CALGARY, Alberta (LifeSiteNews) — Canadian Minister of Transportation Omar Alghabra said yesterday that a mandatory mask rule for travel will be in place for some time to come even though the United States, Canada’s largest trading partner and neighbor, dropped its mandate.
Speaking from Calgary on Tuesday, Alghabra said the mask mandate will remain as the government under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau follows “experts and doctors” advice on masking.
“The mask regulation is in place and it’s based on the advice that we received from our experts and doctors and based on data,” Alghabra said, as reported by CTV.
“It is proven that masks prevent or reduce the transmission of COVID,” he added, going on to say, “There is no change in our regulation … for now it is what it is.”
On Monday, a U.S. judge struck down a CDC mask requirement for public transportation, deeming the rule “unlawful.”
Soon after the ruling, major U.S. airlines announced they would no longer enforce the mask mandates.
However, the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden said they are looking to appeal the judge’s mask mandate ruling.
Canada has had a mask mandate in place for travel by air, rail, or sea for over two years, after the rule was put in place in April 2020.
Also in place in Canada is a travel ban by air, rail or sea for those who have chosen not to get the COVID jabs.
The travel ban has been blasted by members of the Conservative Party of Canada, notably MP Leslyn Lewis, as a form of “segregation.”
Lewis has also said all COVID mandates, including masking, should be lifted right away.
The effectiveness of masks in stopping the transmission of COVID-19 has been shown by studies to provide next to no protection against the virus.
As for mask mandates, increasing their use has been shown to not lead to a lower viral transmission rate.
Mask use has also been found to be harmful to children, causing damage to their cognitive development as well as increasing the amounts of dangerous levels of carbon dioxide.