The Conservative leadership candidate Peter MacKay and Erin O'Toole have suspended all public campaign events for the foreseeable future, citing the COVID-19 pandemic.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will be suspending all future public campaign events for the foreseeable future.
— Peter MacKay (@PeterMacKay) March 12, 2020
En raison de la pandémie de COVID-19, nous suspendons tous les futurs événements publics pour un certain temps.
Given the ongoing situation with COVID-19, our team will be suspending all public campaign events after today.
— Erin O'Toole (@ErinOTooleMP) March 12, 2020
We will be continuing to monitor advice from public health officials.
The Albertan leadership candidate Rick Peterson has also suspended his public campaigning.
Based on the rapid escalation of COVID-19 in Canada, I have decided to suspend any upcoming in-person meetings or meet-and-greet events for all members of my campaign, including this evening’s event in Hamilton.#cpcldr #cdnpoli #COVID19
— Rick Peterson (@RickPetersonCA) March 12, 2020
On Wednesday, O’Toole published a statement about the coronavirus, suggesting that the Trudeau government should end flights from countries with a high rate of infection, mandating a 14-day self-isolation period for travellers, and expanding employment insurance so to alleviate the fiscal struggle of quarantine.
“Trudeau made it clear he has no plan to stop the spread of the virus that has shut down other western countries,” added O’Toole.
President Trump also made an announcement on Wednesday, saying that he would ban travel to the US from Europe for the next 30 days, starting next Friday.
No similar decision has been made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Trump’s ban on travel will be adjusted based on conditions on the ground, and there will be exemptions for Americans who have undergone screenings. These prohibitions will not apply to the UK.
