N.L. minister apologizes for asking people to report others breaking self-isolation

Municipal Affairs and Environment Minister Derrick Bragg says he posted "incorrect information" about reporting people who have returned from outside the country and are refusing to self-isolate.

Derrick Bragg posted a government number to report returning travellers who are 'refusing to self-isolate'

Mark Quinn · CBC News · Posted: Mar 18, 2020 1:02 PM EDT | Last Updated: March 18, 2020

Municipal Affairs and Environment Minister Derrick Bragg has apologized after asking the public to report others for refusing to self-isolate. (House of Assembly)

Newfoundland and Labrador's municipal affairs and environment minister is apologizing after asking the public to report travelling citizens who aren't self-isolating after returning from outside Canada.

On Wednesday morning, Derrick Bragg posted a government phone number on Facebook, telling people, "If you know of anyone who has returned from outside the country and is refusing to self-isolate, please report it."

Derrick Bragg made the above post on Facebook Wednesday. It included a complete phone number that CBC has partially redacted. (CBC)

CBC news called the provincial Department of Health to confirm the information and was told by a department official, "Minister Bragg will be issuing a clarification on that number."

Moments later Bragg posted an apology on Facebook and took down the post.

"My apologies! In my haste to help get information out there related to COVID-19 earlier this morning, I shared a post with incorrect information, including a phone number, related to reporting people who are not self-isolating. I have been advised that there is no such process currently in place, and I apologize for any confusion this may have caused," he wrote on Facebook.

Bragg also included a link to the provincial government's COVID-19 information page.

Ball accepts apology

At a news conference Wednesday afternoon updating residents on the status of COVID-19 in the province, Health Minster John Haggie said Bragg's misinformation had real consequences for the person whose number it is.

He was quick to apologize and quick to remove the post.- Dwight Ball

"That was unfortunately an administrative assistant in public health who has been unable to do her job because that number got out without verification," he said.

"If one thing has come out of this, the important thing is that we should have valid information and trusted information out there."

Premier Dwight Ball also commented on this.

"He quickly apologized, the minister did, and I accept that apology. There's a lot of information going back and forth and he was quick to apologize and quick to remove the post that he made," he said.