No more messing around.  BC is not pressuring Trudeau to invoke the Emergency   
   Act because our Premier can enforce whatever we need to keep BCers doing it   
   right.  And the PM knows this.   
      
   And you won't see anymore of those two profiteers from PoCo who were selling   
   medical supplies in a public park at black market prices.   
   _________________________________________   
   CBC News · Mar 26, 2020   
      
   British Columbians now face $25K fine, jail if they ignore public health   
   orders over COVID-19   
      
   Public safety minister issues series of emergency orders to ensure compliance,   
   secure supply chain   
      
   THE LATEST:   
      
   ~    People who ignore public health orders can now be jailed or fined upward   
   of $25,000.   
   ~    Reselling essential supplies like food and cleaning material is now   
   prohibited.   
   ~    The province is intervening to ensure the supply of food and medical   
   supplies is secure.   
   ~    Municipal states of emergency have been suspended.   
      
   The provincial government has taken a number of "unprecedented" steps to   
   ensure people obey public health orders, stop hoarding vital supplies and   
   secure the flow of essential goods into B.C.'s stores and hospitals during the   
   COVID-19 crisis.   
      
   City bylaw officers now have the power to fine people upwards of $25,000 if   
   they ignore public health orders, including a ban on large gatherings. Jail   
   time is also possible, the province said Thursday.   
      
   The province is also cracking down on the black market by prohibiting the   
   resale of food, medical supplies, personal protective equipment, cleaning   
   products and other essential supplies. People who ignore the order can be   
   fined up to $10,000, jailed for    
   one year, or both.   
      
   "These are unprecedented measures for unprecedented times," said Public Safety   
   Minister Mike Farnworth.   
      
   A new government unit has also been created to co-ordinate the distribution of   
   vital goods and services in the province.  Retailers and suppliers must now   
   report to the unit on inventory of critical supplies, including medical   
   supplies for frontline    
   workers.  Bylaws that restrict the delivery of goods to certain times of the   
   day are being suspended.   
      
   The provincial government also on Thursday suspended local states of emergency   
   declared in response to the pandemic, except for the City of Vancouver.   
   Enforcement on public health orders   
      
   Public health orders issued by Dr. Bonnie Henry include a ban on gatherings   
   with 50 people or more, as well as an order for businesses to close if they   
   can't run under physical distancing rules.   
      
   Henry declared a public health emergency on March 17, giving herself the power   
   to issue verbal orders that are immediately enforceable. British Columbians   
   have repeatedly been told to stay home as much as possible and keep at least   
   two metres away from    
   others when out in public to slow the spread of the coronavirus.   
      
   Premier John Horgan said strict enforcement has become necessary because some   
   people have still refused to comply with Henry's orders.   
      
   "The orders — they are not suggestions or good advice.  They are the law,"   
   the premier said Thursday.  "This is not a drill.  This is a pandemic."   
      
      
   Reselling supplies now prohibited   
      
   The province has also forbidden the resale of essential supplies like food,   
   medical supplies, personal protective equipment and cleaning products during   
   the outbreak.  People who ignore the ban can be fined up to $10,000, jailed   
   for one year, or both.   
      
   "Selfish people, hoarders ... that's who we are speaking to today," Horgan   
   said.   
      
   The province is also going to work with retailers to restrict the amount of   
   vital supplies shoppers can buy at one time, to help prevent stockpiling.   
      
      
   No 'lockdown,' premier says   
      
   Many across the province had called for a lockdown, similar to that in   
   Ontario, ahead of Thursday's announcement.  The premier said B.C. isn't taking   
   that step at this time, but that could change if people do not listen to   
   provincial orders.   
      
   "Dr. Henry has been abundantly clear: If you don't need to be out, stay home,"   
   said the premier.   
      
   "I think people are looking for terminology. If you want to use lockdown, fair   
   enough," he continued.  "Today, we believe we are on the right track ... if we   
   need to do more, we will."   
      
      
   Local states of emergency suspended   
      
   The province on Thursday repealed any local states of emergency in effect in   
   B.C. to ensure a top-down, co-ordinated response to the pandemic from the   
   provincial level.  The City of Vancouver is the sole exception because it has   
   its own Charter.   
      
   "We want to reduce anxiety, we want to increase public confidence, and the   
   best way to do that is to have a universal approach," Horgan said.  "It's our   
   view that the province is best placed [to] take the lead on these issues."   
      
   The province declared a state of emergency on March 18, giving itself new   
   powers to use emergency tools if necessary to lessen the impact of the crisis   
   without requiring legislative approval.   
      
   Several municipalities across B.C. passed their own, local states of emergency   
   within days.  Many communities gave slightly different messages and made   
   slightly different rules, which led to provincial concern about a "patchwork"   
   of regulations from 162    
   separate municipalities coming into play.   
      
   Mayors were warned during a conference call Monday that a centralized approach   
   was coming, but some municipalities were disappointed to see their local   
   efforts stripped away.   
      
   "We were trying to get it so they were a little bit safer and felt a little   
   bit safer," said Doug Daugert, mayor of Port Clements on Haida Gwaii.   
      
   The isolated village on the North Coast had created rules to ensure visitors   
   to the island self-isolated for two weeks and to be sure all non-essential   
   workers stopped coming into work.  Daugert said the small communities on Haida   
   Gwaii have unique needs    
   that may not be met with a provincewide response strategy.   
      
   The province said Thursday suspending local states of emergencies will   
   streamline co-ordination needed to potentially use local, publicly-owned   
   facilities — such as community centres — for self-isolation, testing,   
   medical care and warehousing during    
   the pandemic.   
      
   https://i.cbc.ca/1.5510624.1585229303!/cpImage/httpImage/image.j   
   g_gen/derivatives/16x9_780/john-horgan.jpg   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)