Charter challenge filed against N.L.'s travel restriction Bill 38

The Newfoundland and Labrador government is facing a court challenge over its legislation that controls travel into the province to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Kim Taylor has launcheda legal challenge against Bill 38, after she was barred from attending her mother's funeral in early May.

She is backed by lawyerJohn Drover and defence lawyer Rosellen Sullivan representing the Canadian Civil Liberties Association who have filed an application on Taylor's behalf under Section 6, which deals with mobility rights,of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

"Mobility of people is a basic, human right and she has been deniedhers and we're all being denied ours," Drover told CBC News on Wednesday.

"We have never had travel restrictions put in place like this. We have some of the strictest in Canada here in Newfoundland and don't really believe that the government of Newfoundland has put the thought into it to make it comply with the charter."

Now that the application is filed, Drover said he and Sullivan will push the court for an early hearing, hoping to have the case heard within the next three days, set filing dates and arrange to hear the argument within the next month.

Damage done

Taylor was eventually given an exemption to travel to the province from her home in Nova Scotia, 11 days after being rejected.

But Taylor saidshe is mounting this case on principle, and is not seeking any monetarydamages.All lawyers are working pro bono, and none of the parties isasking for costs.

Drover said his client's funeral arrangements including 14 days of self-isolation as required under public health orders were lost in that 11-day period, and he echoes the idea that this challengeisn't only about Taylor.

"This is not about whether my client can come to Newfoundland. Yes, she can come to Newfoundland now. This is about how anybody in Canada can freely move within Canada," he said.

"It's not right. No province in Canada can shut its borders to Canadian citizens."

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