U.S. Congresswoman Elise Stefanik has joined a long list of prominent people calling on the Trudeau government to scrap its controversial ArriveCAN app at the border.
The Republican representative for New York’s 21st District made the demand in a letter to Canada’s ambassador to the United States Kirsten Hillman.
Stefanik’s letter states that the app has been disruptive and harmful to cross-border tourism and commerce.
“The U.S and Canada’s unique partnership is critical to the success of the communities on both sides of our border and dependent on valuing and maximizing the people-to-people relationship,” wrote Stefanik.
“We should be working to further develop our partnership, not inhibit its success with misguided burdens such as the Canadian government’s mandated use of the ArriveCAN app.”
Stefanik says mandating ArriveCAN “disincentivizes travel, harms the flow of commerce, and burdens travellers with the submission of private health information.”
The congresswoman also pointed out that ArriveCAN has been the subject of glitches, which accidentally forced vaccinated travellers into quarantine.
Stefanik claims many travellers are not familiar with the ArriveCAN requirement and are left to fill out the app last minute, creating significant backlogs at customs.
Many prominent individuals have called on Canada to scrap the ArriveCan app. Canadian MPs, border mayors, as well as Canadian Chambers of Commerce are also making the demand.
In July, the Trudeau government quietly allowed travellers at land borders a one-time exemption to the ArriveCAN requirement. Fully vaccinated travellers are granted an exemption if they unknowingly fail to submit their health documents through the app.
The government says non-compliance with the ArriveCAN requirement can result in fines, enforcement action and a quarantine order.
The Trudeau government has so far doubled down on mandating ArriveCAN, and also made changes to the app to allow people to submit their customs and immigration declarations before arrival.
