The NWT’s Compliance and Enforcement Taskforce on Saturday set up a check stop staffed by police and public health officers to offer Covid-related information to drivers.
Located at the corner of Highway 4 and Niven Gate, the entrance to the Niven Lake area, about 10 officers, including four public health officers stopped motorists and offered them information about the coronavirus and the social distancing orders in effect in the territory.
Education primary aim
For a few hours during the afternoon, officers waved down drivers heading north and south along the highway and asked if they were familiar with the health orders and if they had any questions. Information sheets were also given out.
It was the first time the taskforce has set up this type of checkstop in the NWT, as Conrad Baetz, deputy chief public health officer said Saturday.
“We’re spreading the word about the public health orders to make sure people understand what they are and understand what they need to comply with,” he said.
The formation of the taskforce, which is staffed by about 30 people was announced on April 8.
“This is just one more thing that we can do to help people understand what the deal is. It’s an opportune time. There have been a couple of health orders that have been issued. There are a lot of things on which we can provide clarity.
“We’re trying to get information out to the public and through a different vehicle, so to speak.”
Chief public health officer Kami Kandola urged on March 22 that social gatherings be cancelled, a day after the NWT’s first confirmed case of Covid-19 was reported.
More than two weeks later Kandola ordered that all indoor gatherings be banned including funerals, parties and weddings. An accompanying order applied stricter regulations to workers heading to mining and oil and gas sites. Unlike her recommendation on March 22, the ban on April 10 was a legally enforceable order.
Enforcement a possibility
Baetz said the point of the check stops wasn’t necessarily to enforce the health orders though he said the officers are empowered to do so.
If a violation of an order was discovered, for example if a driver admitted they had travelled straight from Alberta and weren’t self-isolating then the health officers would investigate and ensure the driver understands the need for self-isolation.
“The whole point is to begin with educating and then begin to employ the compliance tools we have, whether it’s verbal warnings or written warnings all the way through to charges at some point if someone doesn't heed the directions,” Baetz said.
Positive reception from public
In general, Baetz said drivers have responded favourably to the checkstop measure and were interested in knowing the facts about coronavirus and the orders issued by Kandola.
There were no reports of disruptive or uncooperative drivers, he said.
A decision about continuing with the check stop on Sunday or next week hadn’t been made yet. Further information campaigns would be carried out across in the territory but Baetz couldn’t say it there would be more check stops.
“It’s an evolving thing. We need to be flexible about how we’re delivering our education systems.”
