On Thursday, I received a phone call from my employer telling me that I was exposed to a confirmed case of covid earlier in the week. They told me that I need to go get tested, and I can not return to work until I provide proof of a negative test.

Myself, and about sixteen other people, were "exposed" to this "confirmed case," and four of us work from the same office. The other three at my office had been informed of exposure on Wednesday and had all gone to get tested already; one received his negative results within a couple hours and the others were still waiting. I explained that getting tested the day after exposure is useless due to an incubation period, and I agreed to get tested on Monday. However, I later had an important work engagement scheduled for Monday and I ended up going Friday morning.

I drove to my local testing facility in Ontario. It is a drive through testing facility, and there was myself plus two other people there to get tested. There were well over a dozen employees - paramedics; security guards; admin clerks.. I filled out a form and gave them my health card, and they came back a few minutes later and gave me the wrong health card back, ready to test me under the wrong name. I told them that's not me, they took the card back and went to one of the other cars... then they did it again with the info for the other guy there waiting. They gave me the health card and info for the other two people in error. The card has my damn photograph on it.

Anyway I got the ridiculous test done and began to drive home. I was nearly there when I got a call from my local Health Unit. The person on the phone could tell I was driving, and "ordered" me to go home immediately. They said that I need to quarantine myself for 14 days, no exceptions, I can't go get tested and I can't go out and buy provisions. I questioned their authority to essentially imprison me for two weeks, and they said because I was exposed to a "confirmed case," I have been placed under a Section 22 Order. The person did not know what Act this Order was under, but I later learned the authority is under the Health Protection and Promotion Act of Ontario.

Further, the person told me I can not leave my residence, not even to go on my own property. I explained that I live on a large rural lot and it's hunting season; I need to hunt to get food for my family, and it's winter and I need to go outside to shovel snow. I explained that my nearest neighbour is hundreds of meters away. They said if I leave my house, for any reason, I will be fined FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS PER INFRACTION and that health officials or police may come and knock on my door to check on me. They said if I am found to be "non-compliant," then further measures will be taken. I asked what the further measures are, and I was told that they will be determined if I am not compliant. I argued with the person, explaining that this is complete bullshit, but I think all I did is ensure that someone will come check on me.

In addition to all this, it was explained to me that any negative test results I get are not relevant because the incubation period is up to 14 days. I will be "ordered" to be tested part way through my isolation, and then again at the end. If any of the tests come back positive, my isolation period restarts. If i refuse to get tested, I face a $5,000 fine and a court order to be forcibly tested.

I contacted my local MPP explaining why this whole thing is ridiculous and providing my perspective. His office got back to me quickly. They confirmed that I am under house arrest, and that I can leave my house if I have an enclosed balcony or enclosed back yard area. I explained that the nearest house to me is nearly a kilometer away, and they said because of the way the rules are written that I can not go outside unless I have a covered balcony or back yard area. The individual said they would look in to this further, and agreed that it doesn't fit my situation, but those are the rules.

On Friday evening I tried to check my test results online, and the Ontario Covid test results website was down so I can't even access my results.

I can't go to work for two weeks. My MPPs office pointed me towards a $500 per week stipend I can apply for from the federal government, but that doesn't cover my living expenses.

So here I am - under house arrest with threat of massive fines and allusions to imprisonment if I fail to "comply." I can't legally go hunting on my own property, do property maintenance, get my property ready for the winter, or help my wife bring in groceries. I can't walk my dogs or go for a run, or even sit outside to get some sun. I can't feed my animals or maintain my coop, because I have to leave my house to do all that.

I have no symptoms of any illness, I am perfectly healthy, and I am arbitrarily under strict quarantine. My MPP can't (won't?) help. What recourse do I have? Who else can I contact about this atrocity? This is not the Canada I grew up in and learned to love. This is not freedom, and these are not the actions of a government that cares for its citizens.