U.S. politicians fume over Canada's extended border restrictions

[Hiawatha Pete]

Source:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/us-canada-border-closed-reaction-1.6071737

-snip-

American politicians who are normally friendly to Canada are fuming over news that the border will remain closed to non-essential travel for at least another month.

"I wish there was a more artful way to say this — but this is bullshit," said Rep. Brian Higgins, a Democratic congressman whose Buffalo, N.Y., district touches the border.

A senior Republican from New York, Rep. Elise Stefanik, demanded a unilateral reopening in a recent letter to the administration — urging Biden to get tougher with his Canadian counterpart.

Biden "missed a huge opportunity at the G7 summit to stand up for America and deliver a plan to safely reopen," Stefanik said in a statement Friday. "Instead, caving to Prime Minister Trudeau's incessant desire to delay."

-snip-

My wife & I miss driving to Upstate New York from Ontario. We miss the occasional cross border shopping junket.

We miss seeing the natural beauty of Letchworth State Park.

We miss the many train trips across the country on Amtrak to places like Seattle, LA, Glacier National Park, Miami.

But sorry Ms Stefanik, it's the duty of Canada's elected representatives to represent the safety and interests of the citizens of Canada, not your interests or the commercial interests of your backers.

We do not want the border open yet if doing so will jeopardize Canadian lives.

Americans should want the same for themselves, as Canada has not yet achieved its own vaccination targets.

[pwb]

1. Stefanik is on her way out.

She is against our states interest. Independents will see to that. IMO.

[PortTack]

4. Seriously? You don't think she will be re-elected?

[Fiendish Thingy]

2. Loosened restrictions for vaccinated Canadians effective July 5 just announced today

Border still closed to non-Canadian citizens/PR’s.

If the US and Canada can agree on a method to verify the vaccination status of travellers, I expect the border to be open in both directions by August.

[Hiawatha Pete]

3. Your timeline sounds plausible. Fingers crossed.

Last edited Mon Jun 21, 2021, 02:32 PM - Edit history (1)

We were lagging behind the U.S. on the vaccination front but now we're receiving between 2 & 9 million doses per week so seem to be on track for a "2-dose" summer.

That said I can't see a whole new "vaccine passport" document being created from scratch and issued by August to the millions of people vaccinated, though the border could well be open both ways by then.

I imagine acceptable proof will be something like the Gov't of Ontario vaccination receipts provided after our 1st & second doses - with the 2nd dose receipt needed to be considered fully vaccinated for those vaccines that require 2 doses. That is what is currently acceptable for fully vaxed returning Canadians under the new rules announced today.

I would imagine that the US has some sort of similar documentation from the pharmacies/clinics doing the rollout there.

[rzemanfl]

7. I am hearing if you meet the requirements to visit and are fully vaccinated you can

visit without quarantine. Have to have relationship to a Canadian and may have to stay at least 15 days. This is a quick and dirty explanation of a fairly complicated set of rules.

[ariadne0614]

8. Thank you so much for posting this!

I need to get across the border to see my first and only grandchild. She's already six days old, and my exhausted daughter and her exhausted Canadian husband need my help. This gives me hope! The exemplary grassroots Voices of Advocacy group are doing amazing work on behalf of family reunification. They are a reliable resource for information, and their transition plan is being used by Canadian MPs to build safe, responsible government policies.

At the end, David Poon implored everyone affected by the border issue to share this video and Subscribe to VoA. I hope many DU people with Canadian ties will do just that.

[rzemanfl]

9. Thank you and good luck. n/t

[riverbendviewgal]

5. The border will open up when its safe

All my fellow Canadians agree, we can wait. I have my 2 shots of the vax. And all my friends have Theirs.
We are ok with waiting.

[Hiawatha Pete]

6. Yep, that's pretty much the consenus everywhere

Wife & I both had our two shots. Still a lot of people to go.