INTERNATIONAL FALLS, Minn. -- Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP Marcus Powlowski is expected to virtually join a round-table on the reopening of the Canadian-U.S. border being held on Tuesday in International Falls, Minn.
Republican U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber's office sent out an invitation for the in-person event, being held at the Backus Community Center, starting at 10:30 a.m.
The land border between the two countries has been closed to non-essential travellers since March 18, 2020. The closure was recently extended through at least April 21.
Stauber and Powlowski, a Liberal elected in 2019, will be joined by U.S. Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach.
The discussion is expected to centre around the impact the closure has had on border communities.
According to the International Falls Journal, Stauber, who represents District 8, Fishbach,who represents District 7, and District 6 U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer in February sent a letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging the U.S. to work with Canadian counterparts to broaden the number of essential workers allowed to cross the border.
They also sought a plan to safely reopen the border to non-essential travellers.
Canada recently tightened restrictions on cross-border travel by plane, requiring anyone who flies into Canada, with few exceptions, to quarantine at their own expense at a government-sanctioned hotel for up to three days to await a mandatory COVID-19 test result. Travellers deemed non-essential are also required to quarantine for 14 days.
Canadian airlines this year voluntarily stopped flying to and from many sun destinations, in order to stem the flow of travellers to popular hot spots.
Anyone driving into Canada must present a negative COVID-19 test result from within the past three days. Those who don't face fines, or in the case of foreigners, being denied entry.
