The agreement to keep the border shut to most travellers has been extended again.
Canada and the United States have agreed to once again extend the closure of the border to non-essential travel.
The border closure will continue until September 21st.
While most ‘non-essential’ travel has been stopped, goods are still moving across the border, in addition to some exceptions for government officials and professional athletes.
Also, illegal border crossings continue to be allowed by the government, even as law-abiding Canadian Citizens are blocked.
Temporary foreign workers are also allowed to cross the border.
This is what public safety minister Bill Blair said on Twitter:
“We are extending the reciprocal restrictions at the Canada-US border for another 30 days, till Sept. 21, 2020. We will continue to do what’s necessary to keep our communities safe.”
We are extending the reciprocal restrictions at the Canada-US border for another 30 days, till Sept. 21, 2020. We will continue to do what’s necessary to keep our communities safe.
— Bill Blair (@BillBlair) August 14, 2020
While I’ve long-advocated for border closures to stop the virus from entering our country (I pushed for this long before the Liberals did), the list of exceptions to the closure makes a mockery of the supposed idea of ‘equal rights and freedoms.’
“Temporary foreign workers, illegal border crossers, and wealthy professional athletes are allowed to cross the border (international flights still allowed in), while most Canadian Citizens are blocked. Interesting how many ‘exceptions’ there are to ‘equal rights and freedoms.'”
https://twitter.com/SpencerFernando/status/1294310939194347522
Additionally, the government is allowing international flights carrying infected people to still keep pouring into the country, while denying cross border families the ability to reunite:
“This is a very good point. I’m an advocate for border closures, but the idea that rich athletes, political elites, and foreign workers can cross (not to mention international flights still pouring in carrying infected people), but not close family members is absurd.”
https://twitter.com/SpencerFernando/status/1294312407972450304
Spencer Fernando
Photo – YouTube
