OTTAWA -- Mayor Jim Watson does not want to see police checkpoints return to the five interprovincial crossings between Ottawa and Gatineau, saying "I really don't think they work."
Earlier this week, Gatineau Mayor Maxime Pedneaud-Jobin told the Ottawa Citizen that police checkpoints could return to the Ottawa-Gatineau border at "any time," with the final decision in the hands of the Quebec Government. Earlier this month, Dr. Brigitte Pinard of the Centre Integre de sante et de services sociaux de l'Outaouais said border checkpoints were "possible," adding "right now, our message is to limit large gatherings."
When asked by CTV Morning Live host Leslie Roberts about the possibility of police checkpoints returning to the Ontario-Quebec border, Watson said he did not think they worked back in the spring.
"There were so many gaps when the police were not there, and people just figured out I'll go at an earlier time or a later time. We saw police officers sticking their heads in the car with no masks, so that was not healthy for those individuals," said Watson Friday morning.
"It's a costly expense when our police are stretched already to the limit trying to do the work, to have them set up at five different bridge points potentially 24 hours a day would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars every month and I think the money is better spent."
On April 1, Gatineau Police and the Surete du Quebec set up checkpoints along the Ottawa-Gatineau border to limit non-essential trips into Gatineau. Gatineau Police estimated the random police checkpoints between April 1 and May 17 cost the service more than $400,000.
Mayor Watson tells CTV Morning Live that the Quebec Government's decision to move Gatineau into the "red zone" two days after Ontario moved Ottawa to a modified Stage 2 should help.
"We are a close relationship and when things happen in Gatineau there's often a trickle effect over here and I think the fact that we're both in the red zone, and Quebec of course is the worst hit province, at least levels the playing field for our restaurants and bars," said Watson.
"I think in the past what had happened was our restaurants and bars would close and then the ones in Gatineau would stay open, and then people from Ottawa would go over there irresponsibly, in my opinion, and then come back potentially with the virus and spread it here."
While border checkpoints would limit the non-essential travel across the Ottawa-Gatineau border, Watson says that's not the way to beat COVID-19.
"The message is very clear, stick to your household. This is not the time to have an AirBNB party or a keg party in your backyard, or have 20 people or 30 people in for an engagement party. I know a lot of these get-togethers are important socially for people and emotionally, but we have to ask people to be reasonable and responsible, and this is not the year to do those kinds of things."
Roberts asked the mayor if he would have a conversation about border checkpoints with Gatineau's mayor.
"I had it the first go-around, but at the end of the day I also respect their jurisdiction and their autonomy. It is the province that would have to impose that, not the municipality," said Watson.
"From our perspective, we don't think it's an effective use of resources. We want to continue to get the message across that we can win this battle against COVID-19 if we socially distance, we wear a mask, we actually follow the simple rules that are put forward."
