Vancouver — Canadian resident Kari Tomicki was reunited with her daughter on Sunday at the border between Canada and the U.S., marking the one-year anniversary of the land borders closing between the two countries. The pair met at Peace Arch Park, which spans both countries. Despite COVID-19 related border restrictions, the park has remained a place for people to meet between Canada and the U.S without going through border crossings. “Dr. Bonnie (Henry) said we could meet outside and we haven’t seen our daughter since we couldn’t gather ... and she lives in Washington state, so we braved the rain and thought we’d give it a whirl,” Tomicki told CTV News Vancouver. Tomicki’s adult daughter, Samantha, was living in New York with her husband when the pandemic started, but soon moved to their family’s lake house in Washington State. “We moved here and we were really excited to see (our family up in Canada) a bit,” she said. “My sister just had her second baby at the end of July, and I think I met her twice and I didn’t get to see her for months and months.” The land border restrictions, banning non-essential travel, have been in place since March 21, 2020, and have been extended on a month-by-month basis ever since. The current restrictions are in place until at least April 21. Visitors to the park are required to have their passport, however. While they don't need it to enter the park, Mounties who monitor those entering and exiting are checking for proof of citizenship as parkgoers leave. A driver's licence is not enough anymore – a change put in place about a month ago – and those who don't have a passport or permanent residency card will have to speak to CBSA officials, who will then decide whether the person who's been in the park will need to quarantine or not. An immigration lawyer who lives in Washington state said he thinks it’s time to change the rules. “I’m shocked to be standing here on the one-year anniversary of the border closure having the border still closed with no foreseeable end to this closure,” said Len Saunders. Although Saunders is a Canadian citizen, he has not been to Canada in more than a year. “I think the Canadian government needs to start coming up with a plan so you don’t have people coming to meet at this park on a rainy Sunday in order to see their significant others,” he said. He also questioned why those who have been vaccinated still need to abide by the 14-day quarantine. “I’ve been fully vaccinated for over a month. I had my first shot in January, my second shot in February,” said Saunders. “Why can’t I, as a Canadian citizen, enter my own country with no quarantine?” CTV News reached out to both the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency. On Monday, a spokesperson for CBSA said in an email that at this time, proof of vaccination does not replace the need for pre-arrival testing, or quarantine requirements. "While Canadian citizens, including those who hold dual citizenship, permanent residents and persons registered under the Indian Act continue to enter Canada by right, they are subject to COVID-19 entry screening measures," Mark Stuart wrote. Those looking for more information are directed to government webpages, including the Minimizing the Risk of Exposure to COVID-19 in Canada Order. This order outlines obligations and requirements for travellers based on the opinion that anyone who has recently been in a foreign country may bring with them variants of the virus that causes COVID-19. They may also contribute to the spread of the disease. Saunders believes it’s time Ottawa looks at adjusting the border restrictions. “The Canadian government should look at people like myself or other Americans who have been vaccinated as people who should be able to enter Canada for either pleasure or business.” For the Tomicki family, gathering at the park will do for now, but they’re holding out hope for a different kind of summer. “Obviously (I) want the borders to open safely, but I’m going to be beside myself when they do open. I’m really hoping for a summer when we can all be together,” said Samantha Tomicki. “I’m really hoping to see my sister’s new baby.”
