The Senator highlighted the importance of travel between the U.S. and Canada for Northwest Angle residents and businesses

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) sent a letter to Kirsten Hillman, Ambassador of Canada to the U.S. In the letter, Klobuchar noted the economic importance of travel between the Northwest Angle and the mainland U.S. for Northwest Angle residents, highlighting employees who must travel across the border for work and businesses that rely on cross-border travel.

The Senator wrote: “...it is vital that U.S. residents of the Northwest Angle are able to travel freely between the Northwest Angle and the mainland U.S. It’s also crucial to safely expand other travel to and from the Northwest Angle consistent with public health guidance...In addition to working with the Canadian government, I will continue to coordinate with the U.S. Departments of State and Homeland Security to find solutions to help both American and Canadian citizens.”

Full text of the letter can be found HERE and below.

Dear Ambassador Hillman:

I want to express my appreciation for our close cooperation in addressing the challenges our citizens face due to border restrictions between the United States and Canada. While many measures to restrict cross-border travel were necessary to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, these limitations have posed challenges for employees who must travel across the border to reach their workplace and businesses that depend upon cross-border travel to reach customers and access supplies. 

As we discussed during our phone calls, it is vital that U.S. residents of the Northwest Angle are able to travel freely between the Northwest Angle and the mainland U.S. It’s also crucial to safely expand other travel to and from the Northwest Angle consistent with public health guidance. 

As Chairwoman of the U.S. delegation to the Canada-U.S. Interparliamentary Group, I will raise these important issues with counterparts in the Canadian Parliament during our meeting this Tuesday. In addition to working with the Canadian government, I will continue to coordinate with the U.S. Departments of State and Homeland Security to find solutions to help both American and Canadian citizens. 

As our countries increase the number of vaccinations and the rates of infections drop, I look forward to continuing to work together on this important matter.

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