Canada not ready to re-open land border with U.S.: Garneau
Posted June 2, 2021 10:07 am.
Last Updated June 2, 2021 2:42 pm.
MONTREAL (NEWS 1130) – The federal government continues to feel pressure to re-open the border with the U.S., but Canada’s foreign affairs minister says our country isn’t ready.
Marc Garneau says he’s very aware Canadians are growing impatient about the ongoing shutdown of the Canada-U.S. border.
Travel across the land border remains restricted to most non-essential traffic, as has been the case for more than a year.
In a virtual conversation with the CEO of Montreal’s chamber of commerce, Garneau declined to offer a set of criteria to determine a re-opening plan.
He says he and his cabinet colleagues are discussing the matter with the provinces, but says authorities are wary of opening the flood gates to a potential fourth wave of COVID-19.
Garneau says predictability remains the watch word, while acknowledging the situation a month from now is hard to predict.
The border restrictions were first brought in in March of last year, when COVID-19 began to spread rapidly in both countries.
The closure has been extended on a monthly basis, most recently until at least June 21 of this year.
We are extending travel restrictions on non-essential international travel and with the United States until June 21st, 2021. We will continue to base our decisions on the best public health advice available to keep Canadians safe from #COVID19.
— Bill Blair (@BillBlair) May 20, 2021
