Canada's COVID-19 travel restrictions: doctor says time to re-examine

Global News Channel on Youtube shows that excessively long line-ups and delays continue to plague many airports across Canada, especially at Toronto's Pearson Airport. COVID-19 measures like random testing and health questions are just one of the reasons. But do we still need them?

Dr. Sumon Chakrabarti says at this phase of the pandemic, the measures are not medically useful - with the vast majority of Canadians vaccinated and the others "largely immune" from exposure, and it's time to re-examine and "scrap a lot of this theatre."

"I don't think we're actually doing anything that's medically useful, and it's obviously causing a lot of delay in travel, making travel very difficult."

On the vaccine mandate for travel at this point in the pandemic, Chakrabarti called it discriminatory:

"You're basically now just keeping people who are unable to get or who don't want to get vaccinated or are unable to get vaccinated off a plane for no good medical reason...I think it's time to now drop that mandate and allow people who haven't gotten the vaccine to now board planes and trains to be able to go see their loved ones."

Canadians at passport offices: more long lines

Global News Channel on Youtube shows that it has become a common sight at Service Canada offices: long lines of people trying to get or renew their so-called passports as the need to travel resurfaces.

But even in May, online appointments remain scarce and the line ups are still as long as ever - with no change on the horizon. Some travel experts certainly say the government was also not prepared for thousands of passport applications to be filed in March and April.

Mike Drolet reports why speeding up the process is not really as simple as just hiring more staff.

4 people died in Canada Thunderstorm

WION Channel on Youtube shows that at least 4 people really died and 900,000 homes are without power after heavy storms hit the eastern Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The dangerous storm lasted more than two hours and left a trail of destruction; uprooting many trees, disrupting various traffic and damaging valuable homes.

See more important news from Wion News Online:

#Canada #Storm #WIONClimateTracker

Canada's inflation rate jumps to 31-year high of 6.7%

CBC News on Youtube shows that Canada's inflation rate rose to 6.7 per cent in March, far more than economists were expecting. It is the highest year-over-year increase in the cost of living since the GST was created in 1991.

Canada addresses worsening housing affordability

ABS-CBN News on Youtube shows that as housing affordability continues to worsen in Canada, the government is allotting $4 billion dollars to build more homes. Rowena Papasin tells us more.

Could 3D-printed homes help solve Canada’s affordable housing crisis?

Global News on Youtube shows a Kingston, Ont.-based project is using 3D printing technology to build homes for residential use in Canada. 

With the provincial election campaign in full swing, Kingston’s outgoing NDP MPP Ian Arthur is leaving politics to delve into this new venture, moving from advocating for affordable housing as a politician - to building it. 

As Global’s Fawwaz Muhammad-Yusuf explains, Arthur’s tech company is seeking to change the face of building in Canada.

Flooding in Canada's North forces thousands to evacuate

Global News on Youtube shows news on this episode of Global National: Thousands of residents have been forced to flee from their homes, as frigid and catastrophic flooding batters the town of Hay River in the Northwest Territories. Heather Yourex-West looks at the widespread damage and the concerns that even more water is on the way.