In the News

A group of U.S. Representatives sent a letter to President Biden to ask him to prioritize the question of the U.S.-Canada border in his first bilateral meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The letter was signed by the Democratic representatives from Washington State, located at the U.S.-Canada border, and the initiative was spearheaded by Congresswoman Suzan DelBene. The U.S.-Canada border closed to non-essential travel on March 21 last year initially for a period of 30 days and was renewed every month since then, with no sign of reopening anytime soon.

“Minimizing the risk presented by COVID-19 and prioritizing the safety of our communities remains of utmost importance while the U.S. and Canada work to overcome this public health crisis,” the lawmakers wrote, “However, as we approach one year of restricted travel, individuals, families, businesses, and communities on both sides of the border have been significantly impacted by these restrictions.”

Suzan DelBene represents Washington’s 1st Congressional District, which includes Point Roberts, a pene-exclave in Washington State on the southernmost tip of the Tsawwassen Peninsula, south of Vancouver in Canada. Residents there need to go through Canada to access health care and even groceries and other essential goods in the rest of the mainland U.S. and according to a spokesperson for Delbene, Nick Martin, border restrictions have been applied inconsistently. While these needs may not be included as the two countries’ definition of “essential travel,” those needs are essential for the residents.

Click here to read the full article on Forbes.