Canadian government is standing strong on the border closer this week after a public plea from U.S Congress to reopen it to normal travel.
The border has been closed for just over four month since the shutdown started only open to essential travel.
American stopped in Canada on none essential travel are subject to fines and deportation.
The members of Congress, who represent the northern states along the border, also implored the Canadian government to consider easing restrictions on family members and property owners impeded by the border closure.
“We understand the importance of prioritizing the safety of our communities as we all navigate the complex calculation of minimizing public health risks and resuming economic activity. However, the social and economic partnership between our two nations necessitates a clear pathway forward,” the letter read.
They crafted the letter following the latest joint Canada-U.S. agreement to extend the current border closure until July 21. This is the third time the agreement to maintain the border closure has been extended.
Despite the United States’ plea, a spokesperson for Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland told CTVNews.ca in a Friday statement that the health and safety of Canadians is “absolutely priority.”
“Decisions about Canada’s border are made by Canadians, for Canadians,” said Freeland’s spokesperson, Katherine Cuplinskas, in the statement.
“Since the beginning of this global pandemic, we have been having friendly ongoing conversations with our American partners about our shared border. Both sides agree that the current measures in place, which are set to expire on July 21st, have worked well in restricting non-essential travel while allowing essential crossings to continue unimpeded.”
