An interesting piece of news that affects the area has come out of recent negotiations between Canada and the U.S. on a border security deal.
There are potential border crossing closures at small ports of entry across the country and that has some people on edge.
According to various reports, there are 20 crossings in rural areas and small towns that could close, including one at Midway.
While the Ministry of Public Safety said no decisions have been made but regardless, people in the Village of Midway don’t like the idea, especially since the local mill is up and running again.
Closing the Midway crossing would be a proverbial shot to the gut.
The village was affected negatively when the mill originally shut down about four years ago and through a roller-coaster ride – complete with impending deadline for mortgage payments – has started up again.
The mill is operated by Colville-Wash.-based Vaagen Bros. Lumber through a lease agreement with Boundary Sawmills Inc. and closing the border would make things inconvenient to say the least.
Another aspect that is troubling revolves around some of the proposals should the crossing actually be closed.
Four options that are on the table include, full closure, shared facilities, mirroring working hours and a solution that uses remote technology, where people coming to and from the border would speak to guards via a camera.
This could lead to other problems.
The drug trafficking trade is lucrative and with the Canada-U.S. border often called one of the longest undefended borders, people are constantly looking to smuggle narcotics to both sides of the border.
There have been a number of notable drug seizures at or around the border in the past year or so, including one at the Carson Port of Entry last January, involving a couple from Republic, Wash. and a minivan with stow away seating – the people were caught by border services and about 83 kilograms of cocaine seized.
Having people using remote technology when passing the border would likely make it easier for contraband to pass into and out of Canada.
Closing crossings could potentially increase wait times and workload for border service employees and it could lead to someone who might get caught getting through.
Hopefully the Ministry of Public Safety is right and no decisions have been made but when a decision does come down, there are numerous reasons not to close the Midway crossing.
– Grand Forks Gazette