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Mixed reaction to N.S.'s sports and recreation rules for children

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SYDNEY, N.S. -

It's that time of year when some minor hockey families are getting set to travel for Christmas tournaments but if getting to the rink meant crossing a provincial border, they'll now have to stay home.

"It's not really a travel restriction," said Bedford, N.S. hockey parent, Josh Kogon. "It's a participation restriction, which is where a lot of the frustration comes as parents."

Kogon's 12-year-old son, Holden, was planning on heading to a hockey tournament in the Moncton, N.B. area with his team. 

Holden isn't in the 11-and-under age group that Nova Scotia's new restrictions apply to, but some of his teammates are.

Either way, his dad feels the new rules don't make sense.

"They can go to the hotel. They can go to the mall. They can go to the pool. They can go to a restaurant. They can go to the rink. They just aren't allowed to play," Kogon said.

Kogan adds his family has always followed the orders from public health, but says the latest restrictions are confusing.

"It's tough to explain to a hockey team that was all packed and ready to go for the first tournament in many years, why they couldn't go," Kogon said.

James Edwards is president of Glace Bay Minor Hockey. He says none of his teams in the affected age group were planning to travel outside of Nova Scotia anytime soon.

Edwards says he plans to follow the advice from the province and the Hockey Nova Scotia Rebound Plan.

"We're OK with it," Edwards said. "We're very comfortable with doing exactly what Dr. Strang says. It has worked for us so far."

Speaking at Tuesday's COVID-19 briefing, Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health, said he understands some children and parents may be upset with the restrictions, but said the rules are to help protect an age group that's just starting to get vaccinated.

Strang added the change in restrictions is not the province trying to force more children to get the shot.

"This is not meant in any way to be coercive," Strang said. “It's just recognizing the contribution of these type of out-of-province travel and events, and the risks that come with them."

The province says it will review the new measures in January.

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