Military says they have nothing to do with COVID quarantine camps

Two MPs reached out to Public Works for information about these supposed quarantine camps, with one MP aide writing that their "office is starting to receive a few inquiries regarding isolation/internment/quarantine camps being built."

"This is a Department of National Defence issue," responded one Public Works employee. Noting that they could receive more of such requests, the department staffer further stated on Oct 15 that "[this] is a Department of National Defence issue. Public Works acts as the contracting arm for the government, so while we have posted this Request For Information we have done so on behalf of Defence."

The Department of Public Works sent a Request for Information to various contractors that month seeking information on "quarantine housing and isolation sites." The emails from concerned MPs were also forwarded to the military.

However, Todd Lane, the press secretary for the Minister of National Defence, said that such a forwarding was "misdirected to our office" and that this is not an issue of the military.

The Canadian government originally purchased a variety of hotel rooms across the country to accommodate travelers to Canada who are forced to undergo 14-day isolation periods as a measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The rooms cost taxpayers a total of $37 million.

Now the government is shifting gears, demanding that travelers pay for their own, albeit significantly shorter hotel stays. Travelers, whether they are Canadian or not, may not immediately go to a household where they can quarantine. Instead, they are forced to attend a hotel near the airport where they are kept under guard and will be forced to pay for their own hotel rooms.

At least one Scarborough man has already been forced into such arbitrary detention, saying that upon arrival at Toronto Pearson from Charlotte, he was told he must either pay for his own quarantine hotel room or go to jail. This is in spite of the fact that he had paid to receive a coronavirus test prior to leaving North Carolina.

The man shared pictures of the meals he was offered, which resembled prison meals, and expressed greater concern for other people who have been forced to quarantine in the hotel who have jobs and family members to attend to. He said the atmosphere of the quarantine "feels like" incarceration.

The man also noted that he had not yet signed anything which would require him to pay for his stay. The Canadian government has not yet demanded that those forced to quarantine in hotels pay for their own stays.

"I’m advised the details are being worked out and there will be announcements when they’ve been finalized," said Senator Marc Gould when discussing the mandatory fee.