From the Niagara Falls Review:
The more than 60 mayors who took part in the U.S.-Canada Mayors’ Summit on the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative came together “as one voice,” Thursday, urging the American government to delay passing the controversial bill.
“Many cities expressed concern over the WHTI,” said Mayor Ted Salci Thursday afternoon, on his way back to Niagara from the six-hour meeting in Windsor.
Salci said the mayors agreed on a number of principles they want the U.S. government to follow when it comes to implementing the initiative, including:
– allowing the “uninhibited flow of people” between Canada and the United States;
– providing “readily available, low-cost documents;”
– improving the capacity and accessibility of the FAST pass and Nexus pass;
– accepting a combination of government-issued documents as acceptable ID at the border;
– issuing short-term passes for “discretionary or spontaneous travellers” who want to cross the border and don’t have the required identification;
– special consideration for minors;
– an extension of the WHTI deadline until the impact of the initiative is fully understood;
– and undertaking a cost-benefit analysis of the WHTI.