Canadian and US Border Mayors and Elected Officials Call for Border to Return to Normal
Open Letter to Biden and Trudeau signed as Border Communities Continue to Struggle to Recover
An open letter to President Biden and Prime Minister Trudeau was signed today by leading Canada/US border mayors and Members of Parliament and the US Congress. The letter calls for both governments to end unnecessary conditions at the border and return the Canada/USA border to a normal pre-pandemic state.
The letter points out that, “when COVID-19 was at its peak and border measures were effective at slowing transmission rates, we did our part to keep Canadians and Americans safe. Now, we have been left behind in the recovery effort as both countries have largely returned to normal daily life.”
Additionally, the letter highlights that air travel has been allowed to resume in such high volume that air infrastructure is struggling to process the number of travelers. Unvaccinated travelers are clear to travel thousands of kilometres across Canada and the United States while land borders are regulated at the expense of communities whose entire livelihood depends on the back-and-forth crossing of the Canadian-American border.
The nature of the shared land border is a constant coming and going. While life returns to normal everywhere else, government regulations have prevented border communities from resuming their way of life and economic base.
The letter makes clear that “this is a non-partisan issue,” and are imploring both our federal governments for urgent action to help border communities recover and return to normal.
Signatories include elected officials from: Border Community Mayors, Town Representatives, Members of Parliament and Members of Congress.
Canada
Drew Dilkens, Windsor, Ontario Brian Masse, Windsor West
Mike Bradley, Sarnia, Ontario Tony Baldinelli, Niagara Falls
Jim Diodati, Niagara Falls, Ontario Michelle Ferreri, Peterborough-Kawartha
Glen G. Grant, Cornwall, Ontario Marilyn Gladu, Sarnia—Lambton
Judy Swanson, Municipality of Boissevain/Morton, Manitoba Richard Bragdon, Tobique—Mactaquac
Roy Ludwig, Estevan, Saskatchewan Eric Duncan, Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry
Mike Kalivas, City of Brockville, Ontario Michael Barrett, Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes
Wayne Redekop, Fort Erie, Ontario John Williamson, New Brunswick Southwest
June, Caul, Fort Frances, Ontario Glen Motz – Medicine Hat – Cardston – Warner
Betty Disero, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario Brad Redekopp, Saskatoon West
Jim Willet, Village of Coutts, Alberta Dan Muys, Flanborough-Glanbrook
Caroline Rosetti, Saint-Armand. Quebec Alex Ruff, Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound
Lucien Bouchard, Canton de Hemmingford, Quebec Rob Morrison, Kootenay – Columbia
Harvey Matthews, Campobello Island, New Brunswick Melissa Lantsman, Thornhill
Bryan Paterson, City of Kingston Larry Maguire, Brandon—Souris
Jeremy Patzer, Cypress Hills – Grasslands
US
Robert Restaino, Niagara Falls, New York
Thomas Trombley, Champlain, New York
Kevin Freeman, Presque Isle, Maine
Lisa Larivee, Franklin, Vermont
Donald Gerrie, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Mary Lou Steward, City of Blaine
Pauline Repp, City of Port Huron
