The rules around crossing the U.S. border during the pandemic led to a bizarre situation for an Invermere couple earlier this month, leaving them angry and frustrated as they were forced to go into quarantine without having technically entered the U.S. 鈥� indeed, without having even left their vehicle.

Grant and Barbara Howse were on their way to Baja, Mexico, where they have residency and property. There are rules in place to allow for this; in fact, Barbara鈥檚 son and daughter-in-law crossed the border earlier 鈥� at the Roosville border crossing.

鈥淥riginally, we were planning on flying,鈥� Grant Howse said. 鈥淏ut every flight that we booked with WestJet was cancelled, or pushed to a different date. Finally, we decided to drive.

鈥淲e got to the border, waited for the command to come in to the port of entry. We explained we were on our way to Mexico, and we were residents of the country. We鈥檙e Canadian citizens, but we also have resident status in the Baja.

鈥淏ut then we were told that we couldn鈥檛 go to Mexico unless we were Mexican citizens.

鈥淲e were pulling our trailer, and we loaded up to cross the States, because [Barbara鈥檚 son and daughter-in-law, who also have Mexican residency] had gone through.鈥�

The son and daughter-in-law had been advised that they couldn鈥檛 stop except for essentials 鈥� gasoline, food 鈥� until they were over the southern border into Mexico, but otherwise they had been waved through.

The Howses explained that they had all their provisions, sanitary gear and masks, and were aware and prepared to follow all safety protocols while crossing the U.S. But even after the U.S. border checked with his supervisor, the Howes鈥� were still denied entry, offered no further reasons, and told to turn around. But that鈥檚 when their troubles really started.

鈥淲e were a little stunned,鈥� Howse said.

The couple were told to drive ahead a few metres to a turn-around spot and go back to Canada, and that the U.S. border guards would call their Canadian counterparts and tell them the Howses were coming, having been refused entry.

鈥淲e turned around and came back to the Canadian side, and the fellow waved us up to the wicket. And that鈥檚 where it all started.鈥�

The Howses were told they were not allowed to come back into Canada unless they went into quarantine for 14 days.

鈥淲e said, 鈥榳hat do you mean, come back into Canada? We were just refused entry into the U.S. He said 鈥榠t doesn鈥檛 matter 鈥� you鈥檙e entering into Canada from the U.S.鈥欌��

The Howses tried to explain that they had not been in the U.S. at all 鈥� that they had been denied entry, but the border guard started listing the penalties they could face if they didn鈥檛 go into the 14-day quarantine, including jail time and enormous fines.

鈥淲e were treated like crap 鈥� like we were a couple of idiots. No compassion at all. And he placed us under quarantine. And he told us we had to go directly to our address [in Invermere], and that he would be contacting the RCMP, and they will at any time during the 14 days to make sure we were at the place of quarantine.

鈥淵ou are not allowed to leave your property, have anyone come to your residence 鈥� 鈥淭he rules set down by this fellow 鈥� I was just appalled.鈥�

The Howses duly returned to Invermere on Oct. 8 and went into quarantine. Grant then called Member of Parliament Rob Morrison, looking for some help on the issue.

鈥淩ob has taken it a long way up the ladder in the political aspect of things 鈥� he鈥檚 really been a great help to us, in trying to get this resolved,鈥� Grant said.

The Howses subsquently got a call from a Canadian Border Service Agency (CBSA) superintendent.

鈥淗e told us this order had come down, that anyone going into the U.S. and coming back into Canada were to go into a 14-day quarantine. Doesn鈥檛 matter if you were there for 15 minutes of 60 days. I told him that we had been denied entry. He said there was nothing he could do 鈥� it came down as an order from Service Canada.

鈥淚 said, 鈥榡ust the same, we hadn鈥檛 left the country!鈥� So why were we place in quarantine?鈥� He said, 鈥業鈥檓 sorry but that鈥檚 the rule.鈥欌��

鈥淚 then told him about the actions of his employee, and how we were treated. He did say he would look into that.鈥�

Last week, the Howses got a call from Service BC, who confirmed that they would remain under quarantine until October 22. And again, their remonstrations that they had not even left the country 鈥� that they had simply driven a few metres to a turn-around spot so they could go back to the Canadian side 鈥� did not make any difference. 鈥淭hose are the rules.鈥�

Grant was not allowed to speak with anyone higher up the ladder at Service BC.

The Howses had planned on renewing their Mexican residency while there. In fact, the deadline to do so was October 23, at the Mexican consulate in Baja. But the Howse鈥檚 agent in Baja was able to get an extension period for them to do so. The Howse鈥檚 ultimate plan to get dual citizenship, Mexican and Canadian, for all the time they spend there.

鈥淲e love the place, the country, the people,鈥� Grant said.

In the meantime, the Howses are stuck in quarantine, and are still furious.

鈥淭his is BS,鈥� Grant said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a bunch of politics that didn鈥檛 have to happen. This quarantine is okay in its place, but it doesn鈥檛 have to apply to everybody. Who sets these rules?

鈥淭here has to be a more neutral area.鈥�