'Heart-wrenching': Bureaucracy keeping dying Winnipeg man and his brother apart

Aman fighting layers of red tape to visithis dying brother says a new federalapplication process for compassionate visits has beenanything but compassionate.

The clock is ticking forDean McDonald. Hehasterminal cancer and has amedically assisted death scheduled in Winnipeg on Oct. 20.

His older brother Chris McDonald has been waiting for a week to find out if he'll get to say goodbye.

"I haven't seen my brother in five years, and I've been able to talk to him on the phone, but it's really not enough," hesaid.

McDonald is a Canada-U.S. dual citizenliving in California. With the COVID-19 border restrictions, hecouldn't come to Canada without self-isolating.

But that changed last week, when the Canadian government began to allowforeign nationals to cross the border for compassionate reasons.

More importantly for McDonald, the new rules allow someone to temporarily break the 14-day quarantine to visit or support someone who is terminally illor attend their funeral, provided they have no symptoms.

When you're talking about somebody who's dying, the calendar is not that flexible. They can't wait for the government bureaucracy.- Chris McDonald

"These situations include being with someone you love to say goodbye," federal Health MinisterPatty Hajdu said during the announcement on Oct. 2.

"We often hear tragic stories from across the country stories of families who can't be together when they need each other the most."

Applications were open on Oct. 8, and a day later, McDonaldsubmitted the online form that included written support from his brother's wife and palliative care nursethat would allow himto visit his dying brother at home.

Chris McDonald flew to Winnipeg and began self-isolating at a family cottage on Lake Winnipeg while he waited for approval.

"I was waiting patiently at first, but then I started to call various [federal government] numbers and would never get an answer," he said.

Almost a week after applying and countless calls to the federal government later, hestill had no answer.

3 layers of bureaucracy

McDonald did hear fromManitoba health officials, who explained to him that whilehe met the provincial requirements to visit his brother, he would still need the go-ahead from federal officials.

Manitoba health officials told himthey didn't even know who to contact at the federal level on his behalf.

"I was surprised that even the provincial government is having a hard time finding who to talk to about this. That was the shocker for me," hesaid.

Hours after CBC News contacted the federal government's Health departmenton Thursday, hegot a phone call that he had been approved.

But it might be too late. Just one day earlier, his brother's condition deteriorated, and he was rushed from his home tothe palliative care wing at Riverview Health Centre in Winnipeg.

"It's been very painful, very frustrating and heart-wrenching. I've tried to follow all the rules, and I understand this is a new law, but there are just too many holes in it," McDonaldsaid.

Even though he's now been given the go-ahead from the federal and provincial authorities, McDonaldsaid he's been told he needs to get authorization from the hospital.

A nurse on the palliative care ward initially refused his request, but he plans to go to the hospital administration.

WATCH | Bureaucracy blocks man's bid to see his dying brother:

Bureaucracy blocks man's bid to see dying brother

4 years ago

Duration 2:14

Time is running out for Chris McDonald to receive clearance from the authorities to see his dying brother Dean.

900 applications in 1stweek

A spokesperson for the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) said it could take up to sevenbusiness days to get approval for a compassionate visit.

In an email response sent afterCBC News published this story, PHAC spokesperson EricMorrissette said the federal government received 900 applications from Oct. 8 to 14.

"We understand how hard this may be for applicants given that time is needed to ensure local (e.g. hospital), provincial and federal public health authorities are confident that the public health measures in place will protect the health and safety of Canadians," Morrissettesaid.

Requests are given prioritybased on a number of factors, he said.

"We recognize that the process is time sensitive for most travellers," he said.

CBCNews did not hear back from provincial health officials.

A grassroots group of familiesthat fought to have the exemptions said it has heard about widespread issues with the process, including conflicting information on application requirements.

"Imagine being separatedhaving hope for reunification restoredand then coming up against multiple obstacles inadvertently created by the government in the rollout of the process," Faces of Advocacy founder David Edward-Ooi Poon said in a news release.

All the while, McDonaldsaidhis brother is running out of time.

"They [have] to have an understanding that when you're talking about somebody who's dying, the calendar is not that flexible."

"They can't wait for the government bureaucracy."