By: Thomas I. Likness
EBC News Service

(Eagle News) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canadians are looking forward to the day when the Canada-US border reopens to non-essential travel but it won’t be anytime soon.

“We’re all going to wait patiently until such a time as the health situation allows us to loosen border restrictions, internationally. That will be eventually but not for today,” Trudeau said Monday.

The closure has been extended until April 21, but there is no indication it will reopen then.

He said there are ongoing discussions with the American administration about the border restrictions.

“We know that the first priority will always be ensuring the safety and security of our citizens, while at the same time ensuring that the flow of goods across our border,” said Trudeau.

“Two-billion dollars worth of goods every day flow across that border and it was really important, even when we brought in those original restrictions back in March a year ago, that the flow of goods not be interrupted,” he said.

Border restrictions were first brought in March 21, 2020 and have been extended on a monthly basis ever since.

Trudeau has said as long as Covid-19 remains a serious threat, nonessential traffic will be banned.

As well, only a small number of people in Canada have been vaccinated and there is concern about the spread of Covid variants.
(Eagle News Service)