Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he shares the frustrations of Canadians with those who’ve chosen to travel abroad over the holiday season.
Trudeau says changes are coming to a new federal benefit that was intended to provide paid sick leave to those forced into quarantine due to COVID-19 exposure.
Concerns have emerged, however, that the payment of up to $1,000 is being claimed by people who are quarantining because they travelled outside the country.
The Canada Recovery sickness benefit was launched in the fall to help Canadians who are unable to work by paying $500 per week, for a maximum of two weeks.
But Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough said the government is “actively looking at all options” in the face of questions over whether Canadians who have travelled abroad should be allowed to collect the money.
Controversy over the issue mounted on Sunday as two members of the federal Liberal caucus stepped down from their parliamentary duties after disclosing trips abroad over the holiday period, joining a slew of provincial legislators who also flouted widespread public health advice to stay home as COVID cases skyrocketed.
“The Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit was never intended to incentivize or encourage Canadians to not follow public health or international travel guidelines. … We are actively looking at all available options to address this issue,” said Qualtrough.
Trudeau also noted that the government never imagined or intended the benefit to be used for that purpose and stressed that nobody ought to be travelling for non-essential reasons.
The prime minister says he also shares people’s impatience with the pace of vaccine rollouts.
He says he intends to raise the issue with premiers of the provinces and territories at a meeting on Thursday to see where the federal government can help.
With files to Canadian Press.
Graham Cox
