Then why is there this seeming inconsistency?
In the early days of a declared global pandemic, many Canadians were trapped abroad, and they were told, in no uncertain terms, that they had to pay for their own flights. In many cases, the flights were very expensive because they were at the last minute. Borders were closing; it was an emergency situation to get back in the weeks following the declaration of a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. However, in other cases, Canadians are not expected to reimburse the Government of Canada. There seems to be a bit of inconsistency in the government's policy here.