Buffalo, New York Area Congressman Joins Canadian MP in Calling For Science-Based Reopening of Canada-U.S. Border

“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.”

A News Release from the Buffalo, New York Office of U.S. Congressman Brian Higgins

Posted October 7th, 2021 on Niagara At Large

More than one year and a half and counting. The ban on Canadians crossing the Peace Bridge and other border crossings to the United States continues, despite Canadian government’s decision to allow fully vaccinated Americans to cross.

United States Congressman Brian Higgins (Buffalo, New York area) and Canadian Member of Parliament Randy Hoback (Prince Albert, Saskatchewan) released the following joint statement concerning the ongoing closures along the United States-Canada 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.

Buffalo, New York area Congressman Brian Higgins

“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.”

Higgins serves as Co-Chair of the Canada-U.S. Interparliamentary Group and Hoback serves on the House of Commons Special Committee on the Economic Relationship Between Canada and the United States. Their statement follows a call between Higgins and Hoback<https://twitter.com/RepBrianHiggins/status/1445771048939507713> on how Congress and Parliament can work together on normalizing US-Canada border operations.

NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space Following The Bernie Sanders Quote Below.

“A Politician Thinks Of The Next Election. A Leader Thinks Of The Next Generation.” – Bernie Sanders

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