As my summer listening tour continues around the riding of Central Okanagan Similkameen Nicola (COSN), one topic that I continue to hear being raised is regarding vaccine passports.

When I last wrote a weekly report on this subject, back in early April, the vast majority of the feedback I received was largely opposed to the idea of vaccine passports.

While I continue to hear opposition, I am also increasingly hearing from other citizens who are demanding the Federal Government announce a federal vaccine passport program.

This week CTV News reported that a similar questions were asked of Prime Minister Trudeau:

“Prime Minister Justin Trudeau skirted around questions about when Canadians can expect to be equipped with formal proof of their COVID-19 vaccine status for travel abroad but vowed that the system will be both “simple and efficient.”

Based on the Prime Minister’s response we know that a federal vaccine passport program is in the works.

What remains unknown is when this program will be formerly announced.

I have also been receiving other concerns related to this subject. 

Most have opposed the use of documents --  whether it is a called a 'vaccination record' or 'passport' domestically.

For example, to attend an event or domestic travel for, what is deemed provincially, as a non essential purpose.

I should note that the decision to require citizens within Canada to use such documentation would be a provincial and not a federal one.

However, it becomes a federal matter when that travel is international.

I have heard of local citizens, in attempting to make travel arrangements, being denied entry to various countries on account of having been vaccinated here in Canada with one or both doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

In one case, a Canadian attempting to attend a family member’s funeral was denied entry into another country.

It is a sovereign right of any country to establish under law who may enter their country and under what circumstances.

As a Member of Parliament, I believe Canada has the same sovereign right to admit or reject any admission under its own lawful authority and I believe Canadians strongly support that right.

It has been reported to me that some countries will only recognize mRNA vaccines manufactured by companies such as Pfizer and Moderna.

The Province of Quebec, to remedy this situation, has announced it will be offering an extra dose of an mRNA vaccine to those travelling to countries that only recognize mRNA vaccines.

If you are wondering what are the approved vaccines for US citizens to visit Canada for non-essential purposes beginning on August 9, 2021 the list includes: 

Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD and Janssen/Johnson & Johnson.

In other words, Canada will provide more flexibility on the list of approved vaccines to visitors than many other countries who have formerly announced guidelines to foreign visitors.

While a federal vaccine passport program has not yet been announced my question this week is as follows:

When there is a federal vaccine passport program here in Canada, will you access it?

​I can be reached at Dan.Albas@parl.gc.ca or call toll free 1-800-665-8711.

​This week I will give Prime Minister Trudeau some well deserved credit.

On Monday the Federal Government announced:

“August 9, 2021, Canada plans to begin allowing entry to American citizens and permanent residents, who are currently residing in the United States, and have been fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to entering Canada for non-essential travel.”

These fully vaccinated travelers will also not have to quarantine upon arrival in Canada, provided they comply with the required pre-entry COVID-19 molecular test with a negative result.

The Federal Government also announced they intend to expand this relaxing of restrictions to fully vaccinated international visitors on September 7th, with the same criteria for pre-entry with a COVID-19 molecular test and a negative result.

Why do I commend the Prime Minister for this announcement? 

It is not because it means the border will be re-opening.

The reason I commend the Prime Minister is that providing clear dates and criteria in turn helps create certainty. 

Many small businesses here in the Okanagan, to some extent, depend on visits from US citizens.

Over the past months there has been a growing frustration as many receive calls for bookings, orders and/or reservations, leaving small business owners in a challenging situation of having to refuse business and not knowing when the situation might change.

The announcement from the Prime Minister fixes that and also provides an opportunity for families who have been separated by the border closure to be reunited.

However, it must also be pointed out that the announcement made by the Prime Minister only applies to US citizens coming to Canada.

Unfortunately, the Federal Government did not coordinate this re-opening with the United States, so Canadian citizens will not be in a situation to receive reciprocal approval for non-essential travel at the US border.

Strangely, when the Prime Minister was directly asked if he had contacted President Biden to advocate for a reciprocal treatment for Canadians at the US border by a reporter at a news conference earlier this week, the PM refused to answer the question. 

That leads to my question this week:

Should the border re-opening have been coordinated on a reciprocal basis or do you support the current approach by the Prime Minister?

I can be reached at Dan.Albas@parl.gc.ca or call toll free 1-800-665-8711.

​In the Okanagan, Similkameen and Nicola Valley's, we have many small family run farms and small business operations.
 
When it comes time for retirement, if a business owner decides to sell to another member of the family to pass the business along to the next generation, the difference between the sale price and the original purchase price is considered a dividend.
 
In the event the same family farm or small business is sold to a stranger the difference between the sale price and the original purchase price is considered a capital gain.

Both dividends and capital gains are taxable.

The difference is that generally capital gains are taxed at lower rate than dividends.
 
So, if you sell your family farm or related small business to a family member, you are in effect penalized for doing so, compared to selling to a non-family member who would pay lower taxes on the sale.
 
My Conservative colleague MP Larry Maguire from Brandon-Souris did not feel this tax approach was fair and tabled a Private Members Bill C-208 “An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (transfer of small business or family farm or fishing corporation)”.
 
Bill C-208 proposes to amend the Income Tax Act so that the same tax rate should apply when selling an operation to a family member as would apply when selling to a third party.
 
Unfortunately PM Trudeau, the Finance Minister, the Liberal cabinet and majority of the Liberal caucus all voted against this bill that promotes taxation fairness to families.

Fortunately, all members of the Conservative, the NDP, Bloc Québécois, Green MPs and some backbench Liberals voted for this bill allowing it to pass third reading by a vote of Yeas: 199 - Nays: 128.

Bill C-208 received Royal Assent and was passed into law on June 29, 2021.
 
Despite this bill now becoming law, the government is refusing to immediately implement the bill and has indicated that:
 
“The government proposes to introduce legislation to clarify that these amendments would apply at the beginning of the next taxation year, starting on January 1, 2022.”

The serious concern here is that the legislation has already been passed into law.

In spite of the fact that the current Liberal government doesn't support it.
 
This action undermines and disrespects the will of the people though an elected Parliament.
 
It is my view that the Prime Minister believes by delaying this bill until after a federal election, if the Liberal Government receives a majority, they can overturn it.
 
I believe this bill, that is now law, should be immediately implemented.

If a future majority government seeks to overturn these amendments to the Income Tax act, they could attempt to do so using the democratic process.
 
To use the bureaucracy to delay and basically block this bill is an arrogant affront to democracy.
 
My question this week: do you agree? I can be reached at Dan.Albas@parl.gc.ca or call toll free 1-800-665-8711.

As you may have heard, starting on July 5th, restrictions were slightly eased when crossing the border into Canada.
Unfortunately this has led to some misunderstanding in certain circumstances.

For example, while some restrictions have been eased, the requirement for U.S. and other citizens coming to Canada for only essential reasons has not been relaxed or otherwise changed.

U.S. and other non-Canadian citizens coming to Canada for non-essential reasons will still be turned away at the border. 

This means that any potential tourists coming to vacation in Canada continues to be prohibited.

So what has changed? 

The most significant change is that for Canadian citizens eligible for entry into Canada, there is now a process to potentially not be subject to mandatory 14 day quarantine, including the mandatory hotel stop over for air travel where applicable.

As of July 5th, an eligible citizen, who has been fully vaccinated with a vaccine approved for use in Canada, may be eligible to bypass quarantine under certain conditions.

The conditions to bypass the quarantine include providing proof of your vaccination, you must also provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test result that has been taken within 72 hours of your entry into Canada. 

Proof of vaccination can be provided online via the ArriveCANweb portal or through the ArriveCAN app that can be found on both the Google Play Store and the App Store for iPhone.

The definition of “fully vaccinated” is:

“To be considered fully vaccinated, a traveller must have received the full series of a vaccine — or combination of vaccines — accepted by the Government of Canada at least 14 days prior to entering Canada. Currently, those vaccines are manufactured by Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD, and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson).”

For travellers who are not fully vaccinated, there are no changes to the existing restrictions and quarantine requirements. 

My question this week:

Now that there is a Government of Canada app to provide proof of vaccination available for iOS, Android and online, how do you feel about that?

​I can be reached at Dan.Albas@parl.gc.ca or call toll free 1-800-665-8711.