Tensions continue to brew at the border with New Brunswick as a protest is carried out over the latest round of travel restrictions with that province.
The Mounties say they’re on scene with members from both Nova Scotia and New Brunswick responding.
They’re asking drivers to avoid the area. Highway 2 between Sackville, New Brunswick and the provincial border is backed up.
A protest closed the highway until about 9 p.m. Tuesday, but the blockades picked back up overnight.
In a Tweet shortly after 1 a.m., Amherst Police said there was no indication when the border would be reopened. Traffic was being diverted to Exit 4.
— RCMP New Brunswick (@RCMPNB) June 23, 2021
Meantime, Progressive Conservative MLA Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin for Cumberland North issued a “warning” video on her social media feeds Tuesday afternoon calling the restrictions a “slap in the face” for her constituents.
The video was posted ahead of the provincial briefing with Premier Iain Rankin and Dr. Robert Strang at 3 p.m.
She presented an ultimatum to the premier in the video.
“Premier Rankin, you have until 4 o’clock today (Tuesday)…If you do not change your mind and allow the people of Cumberland and New Brunswick to see one another without self-isolating, the Trans-Canada Highway will be shut down and it will be shut down until you open the border.”
Earlier in the day, Rankin told select media outlets in Halifax that restrictions would be put in place because N.B. opened its borders to the rest of Canada before any other province in the Atlantic region.
In an Facebook post update Wednesday, Smith-McCrossin says she has been outside One Government Place since early in the morning, and will stay there until the premier meets with her.
Smith-McCrossin says Dale Palmeter, the premier’s Principal Secretary, told her the premier will not take the meeting.
I am here at one government place where the Premier’s office is located. I’ve been here since 830 this morning and I’m…
Posted by Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin on Wednesday, June 23, 2021
The new restrictions state anyone travelling from New Brunswick can enter for any reason but will have isolation requirements based on their vaccination status and testing.
That includes Nova Scotians returning from New Brunswick.
Their isolation requirements are:
— people who have had two doses of vaccine at least 14 days before arriving in Nova Scotia must self-isolate until they receive a negative test result in Nova Scotia
— people who have had one dose of vaccine at least 14 days before arriving in Nova Scotia must self-isolate for at least seven days and cannot leave isolation until they get two negative tests results while in Nova Scotia; tests should be on day one or two and on day five or six
— people who have not had any vaccine and those who had a first dose within 14 days of arrival must isolate for 14 days; testing at the beginning and end of their isolation continues to be recommended
Nova Scotia’s borders are fully open to PEI and Newfoundland.
(*With files from Steve MacArthur and Jack Morse)
