Coalition of U.S., Canadian mayors to fight border-crossing passport requirement
DHS wants every American and Canadian crossing the U.S.,-Canada border to present a passport; businesses along the border say it would devastate local and regional economies, and a coalition of mayors from both sides of the border agrees
Mayors from Canada and the United States united late last week in their fight to delay the implementation of the controversial Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative until an affordable and convenient alternative to the passport can be found. “It’s important for us to find a real solution … something that’s affordable, available and accessible and that’s going to keep people traveling,” said Windsor mayor Eddie Francis, host of a day-long summit that was attended by about 60 mayors and government officials.
The coalition of mayors called on the United States to find a better solution to the passport requirement, one that won’t ruin the close ties between the two countries. There is growing concern that the security measure, set to take effect in 2008, will put a serious dent in every-day trade and travel, especially at border communities like Windsor-Detroit, Niagara-Buffalo, and Lower Mainland B.C.-Northwest Washington where people are known to make a trip just to check out a new restaurant or club. Under the initiative, people will need a passport or an yet-to-be-determined high-tech ID card in order to enter the United States, something the mayors and others argue isn’t an affordable option for families who want to vacation close to home.
