The Opposition Finance critic is questioning what he calls a double standard for COVID-19 testing in the province.

Tony Wakeham says the province is entering into an arrangement with a private lab owned by well-known Liberal Paul Antle, yet the Premier and Health Minister have repeatedly dismissed calls for COVID testing at all points of entry.

Avalon Laboratories conducts COVID testing for the private sector.

Wakeham says health officials have repeatedly referred to the province’s testing as “diagnostic” and not “screening,” but the public health lab is being used “to validate the exact same type of testing on behalf of the private lab” to be used as a “screening test.”

Wakeham calls that a double standard and asks if there is extra capacity for testing in the healthcare system, why aren’t those resources being used to test people entering the province?