Canadian COVID-19 News

[deblen]

Originally Posted by Clemson

So trolling has come to mean any one with a different opinion? I still am baffled as to why people are discussing Covid on a sailing forum.

You are baffled,but you are offering your opinion anyway? OK....

[Mike OReilly]

Here's a rather concerning stat I was unaware of:

(G&M)
Alberta hospitals burdened by COVID-19 patient readmissions

Roughly 80 per cent of COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized in Alberta visited an emergency department within a month of being discharged and nearly 17 per cent were readmitted, putting more pressure on the health care system.

Alberta Health Services said its most recent statistics, from July, show an increasing number of recovered COVID-19 patients discharged from hospital went on to require additional treatment. The statistics also suggest a potential increase of long COVID, where people suffer from health problems months after clearing the virus.

“If you’re able to survive this infection, your life may still be changed in very significant ways,” said Alika Lafontaine, president-elect of the Canadian Medical Association and an anesthesiologist in northern Alberta.

[sv_pelagia]

Federal public servants, RCMP and air and rail travellers must be vaccinated by month's end, Trudeau says

https://news.google.com/articles/CBM...A&ceid=CA%3Aen

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled his government's mandatory vaccine policy today — a mandate that will require public servants to either get their shots by month's end or be forced into an unpaid leave of absence.

All would-be travellers must also be fully vaccinated by Oct. 30 before boarding planes, trains or marine vessels.

[desodave]

From what I've read, the definition of "marine vessels" is a little unclear. One CTV story explicitly says "not ferries". BC Ferries operate under provincial jurisdiction insofar as labour relations is concerned because they operate between ports in the same province, but are also governed by federal DOT operating regs , ie, crew licensing, vessel safety. East coast ferries operate between provinces so are wholly in the federal jurisdiction.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/air-...ober-1.5612815

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by desodave

From what I've read, the definition of "marine vessels" is a little unclear. One CTV story explicitly says "not ferries". BC Ferries operate under provincial jurisdiction insofar as labour relations is concerned because they operate between ports in the same province, but are also governed by federal DOT operating regs , ie, crew licensing, vessel safety. East coast ferries operate between provinces so are wholly in the federal jurisdiction.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/air-...ober-1.5612815

No, does not apply to BC Ferries:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...202459?cmp=rss

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by sv_pelagia

No, does not apply to BC Ferries:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...202459?cmp=rss

Makes sense. Federal jurisdiction would kick in for any transportation system that crosses provincial boundaries. But anything operating wholly within a province would fall under provincial jurisdiction.

I'd still hope BC Ferries implements the passport policy. Should be within the province's power to make it so.

[Scorpius]

Originally Posted by sv_pelagia

No, does not apply to BC Ferries:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...202459?cmp=rss

Ah, ferries should do it anyway, like liquor stores.


If the province agrees with the federal thrust (and why shouldn't they?), they should just impose it themselves.


Also, don't BC Ferries receive some federal subsidies (nothing like the east coast) and so are federal government contractors - to whom the new federal rules apply.

[sv_pelagia]

It does not appear BC Ferries receives Federal funding.

https://www.bcferrycommission.ca/faqs/about-bc-ferries/

Intraprovincial (within province) flights I believe are also covered by vaccine mandate. (Hmm, what about those Vancouver-Victoria etc seaplane flights?)

[NaClyDog]

Originally Posted by sv_pelagia

Intraprovincial (within province) flights I believe are also covered by vaccine mandate. (Hmm, what about those Vancouver-Victoria etc seaplane flights?)

Isn't all that regulated by Transport Canada... hence federal?

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by NaClyDog

Isn't all that regulated by Transport Canada... hence federal?

Yes, but so are BC Ferries....

[Scorpius]

Originally Posted by sv_pelagia

Yes, but so are BC Ferries....

It's BC Ferries that says they are not covered. The feds may beg to differ - and I wonder who would win that battle?

[desodave]

Originally Posted by Scorpius

It's BC Ferries that says they are not covered. The feds may beg to differ - and I wonder who would win that battle?

BC Ferries would in this regard. The old BNA Act (now part of our Constitution) says intra-provincial travel is part of the provincial jurisdiction to regulate, and inter-provincial or international travel is federal. However, the courts have held that a company must be purely in intra-provincial travel to remain provincial.



Several years ago there was discussion about BC Ferries taking over the Victoria - Port Angeles route and BCF and the provincal gov't refused to consider it. Reason was it would have put the BC Ferry system in federal jurisdiction and the province would completely lose its control over BCF, especially related to collective bargaining with the BC Ferry & Marine Workers Union.


I'm not sure of the legislative contstruct that gives the Federal DOT the powers to regulate some of the sea-faring aspects of BCF. For example, DOT issues vessel capacity licenses ( each ferry carries several licenses - basically ratio of crew to # of passengers) and DOT certifies mariners.

[Clemson]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

The pandemic has been the single largest factor affecting many people's cruising plans. [/I]

Ok , I didn't realize this because it does not effect me. Good to know. Thanks.

[Scorpius]

Originally Posted by desodave

BC Ferries would in this regard. The old BNA Act (now part of our Constitution) says intra-provincial travel is part of the provincial jurisdiction to regulate, and inter-provincial or international travel is federal. However, the courts have held that a company must be purely in intra-provincial travel to remain provincial.

Several years ago there was discussion about BC Ferries taking over the Victoria - Port Angeles route and BCF and the provincal gov't refused to consider it. Reason was it would have put the BC Ferry system in federal jurisdiction and the province would completely lose its control over BCF, especially related to collective bargaining with the BC Ferry & Marine Workers Union.

I'm not sure of the legislative contstruct that gives the Federal DOT the powers to regulate some of the sea-faring aspects of BCF. For example, DOT issues vessel capacity licenses ( each ferry carries several licenses - basically ratio of crew to # of passengers) and DOT certifies mariners.

The feds regulate even water taxis and whale watching operations (vessel construction standards, regular inspections, crew qualifications, etc.) - so they certainly would have the same authority over BC Ferries. Also, as the signs at the terminals indicate, they have a lot to say about security (MARSEC).

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by sv_pelagia

It does not appear BC Ferries receives Federal funding.

https://www.bcferrycommission.ca/faqs/about-bc-ferries/

Intraprovincial (within province) flights I believe are also covered by vaccine mandate. (Hmm, what about those Vancouver-Victoria etc seaplane flights?)

Indeed.
I'm not certain that B.C. Ferries gets any long-term federal funding.


BC Ferries to get $308 million in federal-provincial safe restart funding ➥ https://www.coastreporter.net/local-...unding-3417278

About BC Ferries:
In 2003, British Columbia's Liberal government announced a major restructuring of BC Ferries when the company, then a provincial Crown corporation, was transformed into an "independent commercial company." The decision had far-reaching legislative,regulatory, and operational changes for a significant BC enterprise. BC Ferries' transformation was a critical turning point for a company that had been state-owned and operated for 43 years.
➥ https://www.bcferrycommission.ca/faq...-2003-onwards/
➥ https://www.bcferrycommission.ca/faqs/about-bc-ferries/