A Laval woman found out the hard way that she now has to self-isolate for 14 days after spending less than an hour at the U.S.-Canada border and being turned back.
Kristina Pfander, a Canadian citizen, has been waiting on U.S. immigration papers since 2018 to be with her husband, a U.S. citizen.
She's seen her husband twice since the pandemic, including in July when she took a plane to travel to the U.S.
Pfander said she wanted to go visit her husband over the Thanksgiving long weekend and tried going by car so she could transport their dog on the way back.
Pfander said she was not only refused entry into the U.S. at the Champlain-St. Bernard de Lacolle Border border crossing but also ordered to self-isolate for 14 days.
Pfander said she was dumbfounded.
"I think it was not logical at all. I was denied entry. I didn't exit the car," said Pfander who contacted yourstory@cjad.com.
"It was a big disappointment."
She said the border officer told her this was a new rule.
"He said he doesn't find it logical either but that was the law and he couldn't do anything for me," said Pfander.
Canada Border services tells CJAD 800 that "there are no specific provisions that exempt travellers refused entry into the U.S. from having to quarantine for 14 days."
Pfander said they should publicize that because if she had known,
"I would have just bought an airplane ticket and went there. Wouldn't be a problem. Could have saved me some time," said Pfander.
Pfander is now flying down after quarantine is over.