Photo courtesy Pete Stauber/Facebook
Concern in the US about the Canada-US border still being shutdown to non-essential travel.
Minnesota Congressman Pete Stauber met recently with business owners in the International Falls.
Some told him they won’t reopen this year because the tourism traffic they rely on isn’t there.
Federal, provincial and municipal officials in Canada point to the high number of COVID-19 cases in the US as reasons to keep the border closed for as long as possible.
Stauber says he understands Canadians concern. But he says the high numbers are because there’s more testing being conducted.
“It should be no surprise to anyone in a worldwide Global pandemic with the country that is testing the most is going to find out that there are more positives because of the increasing testing,” says Stauber.
Stauber notes the border closures isn’t just having an impact on businesses.
He says Americans are also restricted from boating to the island cabins or fishing on the border waters.
“You can leave Canadian waters and enter American waters and fish just as long as you don’t stop on shore, but there’s no reciprocity from our Canadian friends.”
Stauber says he plans to raise the concerns to a Canada-United States Interparliamentary Group, he now sits on.
He’s also written MPs in Canada about the importance of the border reopening to both sides.
