Sask. MP who called for Canada-US border reopening says announcement is a positive step

SASKATOON -

Prince Albert MP Randy Hoback says reopening the United States border to fully vaccinated Canadians is a step in the right direction – but several details must be ironed out.

On Tuesday, the White House said it will reopen its border in early November to land and ferry travel for non-essential purposes. It’s been restricted since March 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The border is currently open to essential travel and by plane, but not by land.

Hoback is one of several MPs who have been calling on the US to safely reopen the border.

Last week, he and Congressman Brian Higgins issued a joint statement, saying “vaccines are freely and readily available to all who want them.”

“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,” reads the statement.

Aside from people wanting to drive across the border for personal reasons, Hoback said it’s important for the economy.

“There’s always been a scenario in B.C. or Ontario where people drive across the border for the day, do some shopping and come home. That hasn’t happened for two years, so we’d like to see that resume on both sides. There’s lots of Americans who like to come up here hunting and fishing,” he said.

Hoback added that many people, particularly snowbirds, had to get their vehicles shipped across the border while they took a plane, and then pick up their vehicles in the U.S.

“It just didn’t make sense,” he said.

But, as Hoback explained, there’s still details that need to be worked out prior to the reopening.

This includes accepting people with AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine, which hasn’t been approved for use in the US.

“We still have things to deal with, like the mixed dose vaccinations. We have to get our American friends to recognize that as a legitimate vaccinated person. The testing requirements, we need to look at our processes and see if they’re actually redundant or needed,” he said.

The current border restrictions expire on Oct. 21, but will be extended until the reopening takes effect.