“Guided by Science and Evidence”? The Politics of Border Management in Canada's Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

The limited and coordinated use of travel measures to control the international spread disease, based on scientific evidence respect for human rights, are core tenets World Health Organization's (WHO) International Regulations (IHR). Yet, during COVID-19 pandemic, there has been near universal largely uncoordinated by national governments, characterized wide variation in what have used, when how they applied, whom applicable to. Given significant social economic impacts caused measures, analyses date sought understand effectiveness specific reducing importation onward SARS-CoV-2, or needed efforts strengthen compliance with IHR. There study role national-level policy making explain these widely varying practices. Applying path dependency theory Canadian policies this paper interaction between science politics four key periods pandemic response. Bringing together systematic reviews literature parliamentary records, we argue that evidentiary gap initial wave was filled political influences shaped when, testing quarantine travelers were applied. These then created a degree capacity government officials change subsequent waves pandemic. This accompanied frequent claims reliance but transparency about informed decisions. We that, over time, further politicized issue undermined public trust. conclude fuller understanding decision-making border management is essential future coordination under