Sen. Tina Smith asks State Department to help resolve Northwest Angle border issue

GRAND FORKS - Efforts to resolve the difficulties facing Northwest Angle residents who have to travel through Canada to get to and from their homes continued Wednesday, April 7, with a letter U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., sent to Secretary of State Antony Blinken asking the U.S. State Department to address new Canadian restrictions.

Because of border restrictions imposed by Canada in mid-February, anyone crossing into the country by road has been required to present a negative PCR COVID-19 test. The U.S.-Canada border has been closed to nonessential travel since March 21, 2020, but Angle residents have been able to pass through Canada for essential services such as grocery shopping and health care in border communities such as Roseau and Warroad, Minn.

While Canada's PCR testing requirement targeted travelers, Canada Border Services Agency officers recently have imposed the restriction on some Northwest Angle residents trying to return to their homes. The situation prompted Smith to write Wednesday's letter pressing the State Department to get involved.

https://www.inforum.com/news/government-and-politics/6975066-Sen.-Tina-Smith-asks-State-Department-to-help-resolve-Northwest-Angle-border-issue