NNSL file photo
Conrad Baetz is confident that any vehicle with out-of-territory licence plates has been properly vetted before being allowed to enter the NWT.
Baetz is the deputy chief public health officer and the lead official for enforcement of Covid-19 restrictions with the GNWT.
During an Aug. 14 media availability, he was asked if he could assure worried residents of the Hay River Reserve – where K'atlodeeche First Nation has set up a checkpoint – that drivers of vehicles with out-of-territory licence plates are not a hazard.
In reply, he noted it is important for everyone to remember when seeing out-of-territory licence plates that there are only two open points of highway entry into the NWT – on Highway 1 and on Highway 8.
"And with that, each vehicle that comes across an NWT border is stopped and the occupants are indeed screened, and there's certain information that's recorded," he said. "So I am very confident that any vehicles that do have out-of-territory plates on them have been appropriately vetted by the border officers at those points of entry."
Baetz was also asked about the Yukon giving windshield stickers to drivers of out-of-territory vehicles to indicate they've been screened.
There is nothing like that in the NWT, he replied. "That said, I can say that we are examining a number of different possibilities that could help aid that kind of a scenario where you would have folks with out-of-territory plates in the territories."
Baetz said the GNWT is learning and evolving how to deal with the situation.
"When we first set up these measures at the borders, we probably didn't anticipate that there would be that much attention on out-of-territory plates," he said.
Baetz said he hasn't heard of drivers of vehicles with out-of-territory plates being harassed in the NWT.
"I think it's important to understand as well that there are several reasons why a vehicle could be in the NWT without a territory plate," he said. "And remembering that, I think, is really important when we do see vehicles with an Alberta plate or a Yukon plate on them."
Dr. Kami Kandola, the chief public health officer for the NWT, also spoke at the media availability.
She noted the territory is moving towards a major milestone in the Covid-19 pandemic – the planned reopening of schools.
Kandola said no one is under any illusions that this will be a normal school year.
"We must be ready to adapt as new evidence arrives," she said. "And we must be ready for some disruptions if Covid-19 shows up in our schools. Together, education and public health leadership have prepared thorough plans to manage these challenges. And together, our leadership will support educators throughout this school year."
Kandola added that in-person schooling plays an essential role in childhood development, and schools play a crucial part in NWT communities.