The Blue Jays are coming home July 30
After weeks of speculation, and three days after the team released details of the proposal they submitted to the federal government, the Blue Jays confirmed on Friday evening that they’ve been given a National Interest Exemption that will allow them to host visiting clubs in Toronto beginning July 30. They’re coming home.
Holy shit.
Rob Gillies of the Associated Press reported just after 6 PM ET that the Jays were very close to receiving the go-ahead to return.
Shi Davidi of Sportsnet reported about 20 minutes later that the approval had been given.
The Blue Jays confirmed it shortly thereafter.
The National Interest Exemption, according to the Government of Canada’s website, “exempt a foreign national whose presence in Canada, in the opinion of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship or the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, is in the national interest.”
It continues:
National interest considerations used to overcome the travel restrictions pertain to why the person should exceptionally and immediately be allowed to board a flight bound for Canada or enter Canada. For example, business visitors travelling to contribute to Canada’s critical infrastructure may be considered to be in the national interest. Public Safety Canada’s website contains a non-exhaustive list of essential services and functions.
The national interest exemption is intended to be used in exceptional circumstances only. All other exemptions must be considered before giving consideration to applying the national interest exemption. The national interest is meant to be used in limited cases beyond those contemplated by the other exemptions. It is not meant to be a workaround for cases when a more appropriate exemption is not granted by the authority authorized to make the exemption.
I’m not sure this is the appropriate way to exempt a bunch of professional baseball players, but who cares? The Jays are coming back, baby!
Club president and CEO Mark Shapiro addressed the news on Twitter.
The Jays as a club elaborated in a media release:
After nearly two years away, the Toronto Blue Jays are finally coming home to Canada beginning July 30. The club was granted a National Interest Exemption by the federal government that allows Major League Baseball games to be played at Rogers Centre, with robust health and safety protocols in place.
First and foremost, the Blue Jays wish to thank Canadians for their unprecedented public health efforts and support for the team. Without you, Blue Jays baseball would not be coming home this summer.
In addition, the organization wishes to acknowledge Blue Jays staff and players for their tireless efforts and dedication during a franchise-defining chapter of team history, and whose resilience never wavered through immense challenges and times of uncertainty.
Partnership was required across all three levels of government and public health to bring the Blue Jays back to Rogers Centre. The organization extends its sincerest thanks to Dr. de Villa and Dr. Dubey at Toronto Public Health, Mayor Tory, and the City of Toronto; Dr. Moore and Dr. Warshafsky at the Ontario Ministry of Health, Minister MacLeod, Premier Ford, and the Province of Ontario; and Dr. Njoo at the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Immigration, and the Government of Canada.
The Blue Jays are also deeply grateful to Bob and Mindy Rich and the Buffalo Bisons organization; the City of Buffalo, Erie County, and New York State officials; and Buffalo-area fans for their support in making Sahlen Field feel like a true home crowd. The club is also thankful to the City of Dunedin, Pinellas County, and the State of Florida for welcoming the Blue Jays into the community for an extended stay earlier this season.
2021 and 2022 Season Ticket Members will receive communication directly from their Blue Jays Service Representative shortly. Additional ticket information and health and safety guidelines at Rogers Centre will be shared in the coming days.
It’s happening! Oh man, it’s going to be wild.
Sign up for this here newsletter! Or show your support by upgrading to a paid membership!
Gillies’ report for the AP quotes a statement from Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino, who explains that “Following a careful review by public health officials at every level of government, a National Interest Exemption will permit the Toronto Blue Jays to return to Toronto and play home games at the Rogers Centre.”
Mendocino adds, per Gillies:
“The plan contains significant measures to ensure the safety of players, personnel and the public. This begins with pre- and post-arrival testing of everyone, and additional testing four times a week for unvaccinated individuals.
“It also includes significant limitations on unvaccinated individuals, who will have to undergo a modified quarantine, not be permitted to go anywhere but the hotel and stadium and have no interaction with the general public.”
“Anyone who breaches these stringent conditions will have their exemptions revoked and may also be subject to fines or prosecution under the Quarantine Act.”
Sucks for unvaccinated players, such as these idiots, but them’s the breaks.
The news was, understandably, met with enthusiasm from Jays fans online.
Not all of the response was positive however:
A fair question! And it’s definitely weird to think of a billionaire baseball team getting a National Interest Exemption to bring unvaccinated people into the country! But we’re really in a great spot here with respect to the pandemic — not a perfect one, but better than a lot of people feared we’d be by this stage of the summer — and having the Blue Jays back where they belong really is an incredible reward.
Take my money, Blue Jays!
Top image: "Rogers Centre" by udo.d is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
This is great. And feels sensible in terms of protocols provided everyone follows the rule. Would be curious who, if anyone, is not vaccinated on the Jays given their willingness to confine themselves to a hotel room for each home stand would be more of an issue than someone doing so for three days as a visitor. Super glad they're back even though I doubt I'll get from Ottawa to a game this season. Any step towards normalcy feels great.
Starting to tear up a bit just thinking about it. Stupid but there you go.