The US government has imposed restrictions on access to the Haskell Free Library and Opera House, located on the Canada-US border, which previously allowed Canadians to enter freely. Following new guidelines, Canadians must go through formal border crossings, a move criticized by the Quebec town of Stanstead as detrimental to an important symbol of cross-border friendship. The Department of Homeland Security attributes this decision to concerns over drug trafficking, despite presenting no evidence. The library, which straddles the border, represents cooperation and serves both nations' communities.
Under the new rules, Canadians will need to go through a formal border crossing before entering the library.
This closure not only compromises Canadian visitors' access to a historic symbol of cooperation and harmony between the two countries but also weakens the spirit of cross-border collaboration.
In a statement, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said the US was responding to drug trafficking, citing that criminals exploited the library's unique access.
The library's entrance is on the Vermont side, with about 60% of the building, including the books, located in Canada.
Collection
[
|
...
]