Posted on 07/15/2020 4:57:27 AM PDT by billorites
CBC News has confirmed that the agreement to restrict travel across the Canada-U.S. border will be extended into August.
Senior government officials confirm the arrangement limiting border access to essential travel only will be rolled over for another 30 days.
The agreement, which has to be reviewed each month, was set to expire on July 21. It's now being renewed for the fourth time since the border closed to non-essential traffic on March 21.
News of the extension was first reported by Reuters.
The extension comes after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Donald Trump spoke on the phone Monday about a range of issues that included the border closure.
Canadian government officials say they expect the border to stay largely closed for the foreseeable future, despite calls from U.S. members of Congress to consider a phased plan for reopening.
COVID-19 cases are hitting record daily highs in a large number of U.S. states — which would make any resumption of pre-pandemic travel a significant health threat to Canada.
"We recognize that the situation continues to be complex in the United States in regards to COVID-19," Trudeau said Monday at a press conference. "Every month, we have been able to extend the border closures to all but essential goods and services and those discussions are ongoing."
Recent polling suggests that more than 80 per cent of Canadians favour keeping the border restrictions in place.
Some leading public health experts have suggested the border should remain closed until at least the end of the year.
Dr. Howard Njoo, Canada's deputy public health officer, said the border closure continues to make sense from a public health perspective because of the differences in the epidemiological climates in the two countries.
"Canadians have made tremendous sacrifices to date in terms of flattening the curve and we're seeing the fruits of our labours," Njoo said. "We don't want to ... waste these efforts by potentially ... reintroducing the virus into Canada and increasing the risk of further transmission."
Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-François Blanchet told reporters that the border should remain closed because the pandemic is still out of control in the U.S.
"If we take examples of countries who managed well this crisis, in the list of those who did well, you won't find the United States," Blanchet said.
"As long as the border appears to be a threat in the health of Quebecers and Canadians, it should remain closed."
Just keep sending us your cheap lobsters and I’ll be happy.
Could we also send our cheap mobsters? Of course that would be the government.
Can we send back Justin Bieber?
bump
Canada-US free trade:
We’ll take Justin Beiber if you’ll take Justin True-dope.
Haha!
Hard times for the Windsor Ballet
Oh, boy. I know a few small biz owners in Ontario who will be having kittens about this continuing. They count on American foot traffic. I hope they make it.
Ahhhh, that’s ok. But you can DEFINITELY take back Samantha Bee.
I wonder how many here get that reference?
They may need to build a wall if Biden gets elected.
Their resorts must be hurting by now. American tourism is all that keeps that country from bankruptcy.
Particularly true now that so many states have legalized weed. Low oil prices have left a mark too.
That makes no sense. 2019 revenue from US tourism in Canada was $233 million. Canada total GDP is $1.7 trillion. The $233 million of revenue from US tourism at the best of times is inconsequential.
Correction: US tourists spent $1.9 billion in Canada yearly, but still is negligible compared to $1.7 trillion annual GDP, and certainly isn’t the only thing keeping Canada afloat.
Keep correcting, you’re getting closer all the time.
Ontario the most populous is adjacent to the sewer that is New York. Being proximately exposed to New York is a primary reason many Canadians view America with animosity.
Canada is the US’s largest trading partner. The tourism aspect of it is insignificant.
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