Members Representing Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Buffalo and Niagara, New York Call for Science-based Reopening of Canada-US Border
Member of Parliament Randy Hoback and United States Congressman Brian Higgins released the following joint statement concerning the ongoing closures along the Canada-United States border:
“When the pandemic hit in early 2020, Americans and Canadians understood temporary restrictions were necessary to stop the spread of COVID-19 until a vaccine could be developed. Families on both sides of the border sacrificed time and separation from their loved ones in the interest of public health.
“Just under two years later, vaccines are freely and readily available to all who want them. In both countries, over 65 percent of those over the age of twelve are fully vaccinated. The people who did their part and got vaccinated deserve a return to normal, to see their friends and families, and to close the divide that has separated border communities.
“Canada recognized the powerful protection the vaccines offer and opened their border to all fully vaccinated Americans in August. The United States must follow the science and do the same. The Biden Administration should immediately reopen the land border to fully vaccinated Canadians.
“Further, the administration has indicated that the current posture of the U.S. government relative to the Canada-U.S. border is being guided by science. If there are, in fact, actual metrics about vaccination rates or case rates which would trigger the reopening of the border, the administration has a responsibility to tell stakeholders specifically what those metrics are.
“Canadians and Americans have endured too much separation for too long and our economies have suffered as a result. We owe it to businesses, families and communities on both sides of the border to provide clear policy that allows us to come together again.”
Hoback serves on the House of Commons Special Committee on the Economic Relationship Between Canada and the United States. Higgins serves as Co-Chair of the Canada-U.S. Interparliamentary Group. Their statement follows a call between Higgins and Hoback on how Congress and Parliament can work together on normalizing Canada-US border operations.