Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter
The Salaberry-Suroît MP and public safety critic, Claude DeBellefeuille, and Saint-Jean MP Christine Normandin are stepping up their pressure on Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Minister David McGuinty over reduced hours of operation at area ports of entry.
The hours at the Herdman (Chateaugay), Trout River (Trout River), Lacolle Route 221 (Overton), and Lacolle Route 223 (Rouses Point) border crossings between Canada and New York State were reduced by half as of January 6. Faced with this continued reduction in hours, which see the crossing points close overnight, the MPs have reached out to their American counterparts for support.
An official letter was sent to U.S. elected officials who share a border with the two MPs’ constituencies. DeBellefeuille and Normandin emphasized the need for continuous operational border control, especially in the current geopolitical context.
The aim of the joint initiative is to ensure the American authorities are aware of the risks associated with the security and fluidity of cross-border trade. “Our American counterparts are well aware of the consequences of a less secure border,” said DeBellefeuille in a joint statement issued by the deputies.
She highlighted the importance of working together to press McGuinty to reverse the Canadian Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) decision.
“Reducing opening hours not only weakens border security; it also harms our regional economies, which are heavily dependent on cross-border trade,” added Normandin.
When asked, a representative from DeBellefeuille’s office noted that despite an initial response from the CBSA to the MPs requests for a revision, the deputy has not received anything further from the public safety minister.
U.S. elected officials spoke out in November, when the joint decision by the CBSA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) was first announced. New York State Senator Dan Stec blasted the decision, insisting “You can’t have a part-time border.”
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has also publicly stated her opposition to the reduction in hours, as has New York State Assemblyman Billy Jones.
DeBellefeuille and Normandin said they hope the letter will result in elected officials on both sides of the border speaking with one voice, with the end goal of prompting the federal governments to reconsider their decision.