The President of the African Community Association of Calgary, Michael Embaie, has said its members are hurt by the newly enforced travel ban and that it was important for the federal government to tackle what they say is tenuous racism behind the new COVID-19 travel rules in Canada.
Michael Embaie says the effort of Canada to combat the pandemic and to halt the spread of the new Omicron variant is appreciated by him. He however added that the government must explain why some rules are being enforced with a different yardstick for African countries.
Embaie, who is also a part-time Professor of immigration policy at the University of Calgary and has served in the capacity of a consultant for the United Nations and the federal government said: Yes, we have to take all precautions … I have no problem with that.
“But at the same time, Africans are being disparaged, looked at less than the other people. It hurts.”
Canadians who are travelling from any of 10 African countries that were banned must conduct a COVID-19 test in the country they are leaving, conduct a second test while in transit and run a third test after reaching Canada before quarantining.
Canada initially announced a ban which prevented foreign nationals in the region from coming to Canada, but it instantly bent the rules so stranded Canadians could come home.
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra had disclosed that the government exempted the United States from the first ban due to the fact that it was testing travellers that were leaving the country and had reported few cases of the Omicron variant.
Embaie made it known that South Africa was also testing, and Canada’s refusal to accept the results of South Africa’s tests is another example of the presence of racism in politics.
Embaie said: “The speed that was seen in banning travel from southern Africa was just unheard of.
“You can’t treat one country different from another country. It looks like the colonial mentality hasn’t left.”
He disclosed further that community members have told him that they felt they had been the target due to racist assumptions.
