The MD of Opportunity and the Bigstone Cree Nation has declared a local state of emergency because of the virus.
According to the MD website, the local roads are closed for non residents. If a resident leaves, and comes back, they are subject to a 14 day quarantine / self isolation. Fine for violation of the self isolation, so the MD is organising food hampers so people do not have to leave.
I attempted to call Athabasca RCMP detachment a number of times and they are not answering their lines. The K Division dispatch is saying they are aware of the road block, but that is all. They then say call Athabasca Detachment that does not answer.
Yes, under Public Health Legislation, you can quarantine a community. No, you cannot close a lake for fishing. As for access, there are a number of other access points, but I did not check if any of these are being blocked.
This is a Public Highway, as is the roads in the local community. You are not to be going in and meeting with people in the community, who are in the quarantine area. Obviously the fishermen on the lake are not doing this.
What is unknown is what jurisdiction the MD has to close road access to the general public for the hamlet of Calling Lake. There are access points north of the reserve that are not in the hamlet, and there are access points south of the reserve that are in the cabin section that are not in the hamlet.
No one was monitoring traffic in Calling Lake from Thursday to Sunday that I saw.
There is supposed to be a curfew from 8 PM to 6 AM. Friday night and Saturday night there were MANY people driving around after the curfew. There was no MD Bylaw Enforcement of the curfew from all the vehicles driving up to the reserve after 8 PM. I believe that there was one RCMP going up to the reserve late at night on Saturday, but I could not clearly see the markings.
There are no RCMP at the check points.
From speaking with some neighbours, the RCMP did not know what they were to do, and where not doing anything about the road block.
As for what the individuals who are locals hired by a contractor can do to stop you, is unknown. If you are local they are asking for names and phone numbers and taking down licence plates.
From one of the guys working the check point, people did drive through and the RCMP did not seem to be doing anything when they were called. The people on the check point are not Law Enforcement Officers of any kind. I know some of them, and they would never pass the security check.
People working in the bush, or going to cut wood in the bush, or going to some other lake, or going hunting, are driving through.
So it seems to be a local bylaw, which is probably beyond its jurisdiction, as its actions cannot stop people from using the public highway for the stated purpose of a Quarantine of the community.
There actually is legislation in Alberta about interfering with people lawfully hunting and fishing.
Perhaps call fish and wildlife on Monday and complain about the breach of your right to fish. Access to the lake outside the Provincial Park is not governed by the Parks closure.
I tried calling the Report a Poacher line on Thursday only to have it continually disconnect.
Good times.
Drewski
|