenwood, Canadian American Enterprise Council CEO: Nicely it’s good to see you, too, Mercedes. And the journey was extremely essential and it’s a part of an ongoing dialogue. It’s a part of an ongoing course of. It’s not such as you simply come down within the 11th hour on this case, which is what that is for President Biden’s Construct Again Higher laws and the within the 11th hour say, hey, by the way in which, can you modify these three issues for us? You’ve obtained to be current each step of the way in which and the excellent news, if there may be excellent news, is even when the electrical automobile tax credit score isn’t resolved instantly, there are many extra alternatives to work at it. So that is a part of, , once more, an ongoing course of and it must proceed.
Mercedes Stephenson: What are kind of the most important issues right here and challenges by way of the commerce relationship?
Maryscott Greenwood, Canadian American Enterprise Council CEO: Nicely there’s a complete host of points, Mercedes, and a few of them are tried and true, have been retaining commerce attorneys totally employed for generations and generations. And by that, I take into consideration softwood lumber. In order that’s an enormous one and it’s again. We even have a difficulty with respect to P.E.I. potatoes, so we’ve obtained to take care of that. Individually, you’ve obtained electrical automobiles, you’ve obtained Purchase American and also you’ve obtained some necessities in what’s often called the Nationwide Defence Authorization Act, which has to do with the U.S. content material. So there’s no scarcity of points and that’s simply from the U.S. aspect of the border. In fact, there are additionally points in Canada that the U.S. can have opinions about.
Mercedes Stephenson: Scotty, how do you modify the administration’s thoughts about a few of these issues? I imply clearly it performs effectively in the US domestically while you say we’re going to do Purchase American. How do you persuade the president to not apply that to Canada or Congress?
Maryscott Greenwood, Canadian American Enterprise Council CEO: Nicely conversations are actually essential, Mercedes, and so the conversations have been, , reinitiated with gusto, I might say, beginning with proper earlier than the North American chief summit after which persevering with proper via with Minister Ng’s go to. Premiers are visiting. Premier Houston of Nova Scotia was right here this week and I feel we’ll have tons and many extra visits. So the way in which you discuss to the Biden administration is by continued engagement and never simply with the White Home, as essential as that’s and with the cupboard, but in addition with Congress, additionally with governors, additionally with thought leaders and that appears to be the strategy that Canada is now taking as soon as once more.
Mercedes Stephenson: Scotty, we’ve a brand new ambassador in David Cohen from the US. Does that change something?
Maryscott Greenwood, Canadian American Enterprise Council CEO: Mercedes, it’s an enormous recreation changer. You’ve obtained to have your staff captain laced up and skating on the ice and we’ve that now for the US authorities and what a considerate, diligent, severe interlocutor David Cohen is. So I feel we’re fairly lucky that he’s in Ottawa. Nothing like arriving within the wintertime to welcome an envoy to Canada, but it surely does make an enormous distinction and I’m actually glad he’s there.
Mercedes Stephenson: Nicely good to listen to we’ll have somebody near the Biden White Home to bend and ear. Scotty Greenwood, thanks a lot for becoming a member of us.
Maryscott Greenwood, Canadian American Enterprise Council CEO: My pleasure. Good to see you, Mercedes.
Mercedes Stephenson: That’s our present for immediately. Thanks a lot for watching. We’ll see you proper again right here subsequent Sunday. For The West Block, I’m Mercedes Stephenson.
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