Cardston-Siksika MLA Joseph Schow

By Dori Modney

Two Southern Alberta MLA’s concerned about residents being detained at airports

Feb 4, 2021 | 10:00 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB. — There have already been several stories about Albertans being detained at the Calgary airport. It is done for health reasons, in an attempt to contain possible COVID cases, or those who may have possibly come in contact with a new strain of the virus. There are those who have been told they are positive and others who have been told they didn’t have the correct test before getting on their flight.

Family members who are at the airport to pick up their loved ones are watching as the family member is wisked away, with nor information on where they are being taken or if they are allowed to have contact.

MLA’s are hearing the complaints. One of them is Cardston-Siksika MLA, Joseph Schow, who published the following on his Facebook site on Tuesday, Feb 2nd:

“Like many Albertans, I am disturbed by reports of our fellow citizens being detained at airports and forced into confinement with little to no contact with family or explanation.

Airports fall under federal jurisdiction, so today I wrote Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and demanded answers.

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All Albertans and Canadians are protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms against arbitrary detainment. This right is absolute, even against the backdrop of this awful pandemic.

If you agree Albertans deserve answers from Ottawa, fill out my petition here.

Schow has also written a letter to Prime Minister Trudeau:

Letter to Trudeau

Lethbridge-East MLA, Nathan Neudorf, responded to Schow’s petition, offering his support.

“I am extremely concerned by the news of forced confinement and detainment at Alberta and other province’s airports. This matter should not be taken lightly.

To be clear, this is the federal government taking this action, not the government of Alberta. Albert Health Services and the Government of Alberta are not involved in the airport quarantine program.

Please consider signing this petition put forward by my colleague, Joseph Schow. Ottawa needs to be held to account and fully explain what it is doing.”

LNN will follow-up with the MLA’s.