WASHINGTON – Rep. Brian Higgins on Wednesday called on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to invite Canadians to New York State to get Covid-19 vaccinations they might have to wait months for back home.
"If we have unused supply, let's try to address the demand right next door to us," Higgins, a Buffalo Democrat, said in an interview.
In the letter, Higgins suggested that New York follow the lead of other border states – North Dakota, Alaska, Washington and Montana – that have opened their vaccine programs to Canadian citizens who qualify as essential travelers, such as truck drivers.
In addition, Higgins suggested in a letter to federal officials that the definition of "essential travelers" be expanded to include any Canadian getting vaccinated in the U.S.
Rep. Brian Higgins, D-Buffalo, talks about new guidelines recently announced by CDC, and his hopes for opening the border.
In his letter to Cuomo, Higgins noted that all 30 state-run vaccination have appointments available, and that within a 50-mile radius of the Peace Bridge, 49 pharmacies have vaccines on hand.
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"The State of New York should make surplus vaccines available for residents of Canada’s Niagara Region to come over and receive their shot, similar to other successful programs for Canadians citizens in other border states," Higgins wrote. "It is not only the right thing to do, but it’s also necessary to speed up the resumption of the cross-border commerce that is so important to border communities like Buffalo and Niagara Falls."
"We know that before we get back to normal, cases need to be under control and over 75% of people need to be vaccinated for us to start loosening things in Canada," Trudeau said.
Canada's vaccination effort has been catching up to that of the U.S., but that is partly because the nation has prioritized getting first doses of the two-shot regimens into the largest possible number of arms. So whereas Americans are getting their second shots on schedule – three weeks after the first Pfizer shot and four after the first Moderna shot – Canadians have to wait for months for another dose.
Devon Weber, founder of a group called Let Us Reunite that is pushing the two nations to ease border crossing restrictions, is among those waiting. Weber, an American living in Montreal, had her first shot May 11, but isn't scheduled to have her second until Aug. 31.
"My 88-year-old grandmother-in-law still doesn't have a second shot here in Canada," said Weber, who will fly to New York and get her second shot there in three weeks. She qualifies for doing so because she is an American citizen, and New York currently restricts vaccinations to American citizens and residents.
Higgins also sent a letter to Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and Troy Miller, the top official at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, on the vaccination issue.  Canada has waived quarantine requirements for Canadians returning home from the U.S. after a vaccination, but both countries need to agree to make it easier for Canadians to be vaccinated south of the border, he said.
America now has another freedom fighter named John Adams. He's fighting for the freedom to visit Canada, and he's doing it in a very American way: by taking out television ads.
Higgins asked the federal officials "to work with the Government of Canada to expand the definition of essential travel between our two countries to include life-saving vaccination appointments for Canadian citizens."
Higgins has long been advocating reopening the U.S.-Canadian border, as has Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, a New York Democrat.
Schumer on Tuesday took his push for reopening the U.S.-Canadian border to Mayorkas, whom Higgins spoke to on the issue in April.
The senator said he called Mayorkas to say that the U.S. should work with Canada to develop a plan to reopen the border, which has been shut to nonessential travel due to the Covid-19 pandemic since March 21, 2020.
"Since vaccination rates have risen, overall rates are steadily falling and New York is reopening today, based on the data, it is time to take the first steps toward reopening the northern border to nonessential travel," Schumer said. “That is why I made a personal call to Secretary Mayorkas to coordinate with their Canadian counterparts ASAP and come up with a plan – based on science, data and common sense – that will allow for safe and steady border travel and reunite families and friends and jumpstart local economies."
The tax, which would be implemented in 2022 if adopted as part of the Canadian budget for that year, is aimed largely at foreign investors who have been snapping up condos in Toronto and other Canadian cities.
In the meeting, Schumer pushed a reopening plan that includes:
• A binational agreement on criteria for reopening.
• A broader definition of essential travelers that will allow vaccinated people with family, business, property, medical or educational interests to cross the border.
• Allowing boaters to sail in international waters so long as they don't dock.
• Vaccinating all border personnel.
