Local leaders call for unilateral border action if necessary

PLATTSBURGH | In a move applauded by North Country leaders, U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik is now pushing for the U.S. to unilaterally ease restrictions for non-essential travel across the northern border. The June 3 push came in response to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's recent comments that Canada will make its "decisions based on the interests of Canadians and not based on what other countries want." Stefanik was quickly joined by the North Country Chamber of Commerce in calling for unilateral action "if a bilateral reopening plan is not established before restrictions expire on June 21." "Our communities cannot afford any further delay or acquiescence – unilateral action to begin reopening the border appears necessary," Stefanik wrote in the letter to Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas pushing for the Department of Homeland Security to develop a unilateral plan of action. Stefanik also pointed to inconsistencies with the current restrictions, saying "A coordinated, bilateral approach to reopening the border remains preferable, but we should be under no illusion that the current restrictions are either fully synchronized or equitable for U.S. citizens. Canadians have been permitted to fly into the U.S. throughout the pandemic, while Americans remain unable to fly into Canada for non-essential travel. Canadians have been able to receive a vaccine when in the U.S., while fully vaccinated Americans are unable even to quarantine on their own properties in Canada, many of which have gone unattended for well over a year." "Canada is more permissive in allowing family members to reunite, while the U.S. has not instituted a similar policy, inexplicably requiring families a short drive apart to board an airplane if they wish to reconnect. And American recreational boaters with no intention of docking, thus no risk of transmission, are being prevented from transiting through Canadian boundary waters, while Canadian boaters remain able to enter U.S. boundary waters." In a subsequent statement, Stefanik said "As Co-Chair of the Northern Border Caucus, I have worked with my colleagues across the aisle, our Canadian counterparts, the North Country Chamber of Commerce, and essentially anyone who will listen over the past several months to establish a bilateral, metrics-based plan to reopen the northern border, but the Canadian Government continues to lack the urgency this situation demands. Enough is enough – the United States needs to do what's best for the American people and small businesses and reopen the northern border." Chamber of Commerce President Garry Douglas said "For months, we and others have been calling for a bi-national commitment to a border reopening plan. This has included calls for some very modest and reasonable first steps such as expanding the permitted travel categories to include more family connections, property owners including boats and campsites, business people engaged in cross border business dealings, and access to airports here for Canadians who are already permitted to fly into the U.S. from Canadian airports. With indications that the Canadian Government is not yet open to true planning or to some reasonable first steps, it is time to consider taking some unilateral steps and putting the possibility out there." Douglas said Canadians coming under any new allowances would still have to comply with unilateral Canadian quarantine requirements upon their return but would be able to access summer homes, campers and boats and also fly from local airports for travel purposes. "We hope DHS will seriously consider the possibilities of beginning some unilateral steps while also continuing to hope that the Canadian Government will see the urgency of this border situation in the broad context of the special U.S.-Canadian social and economic relationship, engaging in meaningful planning and phasing."

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Local leaders call for unilateral border action if necessary

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