A Newfoundlander living in Alberta says she’s frustrated and upset that she’s been denied entry into the province after applying for an exemption to return.
Gayle Prince lives in Whitecourt, Alberta, but was born and raised in Princeton, Bonavista Bay. She still has a home in Princeton and has a place in which to self-isolate, and wants to come home.
She says she’s been coming home every summer for years, and for her, it’s not about a vacation. She believes her mobility rights have been taken away.
Ray and his wife are from Queen’s Cove, Trinity Bay, but travel back to the province frequently from Fort McMurray. He told VOCM Open Line with Paddy Daly they’ve also been denied a planned June return to Newfoundland.
They have their own home and a vehicle that is licenced and registered in Newfoundland. He says they’ve traveled back and forth so frequently over the last 15 years, they consider themselves commuters.
The provincial government imposed a travel ban, which includes those with summer residences in Newfoundland and Labrador, as a public health measure.
The ban is the subject of a court challenge which will be heard in September.