Federal Court of Canada has upheld the constitutionality of government's quarantine hotel program

The Federal Court of Canada has upheld the constitutionality of the federal government's quarantine hotel program.

Today's ruling written by Chief Justice Paul Crampton says that pandemics, like wars, require sacrifices to save lives and prevent broad-based suffering.

He adds that anyone engaging in behaviour that poses a risk to the health and safety of others cannot expect the law to prevent the state from performing its essential function of protecting its citizens from that risk.

The ruling does take aim at border officials for not informing one of the applicants about the location of her quarantine hotel, nor her right to retain a lawyer, saying both moves violated her constitutional rights.

But Crampton affirms the constitutionality of the overall program.

A government order that went into effect on Feb. 14 mandates that anyone entering Canada from abroad must stay in a federally approved hotel for the first three nights of a 14-day quarantine.

Travellers are expected to pay for their government-approved accommodations while awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test they have to take on arrival.