There seems to be little sympathy for travellers returning to Canada after a winter in sun and surf.

The comments on various social media platforms aren’t kind, to put it mildly. There will be no bake sales or bottle drives to help them pay for their government forced quarantine.

People are picking for the most part on snowbirds, who seem to be the most vocal of travellers and magnets for reporters. The largest flocks will make their way back to the homeland in late March and early April.

Last fall, the federal government advised people not to travel if it wasn’t essential. For some, essential travel meant getting away from the snow and cold.

Four months ago, many of these folks complained about the border between the U.S. and Canada being closed to vehicular traffic, with the exception being essential crossings. It was quite a flap.

Many ‘birds found a loophole of sorts and had their vehicles and RVs shipped to the U.S., and then flew, as birds do, across the border to greet their transportation, which took them to Florida and Arizona and other warm-weather locales.

Last month, on the sympathy scale, was a particularly bad one for those red-faced with anger about the new re-entry rules. Our red faces were from frozen skin, as temperatures dipped into the -50s with the wind chill.

Those taking winter holidays are not happy because they will have to stay in government-selected hotels for three days after arriving home. Then, they can go home for the rest of their quarantine, where they could be monitored.

Those returning to Canada are now paying about $1,500 a pop for the pleasure of not being able to leave their hotel rooms for 72 hours.

Why $1,500? There is the room cost, the test, transportation and hotel security. Yes, and stale bread and water.

Why three days? That is the typical time it will take to get the results from tests.

“Those with negative test results will then be able to quarantine at home under significantly increased surveillance and enforcement,” Prime Minister Trudeau said at a recent news conference.

The government has hired three companies, at a cost of about $2 million to taxpayers, to keep their eyes on our returning sun seekers. The Canadian Corps of Commissionaires, which hires Armed Forces veterans and retired police officers, is also on board. Their mandate is to make inperson calls.

That’s harsh.

These people used poor judgment, but they aren’t criminals. It not like they are Proud Boys returning from an insurrection.

For travellers returning to Canada, international flights land in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal.

Marti Young, a Calgary senior spending the winter in Mesa, Ariz., told Global News the mandatory hotel quarantine is “ludicrous.”

“If the government wants you to do that, they can pick up the tab,” she said.

Sorry, Marti, you travelled to Arizona in defiance of a travel advisory.

How can she, or any others with a tan, expect us — taxpayers — to pay the freight?

How is life in a government selected hotel?

A 34-year-old Ontario man said it wasn’t like frolicking with beautiful people at Sandals.

“I was told when I arrived (in Toronto) from Charlotte (North Carolina) that it was either three days in quarantine or go to jail,” he told the Toronto Sun.

He was taken via a shuttle bus to a hotel, which he named as being a Radisson property.

“I am not allowed to leave the room,” he told the Sun. “There is a guard at the end of the hall.” Meals tend to be sandwiches and water, he said. No Skip the Dishes.

While I understand the financial hit wasn’t in place when snowbirds and other Canadians went south, things can change quickly during a pandemic.

There was a simple solution. Stay home.

-Cam Hutchinson