Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and other state delegates Thursday urged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to ease border crossing restriction between the United States and Canada to allow Alaskans to perform a variety of essential activities.
In a letter, the 4 person delegation, urged Trudeau to allow Alaskans to be able to travel south and transit through Canada for the winter for medical treatments, and allow people living in isolated border towns to visit family, access essential supplies, go to school, get medical care, and attend religious services in a “travel bubble.”
“As we continue to work together to address the unprecedented challenges of COVID-19, to keep our residents and citizens safe and healthy, we appreciate the consideration for reasonable land crossing exceptions for essential travel between Alaska and the contiguous United States through your country,” the delegation wrote.
Alaskans can enter Canada from five entry points. The Canadian government states travelers, “will be limited to travel within Canada using the most direct route, while avoiding all national parks, leisure sites, and tourism activities.”
The failure to comply with these restrictions can lead to hefty fines from the Canadian government and to drive through Canada, you must be healthy, with no COVID-19 symptoms, and traveling for a “non-discretionary purpose,” Mark Stuart, spokesman for the Canada Border Services Agency told Anchorage Daily News.
The delegation’s letter addressed the fact that many elderly and sick Alaskans travel through Canada, south to the United States to seek essential medical treatments that they cannot get in local communities. They also pointed out the impact the border restrictions are having on small, isolated border towns, like Hyder, Alaska, and the British Columbia community of Stewart, that often share community resources.
“To date, there has not been a single diagnosed case of COVID-19 in either community. The current travel restrictions are having an increasingly negative impact on these communities, and for these reasons we support the request of the residents of Hyder and Stewart to ease the current restrictions, including easing the travel quarantine requirement, in a responsible and safe way,” the letter stated.
They added, “These are starting suggestions, of course, and we are committed to working together with you, your administration, and your staff, as necessary to resolve any concerns or logistical issues.”
The Canadian border has been closed for non-essential travel since March of this year. On October 19, the Acting Director of the Department of Homeland Security confirmed the extension of these restrictions.
“To continue to limit the spread of COVID, the US, Mexico, & Canada will extend the restrictions on non-essential travel through Nov 21. We are working closely with Mexico & Canada to identify safe criteria to ease the restrictions in the future & support our border communities.”
Essential travel, including supply chains, have not been impacted.
Focus News: Sen. Murkowski Urges Trudeau to Open Border to Alaskans for Medical Care, School