The leader of the U.S. Senate is demanding a return to more regular travel between Canada and the United States.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the most powerful Democrat in Congress and a key ally of President Joe Biden, has written a letter to the Biden administration asking for a series of changes. Schumer, who represents the state of New York, says the border should re-open "quickly but safely."
"While at the beginning - and in the height - of the pandemic it was understandable for such drastic measures to be taken, we know much more about the virus than we knew in March of last year and are making strong gains against it," Schumer said in a press release. "Since vaccination rates have risen, overall rates are steadily falling, and New York is ready to reopen, based on the data, it is time to take the first steps towards reopening the Northern Border to non-essential travel."
""We can't wait any longer," he said. "The monthly extensions… have no rhyme or reason, they confuse people, they don't let people plan, they frustrate thousands of western New Yorkers and Southern Ontarians, who depend on the border crossing."
Schumer is asking U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken for several changes, according to the CBC.
One of the Senator's top requests is for detailed plan, which he wants as soon as possible, that explains what health-related benchmarks will be used to re-establish non-essential travel between the two countries. Schumer said the plan should add transparency and clarity to a process that the public finds frustrating and confusing.
In the meantime, he wants both Canada to let more people cross the border immediately. He says he wants the definition of essential travellers expanded to include vaccinated people who have property, educational, medical or business reasons for crossing the border.
Schumer also wants clarity for boaters and is asking for a safety plan for border agents, including access to vaccines, testing and protective equipment.
Other U.S. political figures have been making similar demands, but Schumer is the most senior politician to lead the border opening charge.
"Having endured one of the deadliest chapters in New York's history, the residents along the border are ready to turn the page and re-establish the familiar links to their loved ones, their property and their prosperity," Schumer's letter said.
"It is now incumbent on the federal government to do their part and aid their desperate desire to fully rebuild and recover. This recovery cannot be done, and I will not rest, until bilateral collaboration to safely reopen the United States and Canadian land border is an utmost priority and a plan for a full reopening is publicly released."
The Canada-U.S. border last month was closed to all but essential traffic until May 21. It was first closed in March of 2020.
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