Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown says feds must close Mississauga’s Pearson Airport

Brampton Patrick Brown says the federal government didn’t go far enough when it banned direct flights from India and Pakistan and that all non-essential travellers shouldn’t be allowed to fly into Mississauga’s Pearson Airport.

Brown told insauga.com that he believes the flight ban was “just for optics” because travellers can still book non-direct flights to and from the two countries.

“The government really did a move that was responding to public pressure without the intention of making something that was concrete,” said Brown

The federal government announced the ban on April 22 saying that all direct commercial and private passenger flights from India and Pakistan would be suspended for 30 days to “help manage the elevated risk of imported cases of COVID-19 and variants of concern” into the Canada. Those coming to Canada from India and Pakistan on indirect flights must obtain a negative COVID-19 test pre-departure.

Brown went on to say the current flight ban should be extended after the initial restrictions expire in two weeks adding that non-direct flights should also be prohibited.

“We have variants entering the country,” said Brown. “I know they say only 2 percent of the travellers bring back COVID but that’s 2 percent too many.”

Brown said he would close Pearson Airport to all leisure travel but leave room for flights that carry food or medical supplies and essential workers.

“The fact you can go on vacation when we are under a stay-at-home order is bewildering to me,” he said.