A flock of homeward-bound snowbirds landed in Brockville on the weekend, settled overnight in the Walmart parking lot, and proceeded to shop in defiance of government directives that they self-isolate for 14 days, multiple witnesses report.

The actions of the returning Canadians struck fear and concern among store employees, fuelled angry social-media posts by residents, tested the patience of politicians and even prompted area municipal officials to take direct action.

On Saturday evening, more than 20 recreational vehicles, the majority of which had Quebec plates, parked in the Walmart parking lot, stayed overnight, and left Sunday morning. On Sunday night the count was 14 RVs, again predominantly Quebecers.

The snowbirds were returning from wintering in the United States, apparently heeding the Canadian government’s advice that they return home as the border was closed to non-essential traffic because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But while heeding the call to return, many of the snowbirds ignored other recommendations, in a pamphlet given to them at the border by customs officials, that they go straight home and stay there for 14 days.

Brockville Police say that people returning to Canada are not breaking any law by refusing to self-isolate so police are powerless to force them to do so.

In a statement, Brockville Police said the parking lots used by the RVs are private property but that police are willing to help enforce a parking ban if asked by the stores.

“We are working with local business to ask them to assist by not permitting overnight camping and screening people before they enter the store,” police said. “If they wish us to police their lots at night, we will certainly assist.”

Local MPP and provincial cabinet minister Steve Clark said he was disturbed to see the “travellers irresponsibly stopping to shop locally.”

“I’m working with officials to stop this serious problem that puts people at risk,” Clark said in a statement to constituents. “My message to those coming back to Canada is simple: Go straight home and stay there for 14 days.”

Mayor Jason Baker drafted a note to the travellers, translated into French by Coun. Nathalie Lavergne, that welcomed them to Brockville and reminded them of the advice to go into isolation for two weeks.

“We are happy to offer you a chance to rest as you are travelling home and need a break,” his notice reads. “We hope you respect the need to remain in isolation for the next 14 days. If you need supplies from these stores please place this form under your windshield wiper and we will try to help. We hope to see you visit our beautiful city again when life returns to normal.”

Baker also had a message for Brockville residents, asking them to be tolerant.

“These are Canadians trying to return home. Brockville can offer them a safe place to rest and we will do our best to make it safe for our front-line workers,” the mayor said.

“Together we can be a welcoming safe haven for our countrymen or we can be a community who turns people away. I know which community I want to lead.”

Two council members from Elizabethtown-Kitley took a more direct approach. Coun. Tom Linton, later aided by Mayor Brant Burrow, took it upon themselves to approach the RVers and inform them of the need to stay out of the stores.

Linton was passing the Walmart on Saturday evening when he estimated about 20 RVs in the parking lot. Burrow also went by and counted 22 in all.

Early the next morning, Linton was in the adjacent parking lot of the Real Canadian Superstore, where his daughter works. Senior citizens, some with canes and walkers, were lining up to enter the store when it opened for a special seniors’ shopping hour at 7 a.m., Linton said.

To his astonishment, an RV with Quebec plates peeled out of the Walmart parking lot from among the other RVs and stopped in front of the Superstore. A woman got out and stood behind the 15 to 20 seniors in line, he said.

Linton said he pulled his vehicle up to the woman and asked if she had just returned from the U.S. The woman admitted that she had.

“I told her that she shouldn’t be standing in that line. You’re putting those people at risk and you’re putting my daughter, who works there, at risk,” Linton said he told the woman, who eventually got back in the RV and left.

Linton then went to the Walmart parking lot and attempted to persuade the RVers, who had camped overnight, to stay out of the stores.

The discussions were polite, Linton said, and the majority of them listened, although a few snuck into the store when his back was turned.

Recorder and Times reporter Ronald Zajac witnessed one of those confrontations and acted as translator for the Quebecer who didn’t speak English and for Linton, who doesn’t speak French.

The man, who had just returned from Florida, was unconvinced by Linton, saying “I’m being careful.” He went into Walmart to buy garbage bags.

Linton concedes it’s above and beyond his job as a councillor to be arguing with people in a parking lot.

But “my daughter works at the Superstore – she’s wiping down things to keep other people safe – and people are taking it upon themselves to put people at risk,” Linton said.

On Monday morning, Linton, accompanied by Burrow, were back in the Walmart parking lot and they managed to persuade all of the people in the 14 RVs to stay out of the store, they said.

Linton said he will be back at the Walmart again.

“As long as my daughter is in danger, her father is not going to stand by with his hands in his pocket,” Linton said.

Burrow took it upon himself to call the managers of major stores in Brockville – Walmart, Superstore, Home Depot, Canadian Tire and Food Basics – to notify them of the problem of Canadians returning from the U.S. He said if Linton managed to chase them away from Walmart, the travellers might try elsewhere and he wanted to warn the other stores.

Burrow said he was talking with Baker to work up a schedule of some Brockville councillors to supplement Linton’s and his efforts in the Walmart parking lot. (Baker, who is self-isolating, can’t be there himself.)

Every new group of RVers returning to Canada will have to be educated because “some people just don’t seem to get it,” Burrow said.

The ultimate aim is to shame Walmart into taking action on its own since it’s their store, their parking lot, Burrow said.

Baker said that city staffers were meeting with Walmart management on Monday to seek a solution.

wlowrie@postmedia.com