COVID-19: Canada impose stricter measures on Americans driving through to Alaska

Posted by admin Africa & World Politics, American Politics, Canadian Politics, COVID-19, Headlines, Health Friday, July 31st, 2020

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COVID-19: Canada impose stricter measures on Americans driving through to Alaska

(NNP) The increasing rate of coronavirus infections and deaths in the United States, have become a source of grave concern to the Canadian government. This week, it imposed stricter measures on Americans driving through Canada to Alaska or vice versa, the only route by road in what is known as the “Alaska Loophole.”

With the border closed since March and open only to essential travels and goods and services, Americans who live or work in Alaska are still allowed to travel from the lower 48 states through Canada to Alaska or from Alaska through Canada to the lower 48 states. But beginning Friday, all such travelers are mandated to enter the country only through five designated entry posts. Such travelers are also mandated to take the shortest possible route to their destination and asked to avoid sightseeing and mini-vacations, with only stops at rest areas, drive-through restaurants and gas stations.

In addition to this measure, Americans driving through Canada are given a hangtag at the point of entry that must be displayed on their rear view mirror for easy identification. The hangtag must be given to a Canadian border officer at the point of exit from Canada and entry into the United States. It has a time they must depart Canada and is designed to track traveler’s time on the road to determine if a detour for sight-seeing or any like endeavors had occurred.

Since the border closure, hundreds of Americans allowed to enter the country on the promise of traveling straight to Alaska (or from Alaska to the lower 48 states) have been seen hundreds of miles away from their designated travel routes taking in the sights, hiking and having mini-vacations in violation of Canada’s quarantine laws. Many have been caught at Alberta’s breathtaking Banff National Park with bag packs and cameras to experience the natural wonders.

The national police, RCMP, have in recent weeks ticketed several Americans found to have misled border agents on their true intentions and taking undue advantage of the “Alaska loophole.” The federal government has warned that the new imposed measures would attract stiffer fines of $750,000, jail time of up to six months with such violators barred from future entry into Canada.

-NewNigerianPolitics

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