Credit: Govt. of B.C.

By Mel Rothenburger

ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER: B.C.’s new travel restrictions easy to break, easy to follow

Apr 28, 2021 | 4:20 AM

KAMLOOPS — THE BARK OF TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS in B.C. is a lot worse than their bite.

Take camping, for example. British Columbians must go camping in spring — it’s in our DNA.

As of right now, we aren’t allowed to do that outside our health region bubble. But, inside, which in our case includes the Interior and Northern Health regions, it’s not prohibited although we’re encouraged to stay close to home.

If we’re from Kamloops, we’re supposed to keep it local rather than going off to, say, Fort Nelson. Or even Kelowna. But we can if we want to.

We in B.C. have trouble doing anything serious about travel. All non-essential travel, especially recreational travel, is officially frowned upon. (A shout-out, by the way, to the hard-hit tourism industry for its cooperation.)

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Fines of $575 are supposed to be a deterrent to ignoring the hard-and-fast parts of the package.

But carving the province into three vast self-contained regions won’t do much to bring down infections unless we co-operate.

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth admits to the challenges of stopping travel leakage with what he calls “check points.”

Those check points will include major highways between the three health-region bubbles. Yet at the Alberta border, there will be signage asking Albertans to stay away, and that’s it.

Complaints have come quickly. Complaints about an increase in police presence. Complaints about constitutional and privacy issues. Even police are complaining about what they see as a lack of clarity in how they’re supposed to enforce the new rules.

Determined people will find a way to get around check points and advisories if they want to.

Which leaves the question: why would we want to? These new restrictions are so modest that it will be a cinch to abide by them. Until after the May long weekend, can’t we find the strength to give up the wood smoke, bugs and toasted marshmallows and just stay home?

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and a retired newspaper editor. He is a regular contributor to CFJC, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.