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Canada PM agrees to lift pandemic border measures, source says

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CBC NEWS: The federal government has decided to drop the vaccination requirement for people entering Canada, end random COVID-19 testing at airports and make the use of the ArriveCan app optional by the end of this month, a senior government source told CBC News.

Earlier this week, sources told CBC that Ottawa was leaning toward ending the measures but a final decision hadn’t been made because it was awaiting the approval of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The current COVID-19 Emergency Order-in-Council relating to border measures was set to expire on Sept. 30. The government had the option of extending the measures. The government is expected to make an official announcement on Monday, the source said.

The official spoke to CBC on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

The government has yet to decide if they will end the current masking requirements for passengers on planes and trains. That topic will be debated in cabinet later on Thursday.

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino wouldn’t confirm that a decision had been made when speaking with reporters on Thursday evening. He said the government would follow the advice of public health experts.

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On Tuesday, a group of MPs and border-city mayors published an open letter to Trudeau and U.S. President Joe Biden asking them to end the “unnecessary” rules at the border, which they say would allow border communities to recover economically from the pandemic.

“When COVID-19 was at its peak and border measures were effective at slowing transmission rates, we did our part to keep Canadians and Americans safe,” the letter states. “Now, we have been left behind in the recovery effort as both countries have largely returned to normal daily life.”

Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati, one of those who signed the letter, said he was grateful for the government’s decision but called it “long overdue.”

“I would like to see a grand re-opening of Canada event, with a massive ribbon cutting,” Diodati said in a statement to CBC.

A number of travellers and tourism operators have been calling for an end to the pandemic measures, especially random testing.

The Tourism Industry Association of Canada said it was “heartened” by the news but added the government should still lift the masking requirement for air travellers.

“We have been unequivocal in calling on the federal government to lift all remaining COVID-19 restrictions on travel,” a statement from the organization said.

A spokesperson for the Frontier Duty Free Association, which represents dozens of private duty-free stores across the country, said the association was “thrilled” to learn the restrictions would be lifted.

“We can now get on the long road to recovery and we are very much looking forward to it after these very difficult times,” the statement said.

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One response to “Canada PM agrees to lift pandemic border measures, source says”

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES – INDIVIDUAL SELECTION)

 

OECS MSME Guarantee Facility Project

Loan No.: IDA-62670, IDA-62660, IDA-62640, IBRD-88830, IDA-62650

Assignment Title: Senior Operating Officer (SOO)

Reference No. KN-ECPCGC-207852-CS-INDV

 

The Governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have received financing in the amount of US$10 million equivalent from the World Bank towards the cost of establishing a partial credit guarantee scheme, and they intend to apply part of the proceeds to payments for goods, and consulting services to be procured under this project. 

The consultant will serve as the “Senior Operating Officer (SOO)” for the ECPCGC and should possess extensive knowledge of MSME lending with some direct experience lending to Micro, small and medium-sized businesses, knowledge of the internal control processes necessary for a lending operation and the ability to design and implement risk mitigation procedures. The ideal candidate should possess an Undergraduate Degree from a reputable college or university, preferably in Business, Accounting, Banking or related field, with a minimum of 5 years’ experience in lending, inclusive of MSME lending. The initial employment period will be for two years on a contractual basis. Renewal of the contract will be subject to a performance evaluation at the end of the contractual period. The assignment is expected to begin on September 30th, 2021.  The consultant will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer of the ECPCGC.

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be viewed by following the attached link below. 

 

https://bit.ly/3iVannm

 

The Eastern Caribbean Partial Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECPCGC) now invites eligible “Consultants” to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have:

  • An Undergraduate Degree from a reputable college or university, preferably in Business, Finance, Banking or related field; and
  • Minimum of 5 years’ experience in MSME lending. Applicants should also have:
  • The ability to design and implement risk management procedures 
  • Extensive knowledge of MSME lending with some direct experience lending to small and medium-sized businesses
  • Extensive knowledge of MSME banking operations
  • Knowledge of the internal controls necessary for a lending operation and the ability to design and implement risk management procedures
  • Experience developing and presenting information in public, including responding to questions in real-time
  • Experience lending to MSMEs located in the ECCU
  • Knowledge of marketing and communicating with the MSME sector
  • Ability to draft procedures to be used in a lending operation
  • Familiarity with the mechanics of a loan guarantee program
  • Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills, and
  • Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office suite.

The attention of interested Individual Consultants is drawn to Section III, Paragraphs 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers July 2016, [revised November 2017] (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Approved Selection Method for Individual Consultants set out in the clause 7.34 of the World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers. 

 

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 0800 to 1700 hours:

Eastern Caribbean Partial Credit Guarantee Corporation

Brid Rock, Basseterre,

St. Kitts.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form by e-mail by August 11th, 2021, to [email protected]

 

For further information, please contact:

Carmen Gomez-Trigg                                                            Bernard Thomas

Chief Executive Officer                                                          Chief Financial Officer

Tel: 868-620-8144                                                                  Tel: 869-765-2385

Email: [email protected]                                          [email protected]