U.S. Representatives join forces in calling for more flexibility for Point Roberts

U.S. representatives Suzan DelBene (WA-01) and Collin Peterson (MN-07), her counterpart from Minnesota, have joined forces to ask the Canadian government to provide more flexibility and clarity for residents who live in the exclave communities of Point Roberts and the Northwest Angle in Minnesota. The two communities are geographically separated from the rest of the country.

In a letter dated September 1 to the Honorable Bill Blair, the Canadian Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, the lawmaker called upon the Canadian government to provide more advance notice of border policy changes and an exemption allowing travel through Canada to access the rest of the U. S.

“The restriction on all discretionary travel at the Canada-U.S. border was extended until September 21, 2020 and was announced only five days before the restrictions were set to expire. Should border restrictions continue, more advanced notification of restriction extensions and an explanation of the metrics that contribute to future decisions would be much appreciated by our constituents,” the lawmakers wrote. “We would also greatly appreciate exemptions to allow Americans to briefly and safely transit through Canada without exiting vehicles to allow access to Point Roberts and the NW Angle.”

The two pointed out that Canada has allowed Americans to travel by car to and from Alaska through Canada and submit that the same flexibility should be extended to the two communities as well.