Western Standard – by Dave Naylor
The Red Deer mom who watched her son whisked away into isolation from the Calgary International Airport says it’s her duty as a citizen to speak out.
Rebekah McDonald was at the Calgary airport late Saturday night to pick up her 20-year-old son, Ethan, who had been living in the US but was returning to Canada for school.
But when he landed he was told he had been given the wrong COVID-19 test in the US.
Her son was detained and taken to an isolation facility. Authorities refused to tell McDonald where her son was being held.
In a bid to level off the number of COVID-19 cases being brought in by returning travellers, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Friday upon their arrival back in Canada, they will be taken to an isolation facility and given another coronavirus test.
If testing negative after three days, they will be able to leave the government facility and finish the rest of their quarantine period at home. If positive, they are taken to another isolation location for the 14-day time frame.
Trudeau said it will costs travellers about $2,000 each to cover testing, accommodations and food.
“What we were met with was the most crazy tyrannical experience. It was almost surreal and completely unacceptable to have to go through something like that,” McDonald said in a social media post.
She said if the situation was calmly explained, the tests discussed, information given on where Ethan was being taken and what he would have to eat, that would have made the situation bearable.
“We could have worked with that. It was a completely opposite experience,” said McDonald.
“When I told them I don’t consent and he doesn’t consent to it, she said we don’t need your consent, basically there is no law. The border patrol people literally put their hands up and said we have nothing to do with this.
“Nobody had any answers for me and nobody would clarify anything for me. The lady just said ‘we’re taking him’ for an undisclosed amount of time, to an undisclosed place to be tested and we will decide when he is to be released.
“That was it. That was really scary. It was just unnecessary, the whole thing was unnecessary.”
McDonald said she has received numerous messages of support, many from people who have been through the same circumstances.
“This is not acceptable – being a good citizen, it is our responsibility to hold people in power accountable for their actions.”
McDonald also said she and her family have become the victims of internet trolls and caused “fights” on Facebook.
“There are some things that are not true. You can put what you like on Facebook about me…but I do want to stand up for what’s right. There are better ways to treat each than what we experienced (Saturday)
The McDonald case was at least the second one at the Calgary airport to cause anguish amongst families.
Edmonton Pastor Chris Mathis told of his experience at the airport Thursday night when he went to pick up his wife, Nikki.
She had been given the wrong test in Dallas and was whisked to the isolation centre after she landed at YYC, and authorities also refused to tell him where she was.
The Justice Centre for Constitution Freedoms (JCCF) say they will file immediate court challenges, calling the Trudeau government’s actions unconstitutional.
well Trudeau did say he admires The Dictator of China, fkn commie/ pinko scum. Not surprising considering his dad could be Fidel Castro.