Manitoba’s Premier says now is not the time to be pulling punches in the fight against COVID-19.

Brian Pallister today highlighted the need of increased enforcement of health and safety measures and noted his government is considering implementing a curfew in the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region, if not across the province.

“This is an action we should seriously consider and I am seriously considering it now,” says Pallister. The premier was not shy in calling out young people who continue to party late into the night as a primary reason for the virus’s continued spread, and feels a mandatory curfew could mitigate the rising number of cases.

“I think the deterrents have to be there,” he stressed repeatedly. “The number of people infected in the lower age category have been increasing significantly, and steadily so.”

Details on what that curfew may look like are still up for debate, and Pallister encourages Manitobans to share their thoughts on the matter at EngageMB.ca.

Building on a statement from Canada Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam who last week encouraged the country to slash their close contacts by 50 per cent, Pallister urged his fellow residents to temporarily cut back by 75 per cent.

“Group sizes above five are completely unacceptable,” he reiterates.

Pallister also spoke passionately on the topic of enforcement. Only three tickets were issued this past weekend for non-compliance with government measures and he feels that number will need to increase dramatically before Manitobans get the message.

“We are in a situation where enforcement is not [matching] the need of enforcement,” he states.

While the province has now given both police officers and bylaw officers the ability to ticket COVID-19 offenses, he is regretful that those individuals have not been properly instructed on how to actually target offenders.

“We did empower hundreds of additional people, but the number of tickets being [issued] is too low, in my estimation. Hitting them in the pocketbook is going to be the way we help change bad behavior. The reality is this is something we have not done as effectively as I would like.”

Pallister compares the present situation to the rules of the road. If people knew there were no traffic police he says motorists would most likely behave less responsibly. Similarly, he believes active enforcers of COVID-19 restrictions will help those few non-compliant individuals to clean up their act.

“I think there are some folks who think they are never going to get caught,” states Pallister, who insists that needs to change.

More information on increased enforcement and the potential of a curfew is expected later this week.