U.S. Representatives Ask Biden To Prioritize Border Talks During Meeting With Trudeau

A group of U.S. Representatives sent a letter to President Biden to ask him to prioritize the question of the U.S.-Canada border in his first bilateral meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The letter was signed by the Democratic representatives from Washington State, located at the U.S.-Canada border, and the initiative was spearheaded by Congresswoman Suzan DelBene. The U.S.-Canada border closed to non-essential travel on March 21 last year initially for a period of 30 days and was renewed every month since then, with no sign of reopening anytime soon.

“Minimizing the risk presented by COVID-19 and prioritizing the safety of our communities remains of utmost importance while the U.S. and Canada work to overcome this public health crisis,” the lawmakers wrote, “However, as we approach one year of restricted travel, individuals, families, businesses, and communities on both sides of the border have been significantly impacted by these restrictions.”

Suzan Delbene represents Washington’s 1st Congressional District, which includes Point Roberts, a pene-exclave in Washington State on the southernmost tip of the Tsawwassen Peninsula, south of Vancouver in Canada. Residents there need to go through Canada to access health care and even groceries and other essential goods in the rest of the mainland U.S. and according to a spokesperson for Delbene, Nickc Martin, border restrictions have been applied inconsistently. While these needs may not be included as the two countries’ definition of “essential travel,” those needs are essential for the residents.

“The Canadian government grants individual discretion to CBSA [Canada Border Services Agency] agents in determining what is or is not an essential crossing,” the letter reads, “As a result, delegation offices have received numerous reports of constituents who were turned away from essential crossings and forced to go without medical care and food.”

The letter asks for President Biden to prioritize establishing a bilateral plan for easing restrictions and restoring travel, mandatory vaccination, and testing while crossing the border and to reciprocate the Canadian travel exemptions to allow families and loved ones to reunite, for example. It also specifically asks to allow Point Roberts residents to cross through Canada and into the mainland United States.

“We need Canada to apply border restrictions uniformly, no matter which CBSA agent meets an American at the border crossing,” it reads.  

Last November, a task force composed of former Canadian and American lawmakers was established by the Canada Institute at the Wilson Center in order to study the question of reopening the borders, but their recommendations aren’t due until March. 

Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau said in a statement issued on Feb. 20 that the U.S.-Canada relationship “is built on common values, strong ties between our people, and a shared geography. I look forward to my meeting with President Biden, where we will work together to end the COVID-19 pandemic and support people in both our countries.” The two leaders are also likely to discuss the Keystone XL pipeline, a first blow in the Biden-Trudeau relationship after the American President decided to block the project.

Jen Psaki, the White House Press Secretary, also said they are likely to discuss “the Covid-19 response, climate change and the economic ties that bind our countries, as well as the deep people-to-people bonds we share.”