A Cranbrook fitness centre owner continues to seek a reasonable explanation as to why his business has to remain closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic surge, when so many similar enterprises are allowed to stay open.

And Kootenay-Columbia MP Rob Morrison agrees with him.

Morrison and City of Cranbrook Councillor Wes Graham met with Fitness Inc. owner Trevor Zak this morning at the shuttered business. (See videos below.)

“None of this makes sense. There are no stats to back up any of this stuff. Where are Dr. Bonnie’s stats? There is nothing to back it up,” Zak said, noting he’s received nothing from government detailing exactly why gyms must close while things such as public pools, junior hockey games and other recreational clubs can remain open.

The pandemic has been a rollercoaster ride for Zak and staff, as his business had to close at times during the pandemic “and we were just starting to get rolling and Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincially, shut us down. She doesn’t get the consequences of shutting us down.”

“The lockdowns have created a serious mental health issue in Canada,” Morrison said, while calling on the federal government to beef up ICU capacities throughout the country.

“Two years into the pandemic, we have to ensure we have the tools to live with COVID-19 while ensuring Canadians can live normal lives. Inaction by the Trudeau government is leading to the inability to manage risks beyond widespread lockdown practices. After two years, the Liberal government has still not demonstrated national leadership on domestic production, supply and education regarding COVID rapid tests. Rapid tests are a key tool and most Canadians still do not have adequate access to them,” Morrison stated.

“Continued sweeping shutdowns will not fix the underlying problem of lack of surge resources in Canada’s healthcare system. That’s why in the last election, Conservatives promised a collaborative approach to building provincial healthcare capacity as part of a historic $60 billion increase to healthcare transfers. The federal government must stop continuing to spend money on band aid solutions to enable shutdowns instead of fixing the root of the problem.”

Morrison said Canada’s Conservatives call upon the federal government, on an emergency basis, to immediately:

• Increase transfers to the provinces to increase healthcare surge resources.
• Find innovative ways to boost surge capacity across the country, for example, emergency credentialing of foreign trained health professionals.
• Provide support to the provinces to increase testing capacity, including the deployment of rapid tests to schools, businesses, gyms and public recreation centres.
• Ensure game changing therapeutics, like the new Pfizer product, are rapidly but effectively reviewed, obtained and distributed to hospitals.
• Procure and distribute n95 masks to all Canadians.
• Support provinces in getting booster shots to Canadians.
• Bolster efforts to provide vaccines to countries that have limited supply.

“Canadians want to see an end to lockdowns and an end to restrictions to their liberty. Conservatives are calling on the government to focus instead on the mental wellness of Canadian society. That is why today, I invited Councillor Wesly Graham, from the City of Cranbrook, to join me for a special meeting with Trevor Zak at Fitness Inc. where we discussed the need to end lockdowns,” Morrison explained.

In the first video Trevor Zak speaks about the trials and tribulations of trying to operate his business under constantly changing conditions due to the pandemic followed by MP Morrison’s statement.

The second video features MP Morrison and Trevor Zak answering questions from local media, including e-KNOW.

In the third video, Trevor Zak expands on why gym owners feel picked on, including pressure from the police.

Lead image: Fitness Inc. owner Trevor Zak addresses Kootenay-Columbia MP Rob Morrison and local media Tuesday morning. Ian Cobb/e-KNOW photos / Carrie Schafer/e-KNOW videos

e-KNOW

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