N.W.T. premier apologizes for mixed messaging on travel restrictions
Chief public health officer says leisure travel is off the table
Premier Caroline Cochrane apologized for the territory's mixed messaging surrounding travel exemptions into the territory Friday.
During a press conference, Cochrane addressed confusion that has taken place over the last couple of weeks around exemptions for those travelling into the territory.
On Wednesday, the territorial government announced that the territory is open to all Canadian travellers, saying that its previous travel restrictions conflicted with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The government said this change of policy has been in effect since May 29, although Wednesday's news release was the first official statement of the change.
On Friday, the premier took responsibility for what happened, recognizing that mistakes have been made in the territory's messaging.
"I take ownership, and I do apologize for the lack of communication that was shared with the public," said Cochrane.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the territorial government has on at least two other occasions withheld information about major changes to the territory's laws.
"We recognize we've made mistakes, we have not said that we have done this perfectly," said Cochrane. "We made decisions based on what we had available. Some decisions had to be made very quickly."
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Cochrane said that she has discussed how to prevent this type of blunder in the future with the health minister and the territory's chief public health officer, and that they will begin to meet regularly to discuss updates.
"We need to be clearer in our messaging, and we need to be more timely. And we do owe the public as much information as possible."
Leisure travel off the table
During the news conference on Friday, the government announced updates and amendments to public health orders around COVID-19 travel restrictions and self-isolation protocols.
Some exemptions will be allowed, including N.W.T. residents, essential workers and those supporting them, certain other workers, post-secondary school students, and traditional harvesters.
Although Cochrane had said "tourism is on the table" to CBC News Network special on Monday so long as visitors follow a self-isolation plan upon arrival, the territory's chief public health officer said on Friday that tourism will not be an exemption.
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"In the current amendment … leisure travel does not qualify for an exemption," said Dr. Kami Kandola.
There are also those who can receive an exemption to travel into the territory due to "exceptional circumstances" after applying to the chief public health officer, which will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
"Typically these include family members who are required to come here for a funeral, or they have a very sick relative or they're providing childcare," said Dr. Kandola.
"I have a willing ear. I'm always there to listen to the reason and the story and then make a decision."