There’s Hope For Opening the Border as Vaccinations Increase: New Brunswick Premier
April 7, 2021 Jim Byers
Increasing vaccinations in the U.S. and the potential for surplus American vaccines to be shipped to Canada are good signs for opening the border, says the premier of New Brunswick.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had a virtual chat with Canada’s provincial and territorial leaders on Wednesday night, and New Brunswick leader Blaine Higgs said there were some positive signs.
Asked by the CBC whether Trudeau wants the border to open, Higgs said all political leaders in Canada – as well as U.S. President Joe Biden – are in favour of that.
Higgs said the desire by American politicians for an open border could be used by Canada as leverage to get surplus U.S. vaccines, including some from Pfizer.
Opening the border, he said, “depends on getting the same level of vaccinations, and the U.S. appears to have Pfizer vaccines that are surplus.”
Higgs said he’d “like to think” the U.S. would be willing to share those with its most important trading partner and long-time ally.
“I think we would be first on the list for additional supply,” he told CBC television.
Higgs also said Trudeau suggested that this is a possible scenario.
Asked if he thinks that might mean better times for Canadian tourism operators, Higgs replied Canada’s travel sector might see an “almost normal” summer.
“There should be hope,” he said.
Asked on Tuesday if he’s in favour of opening the border with the U.S., which was closed to all but essential traffic in March of 2020, Trudeau replied, “We’re not there yet.”
Click here for Canadian Travel News’ Editor in Chief Jim Byers’ take on the border situation from a story filed Wednesday morning.
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I do not see a significant difference in cases from British Columbia to Washington State. Both sides have very similar issues, peaks and troughs. COVID-19 has not respected the border closure. However, the closure is killing the economic health of town and cities on both sides of the border, especially smaller border towns. Point Roberts is a severe case being more part of Vancouver BC than Washington, economically, or was.
Stimulus packages can not begin to repair the losses in these areas. Opening the borders can.
My wife has spent a portion of her summers in Nova Scotia for the last 87 years and I have spent a portion of my summers with here since we married 67 years ago. We have built and occupied a summer home there for 60 years. Last year we were not permitted to enter the country and for good reason but we have both been vaccinated and need to go look after our home and reconnect with friends and family. I don’t see us as a threat to the well being of others. In addition being that we are both now 88 years old and I am dealing with cancer or remaining summer are in short supply so please let us in.