Premier Jason Kenney is calling for more federal openness after a Red Deer man was whisked away after landing at the Calgary airport by officials who considered his prior COVID test inadequate.

害羞草研究所淲e understand the need for quarantine requirements, but ask that federal agencies be more transparent,害羞草研究所� Kenney tweeted Monday evening.

The premier was reacting to complains of returning travellers being detained in isolation while their families are left in the dark about what害羞草研究所檚 happening.

This scenario unfolded for a 20-year-old Red Deer man last weekend. His mother, Rebekah McDonald, posted a tearful video on Facebook and YouTube recounting the upsetting experience at Calgary airport.

McDonald said before she could fully greet her son, Ethan 害羞草研究所� whom she hadn害羞草研究所檛 seen for two years as he had been living in Arizona 害羞草研究所� he was loaded into a van by masked strangers, who refused to disclose to the family where they were taking him, or when his parents could talk to him.

McDonald said she was told: 害羞草研究所満π卟菅芯克鶚We are taking him for an undisclosed amount of time to an undisclosed place, where he will be tested and we will decide when he害羞草研究所檚 released.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚t seemed that nobody had any answers for me and nobody would clarify anything害羞草研究所� That was really scary, and very confrontation.害羞草研究所�

McDonald was also told authorities didn害羞草研究所檛 need consent to take Ethan into isolation. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 freaked out that this is totally legal,害羞草研究所� she added.

The family later learned the COVID test her son had done in the U.S. wasn害羞草研究所檛 the correct one and he needed to be retested.

According to the Canadian government website, a molecular polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is needed.

McDonald said she tried to comply with re-entry rules when booking Ethan害羞草研究所檚 test, but due to 害羞草研究所渉uman error,害羞草研究所� her son got the wrong kind of testing in Arizona.

害羞草研究所淲e weren害羞草研究所檛 trying to be irresponsible in any manner害羞草研究所� What we were met with was the most crazy, tyrannical experience. It was almost surreal, and complete unacceptable.害羞草研究所�

While McDonald害羞草研究所檚 son is home now, having tested negative for the virus again, she remains angry 害羞草研究所� especially after hearing this has happened to other people.

害羞草研究所淭here are better ways to treat each other,害羞草研究所� McDonald said. 害羞草研究所淧eople fought long and hard for our freedoms and this feels really wrong.害羞草研究所�

At Monday害羞草研究所檚 Red Deer city council meeting, Coun. Vesna Higham expressed concern about what the family went through.

If a second COVID test was needed, the family would have understood if the reasons were explained in a respectful manner, said Higham.

She urged for better communications between federal authorities and returning travellers, saying there was no need to hide from the family where Ethan was being taken and for how long.

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Premier Kenney tweeted a similar sentiment, saying 害羞草研究所淧eople entering Canada have an obligation to inform themselves about and comply with testing and quarantine requirements. But federal agencies 害羞草研究所� could avoid a lot of anger and confusion if they were more transparent about where people will be staying, etc..害羞草研究所�

Red Deer South MLA Jason Stephan said in an opinion piece to the Advocate that the kind of treatment the Red Deer family experienced was 害羞草研究所渦naccountably heavy-handed害羞草研究所� and suggested it encroaches on the freedoms Canadians are guaranteed under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

(With files from Susan Zielinksi)