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Trudeau promises 'stronger measures' for screening at Canada-U.S. border

Canada will need stronger screening measures to deal with an anticipated increase in the number of people entering the country from the United States
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The United States border crossing is seen Wednesday, March 18, 2020 in Lacolle, Que. Justin Trudeau says Canada will need stronger screening measures to deal with an anticipated increase in the number of people entering the country from the United States. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

WASHINGTON — Justin Trudeau says Canada will need stronger screening measures to deal with an anticipated increase in the number of people entering the country from the United States.

But the prime minister is not saying whether he expects the Canada-U.S. border to reopen when a mutual ban on non-essential travel expires next week.

Trudeau says the federal government plans to be "very, very careful" in dealing with an increase in cross-border traffic as businesses reopen and restrictions on personal mobility are slowly eased in both countries.

Some provincial premiers, however — most notably Ontario's Doug Ford — have made it clear they don't want to allow American visitors for fear of spreading the virus, which is rampant south of the border.

Canada and the U.S. negotiated a partial closure of the border in March that has impeded vacationers and cross-border shoppers while allowing essential workers, trade and commerce to continue to move in both directions.

That deal, which has already been extended once, is set to expire May 21.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 12, 2020.