On April 10, Provencher MP Ted Falk met with American officials in Washington D.C. to discuss the hours of operation of several Minnesota border crossings. About a year and a half ago, in late 2017, these ports of entry began closing earlier than their Canadian counterparts.

“The changes made to the American side of the border negatively impacts a large number of Canadian residents,” Falk says in a press release. “Many Manitobans use these crossings to shop, visit family and to travel to their places of employment in the United States.”

Falk adds that some residents in the southeast corner of the province also rely on cross-border travel to access medical services, both in emergency and non-emergency situations. He argues that closing borders at an earlier hour has an impact on the long-standing agreement on the provision of healthcare services between Canada and the United States.

“Last fall, along with my provincial and municipal counterparts, we were successful in lobbying to keep border crossings open longer on the Canadian side of the border,” said Falk before his meeting with U.S. officials. “I am hopeful that today’s discussions [in Washington] will lead to adjustments to the hours of operation on the American side of the border as well.”