(Windsor) – Today, Brian Masse M.P. (Windsor West), NDP Innovation, Science, Economic Development Critic condemned the trudeau liberal government issuing a leading Donald Trump donor, who has publicly campaigned against COVID-19 restrictions, a special entry exemption into Canada last month, allowing her to skip the country’s mandatory 14-day quarantine for foreign travellers while no action or process has been established for relatives of Canadians with cancer and other life threatening diseases to visit them during their possible final days.

“During this public health crisis due to the COVID 19 pandemic, with the Canadian-US border closed, I along with many other MPs have heard from anguished families and their relatives of Canadians in dire situations with regards to cancer and other terrible disease. Many in their final stages of life. Pleading with authorities to have their relatives, moms and dads, daughters and sons, brothers and sisters, adult children and grandchildren to see them one last time. They have been denied or have had no answer or have been told they must follow the 14 day quarantine rule even though many of them cannot. Some of them have cancer or other diseases themselves that need daily or weekly treatment. In some cases if they were to quarantine their Canadian loved one would have died during that time. Yesterday, we found out a billionaire trump donor, who gave millions in campaign contributions, was able to, along with two of her executives, obtain an exemption to the quarantine rules for private jet fly in. This is beyond outrageous,” Masse stated.

Liz Uihlein, the 75-year-old president and CEO of Uline Inc., a Wisconsin-based retailer of shipping, packing and janitorial supplies, flew to Toronto on her private jet on Aug. 25, for what her company calls a “facility visit” to its Milton, Ont., office and warehouse. Uihlein was accompanied by two other senior company executives, Phil Hunt and Glenn Quaiver, on the two-day trip. All three were granted a special entry exemption into Canada last month, allowing them to skip the country’s mandatory 14-day quarantine for foreign travellers. Uihlein, along with her husband, Richard, ranks as the biggest donor to the Republican Party, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, having given more than $40 million US so far in 2019-20. Uijlein has been critical of the U.S. response to the coronavirus pandemic, complaining that government-mandated shutdowns have been costly and disruptive for business.

“A case that has been reported widely is that of Diane Costello, who is in Hospice here in Windsor, who only wished, during the time she has left, to see her parents who live in Michigan. They have health issues that don’t allow them to quarantine and yet there has been no answer from the government on this tragic and unique situation. This shocking contrast of the different treatment between canadians who are sick and US billionaire is appalling and shameful. The government must act to provide a solution for this family. No more excuses and dela,” Masse stated.