Feds scramble to bring stranded Canadian travellers home from India

 

OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says 20,000 Canadian travellers stranded abroad have been repatriated to Canada.

But he says many more flights are needed to bring back large numbers of Canadians from India in particular.   

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says that is challenging task, and she is firmly warning that any Canadians coming home from India are legally required to quarantine for 14 days to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The repatriation of Canadians abroad continues as the government is flying in large amounts of cargo to help control the spread of the pandemic and protect medical workers.

Trudeau said earlier this week that two Canadian planes left China without the protective medical equipment that they had been sent to pick up.

One of the planes was a federal charter and the other was destined for a particular province the prime minister refused to name.