Tuesday, March 23, 2021 more than 200 tractors drove through Simcoe, Ontario to rally against local restrictions. The farmers were protesting the COVID-19 protocols put in place by the Haldimand-Norfolk Medical Officer of Health Dr. Shanker Nesthurai.
Local farmers are confused why the rules in Norfolk County are so different and stricter than provincial and federal rules. Currently, temporary foreign workers need to quarantine for two weeks upon arrival, and only three workers are allowed per bunkhouse no matter the building square footage. This results in temporary foreign workers having to stay in hotel rooms, paid for by the farmers.
Another restriction made limits the amount of temporary foreign workers that can be transported in a vehicle to three. This is a challenge for farms that heavily depend on foreign workers and will have to take multiple trips to the airport the transport them all.
Nesthurai is worried about the potential effects an outbreak could have on the county, hence the strict restrictions. One option he proposed to the federal government would be to vaccinate temporary foreign workers upon arrival, but he has yet to receive a response.
“Already this year, 22 farms have been affected due to COVID-19 exposures associated with workers traveling on buses from Toronto Pearson International Airport," said Nesathurai. “To date, 10 workers have tested positive and approximately 120 workers have been identified as close contacts. It all could have been preventable… We've asked for help from federal government and we have not received it, so we are doing what we can to keep people safe.”
Krystal Chopp, Norfolk County’s Mayor, also attended the rally.
"None of the orders since the start of the pandemic have been in consultation with members of board of health or myself," said Chopp. "They are exclusively Dr. Nesathurai's orders, and it’s frustrating when decisions that affect an entire community are made within a silo with no consultation and no ability from us to weigh in on those decisions. At the end of the day it’s the politicians who are accountable to the public, and yet the politicians have had no say as to how this has unfolded here in Norfolk".
The Norfolk Board of Health have passed a motion to request a private meeting with Ontario Minister of Health Christine Elliot, and Dr. David Williams, the province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health.