The rules around crossing the U.S. border during the pandemic led to a bizarre situation for an Invermere couple earlier this month, leaving them angry and frustrated as they were forced to go into quarantine without having technically entered the U.S. 乌鸦传媒� indeed, without having even left their vehicle.

Grant and Barbara Howse were on their way to Baja, Mexico, where they have residency and property. There are rules in place to allow for this; in fact, Barbara乌鸦传媒檚 son and daughter-in-law crossed the border earlier 乌鸦传媒� at the Roosville border crossing.

乌鸦传媒淥riginally, we were planning on flying,乌鸦传媒� Grant Howse said. 乌鸦传媒淏ut every flight that we booked with WestJet was cancelled, or pushed to a different date. Finally, we decided to drive.

乌鸦传媒淲e got to the border, waited for the command to come in to the port of entry. We explained we were on our way to Mexico, and we were residents of the country. We乌鸦传媒檙e Canadian citizens, but we also have resident status in the Baja.

乌鸦传媒淏ut then we were told that we couldn乌鸦传媒檛 go to Mexico unless we were Mexican citizens.

乌鸦传媒淲e were pulling our trailer, and we loaded up to cross the States, because [Barbara乌鸦传媒檚 son and daughter-in-law, who also have Mexican residency] had gone through.乌鸦传媒�

The son and daughter-in-law had been advised that they couldn乌鸦传媒檛 stop except for essentials 乌鸦传媒� gasoline, food 乌鸦传媒� until they were over the southern border into Mexico, but otherwise they had been waved through.

The Howses explained that they had all their provisions, sanitary gear and masks, and were aware and prepared to follow all safety protocols while crossing the U.S. But even after the U.S. border checked with his supervisor, the Howes乌鸦传媒� were still denied entry, offered no further reasons, and told to turn around. But that乌鸦传媒檚 when their troubles really started.

乌鸦传媒淲e were a little stunned,乌鸦传媒� Howse said.

The couple were told to drive ahead a few metres to a turn-around spot and go back to Canada, and that the U.S. border guards would call their Canadian counterparts and tell them the Howses were coming, having been refused entry.

乌鸦传媒淲e turned around and came back to the Canadian side, and the fellow waved us up to the wicket. And that乌鸦传媒檚 where it all started.乌鸦传媒�

The Howses were told they were not allowed to come back into Canada unless they went into quarantine for 14 days.

乌鸦传媒淲e said, 乌鸦传媒榳hat do you mean, come back into Canada? We were just refused entry into the U.S. He said 乌鸦传媒榠t doesn乌鸦传媒檛 matter 乌鸦传媒� you乌鸦传媒檙e entering into Canada from the U.S.乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮�媒�

The Howses tried to explain that they had not been in the U.S. at all 乌鸦传媒� that they had been denied entry, but the border guard started listing the penalties they could face if they didn乌鸦传媒檛 go into the 14-day quarantine, including jail time and enormous fines.

乌鸦传媒淲e were treated like crap 乌鸦传媒� like we were a couple of idiots. No compassion at all. And he placed us under quarantine. And he told us we had to go directly to our address [in Invermere], and that he would be contacting the RCMP, and they will at any time during the 14 days to make sure we were at the place of quarantine.

乌鸦传媒淵ou are not allowed to leave your property, have anyone come to your residence 乌鸦传媒� 乌鸦传媒淭he rules set down by this fellow 乌鸦传媒� I was just appalled.乌鸦传媒�

The Howses duly returned to Invermere on Oct. 8 and went into quarantine. Grant then called Member of Parliament Rob Morrison, looking for some help on the issue.

乌鸦传媒淩ob has taken it a long way up the ladder in the political aspect of things 乌鸦传媒� he乌鸦传媒檚 really been a great help to us, in trying to get this resolved,乌鸦传媒� Grant said.

The Howses subsquently got a call from a Canadian Border Service Agency (CBSA) superintendent.

乌鸦传媒淗e told us this order had come down, that anyone going into the U.S. and coming back into Canada were to go into a 14-day quarantine. Doesn乌鸦传媒檛 matter if you were there for 15 minutes of 60 days. I told him that we had been denied entry. He said there was nothing he could do 乌鸦传媒� it came down as an order from Service Canada.

乌鸦传媒淚 said, 乌鸦传媒榡ust the same, we hadn乌鸦传媒檛 left the country!乌鸦传媒� So why were we place in quarantine?乌鸦传媒� He said, 乌鸦传媒業乌鸦传媒檓 sorry but that乌鸦传媒檚 the rule.乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮�媒�

乌鸦传媒淚 then told him about the actions of his employee, and how we were treated. He did say he would look into that.乌鸦传媒�

Last week, the Howses got a call from Service BC, who confirmed that they would remain under quarantine until October 22. And again, their remonstrations that they had not even left the country 乌鸦传媒� that they had simply driven a few metres to a turn-around spot so they could go back to the Canadian side 乌鸦传媒� did not make any difference. 乌鸦传媒淭hose are the rules.乌鸦传媒�

Grant was not allowed to speak with anyone higher up the ladder at Service BC.

The Howses had planned on renewing their Mexican residency while there. In fact, the deadline to do so was October 23, at the Mexican consulate in Baja. But the Howse乌鸦传媒檚 agent in Baja was able to get an extension period for them to do so. The Howse乌鸦传媒檚 ultimate plan to get dual citizenship, Mexican and Canadian, for all the time they spend there.

乌鸦传媒淲e love the place, the country, the people,乌鸦传媒� Grant said.

In the meantime, the Howses are stuck in quarantine, and are still furious.

乌鸦传媒淭his is BS,乌鸦传媒� Grant said. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a bunch of politics that didn乌鸦传媒檛 have to happen. This quarantine is okay in its place, but it doesn乌鸦传媒檛 have to apply to everybody. Who sets these rules?

乌鸦传媒淭here has to be a more neutral area.乌鸦传媒�