Virus delays N.l. Vote, ontario school break

Concern over the spread of COVID-19 has delayed some voting in the Newfoundland and Labrador provincial election and postponed March break in Ontario.

Polling station workers were backing out in droves over fears of contracting the virus.

Chief electoral officer Bruce Chaulk called a halt to in-person voting in Saturday’s provincial election for nearly half the province’s ridings. He made the move after health authorities reported 100 new infections Thursday. The day before 53 new infections and 32 presumptive cases were recorded in the province.

“Many election workers have resigned out of fear of interacting with the public on election day,” Elections NL said Thursday. “We cannot hold traditional polls without the support of these people.”

In-person voting has been postponed in 18 of the province’s 40 ridings, stretching from St. John’s and its neighbouring city of Mount Pearl to the town of Carbonear, about 100 kilometres away.

The results will not be released until all ballots have been cast. Mail-in voting options have also been extended.

elections NL is calling the delay a “two-week circuit break.” Chaulk said if the COVID-19 numbers improve over the two weeks, voting would be rescheduled.

“However, based on the continually increasing COVID cases being reported in the region, there is no guarantee that we will be able to administer in-person voting safely at that time,” he said.

He encouraged people to vote by mail-in ballots “to ensure the ability to participate in this election.”

After an initial outbreak and lockdown last spring stemming from a funeral in St. John’s, pandemic life for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians had been relatively normal, with daily case numbers in low single digits. That changed this week, after an outbreak began in Mount Pearl. On Thursday, officials said there were 210 active cases in the province — 194 of which were announced this week — and they expect that number to grow.

“I think people felt that COVID wasn’t here, we’ve been doing so well,” chief medical officer of health dr. Janice Fitzgerald said Thursday. “I’m not judging anybody, it’s just what’s gotten us here, and what we need to change, so that we can get ourselves out of here.”

Progressive Conservative Leader Ches Crosbie said that Chaulk’s decision “creates two classes of voters, and is therefore wholly unfair.” Crosbie had called for the election to be delayed, but reiterated that he believes if voting is to be postponed, it should be postponed across the province.

“Simply put, some voters will have more time than others — and more access to information — to make their electoral decision,” he said. “That is wrong and calls into question the integrity of the electoral process.”

Liberal Leader and incumbent Premier Andrew Furey welcomed the decision. He disagreed that staggered voting times would put anyone at an advantage. “These are different circumstances, so I think Mr. Chaulk did what was necessary in extending the (mailin) ballots and delaying in-person voting,” he said.

Furey called the election on Jan. 15, but has said repeatedly he has no authority over how it is run and whether it could be stopped. He told reporters he had no say in Chaulk’s decision.

In Ontario, education Minister Stephen Lecce also cited fear of the virus spreading when he announced that March break for students is being postponed until the week of April 12.

Lecce said the decision was made on the advice of public health officials after an increased number of infections following the december holiday break.

Ontario’s largest teachers union had called on the provincial government not to postpone March break, saying students, families and teachers need the time off.

Four teachers’ unions decried the postponement in a joint statement.

Ontario reported 945 new infections, but public health officials warned that number was under-reported.