Vaccination passports, and other health verification methods are being put in place across Canada that will require anyone and everyone inside an arena to be vaccinated in order to enter.
While many in the United States and Canada will call this action an infringement on their personal rights, this action is the only possible way that can potentially allow for a season to take place in Canada this year.
Anyone thinking or telling anyone else that a season in Canada is a sure thing is not telling you the truth. There are no sure things in Canada this year or the United States as the “delta” COVID is running its course through North America.
Just in case you don’t believe this, the European Union in reaction to growing COVID numbers is restricting non-essential travel from the United States again, and Canadians now must prove they have been vaccinated and have a negative test within 72 hours of arrival.
Governments are expected to introduce other curbs for non essential travel within the coming days.
Billet families are also finding these COVID rules across Canada difficult to deal with. Many do not want to billet players any more or do not want to have to prove they are vaccinated.
Teams are now struggling to add new and maintain existing billet families because of the added responsibility and added restrictions in place.
These are very difficult conditions for any team or league to operate within. While I do not have a strong opinion either way, I think some of these restrictions and rules are a bit of government over reach.
All of this said, some pre season games are beginning to be played. Leagues have begun to cautiously open up and begin the work of day to day operations. There is still an uneasiness within many team and league operation staffs and rightly so.
The current situation is definitely not one where anyone should feel a sense of stability or confidence. In Canada, with elections coming in just a few weeks, the COVID management environment may completely change.
Joseph Kolodziej – Adviser
