Fight to tweak language in US-Canada border restrictions goes to Canada's Parliament

Separation is leading to desperation for thousands of families who are separated because of Canada's non-essential travel restrictions.

TONIGHT, 7EYEWITNESS NEWSANCHOR ASHLEYROWE BRINGS US ONEMAN'S MISSION TOHELP RECONNECTFAMILIES AND HE'STAKING HIS FIGHTSTRAIGHT TO THE TOP."HOW MANY MINUTESARE IN AN HOUR?

IALREADY KNOW.

SIX-ZERO."EACH NIGHT... APHONE CALL TOCATCH UP ON THEDAY.MONCHAI CHUAYCHOOIS AT HIS HOME INBUFFALO... HIS FIANCEAMBER AND HER FIVEYEAR OLD DAUGHTERISABELLA ARE INCAMBRIDGE, ONTARIO."THREE DIFFERENTKINDS OF PEPPERSGROWING.

YEAH!

YOURFAVORITE PEPPERS!"THEY HAD BEEN LIVINGTOGETHER IN CANADAUNTIL MONCHAIRETURNED TOBUFFALO TO TAKECARE OF SOMETHINGS IN EARLY JULY.A COUPLE WEEKSLATER... HE WASHEADING BACK TOCANADA TO REUNITEWITH HIS BRIDE-TO-BE... AND WAS TURNEDAWAY AT THE BORDER.MONCHAICHUAYCHOO/AMERICANCITIZEN "SO I CAMEBACK, I WAS BAWLINGMY EYES OUT"CANADA ALLOWSFOREIGN NATIONALSWHO ARE IMMEDIATEFAMILY MEMBERS OFCANADIAN CITIZENSTO ENTER THECOUNTRY.

BUT THATDEFINITION....EXCLUDESCOMMITTEDPARTNERS... OR ADULTCHILDREN OFCANADIAN CITIZENS...LEAVING THOUSANDSOF PEOPLE UNABLETO SEE THEIR LOVEDONES.DR. DAVID EDWARD-OOIPOON/ADVOCACY FORFAMILY REUNIFICATION"THERE ARE ADULTCHILDREN TRYING TOCOME IN TO SEE MOMBEFORE SHE PASSESAWAY, THERE IS ABREAST FEEDINGAMERICAN MOTHERWHO IS UNABLE TOCOME INTO CANADAWITH THE BABY THATSHE HAD WITH ACANADIAN MAN."DR. DAVID POON IFOUNDER OF THEGRASSROOTSORGANIZATIONADVOCACY FORFAMILY REUNIFICATIONAT THE CANADIANBORDER.

THE GROUPHAS GARNERED MORETHAN FIVE THOUSANDSIGNATURES FOR APETITION TO AMENDTHE DEFINITION OFIMMEDIATE FAMILYDURING THE COVIDCRISIS... AND END THEHEARTACHE FOR SOMANY PEOPLEMISSING THEIR LOVEDONES."I KNOW HE'LL BE BACKSOON OK?I WANT HIM TO COMEBACK RIGHT NOW."BUT AS SEPARATIONLEADS TODESPERATION...MONCHAI AND AMBERARE TAKING MATTERSINTO THEIR OWNHANDS.

FLYING TO LASVEGAS, NEVADA NEXTWEEK TO GETMARRIED.

THECANADIANGOVERNMENT WILLALLOW MARRIEDSPOUSES OFCANADIANS TO CROSSTHE BORDER.MONCHAI "WE'RETAKING EVERYPRECAUTION WE CANTO MAKE SURE THATOUR WEDDING IS SAFE,JUST THE TWO OF US,AND THAT WE FOLLOWTHE QUARANTINEPROCEDURE"TWO PEOPLE,MULTIPLE PLANES,EACH ON A FOURTHOUSAND MILEROUND TRIP-- FOR AMARRIAGECERTIFICATE THATLETS THEM BETOGETHER.HON.

MARCO ELMENDICINO/IMMIGRATION MINISTER "MYDEPARTMENT HASWORKED DILIGENTLYTO FIND INNOVATIVEWAYS TO REUNITEFAMILIES."CANADA'S BORDERSERVICES AGENCYSAYS THE MEASURESIMPOSED ARE TO"HELP REDUCE ANDMANAGE THE NUMBEROF FOREIGN TRAVEL-RELATED CASES OFCOVID-19."DR. POON "WE ARE NOTASKING FOR OPENBORDERS, WE AREJUST ASKING TO BETOGETHER.""CAN YOU TELLSOMEBODY THAT IREALLY MISS YOU?"THE DAYS OF THESETOUGH GOODBYESARE ALMOST OVERFOR MONCHAI, AMBERAND ISABELLA."BYE, I LOVE YOU.

BYE"BUT THEY KNOW THEHEARTACHE OFSEPARATIONCONTINUES FOR MANYOTHERS.CONGRESSMAN BRIANHIGGINS HAS ALSOBEEN PUBLICLYTRYING TO GET THEBORDERRESTRICTIONSAMENDED.

AT THISPOINT -- THE BORDERCLOSURE IS IN PLACEUNTIL AT LEAST NEXTWEEK -- BUT GIVENTHE SURGE IN CASESSTATESIDE...STAKEHOLDERS HAVELITTLE OPTIMISM THATTHE BORDER WILLFULLY REOPENANYTIME SOON.