Dear editor:

With all the political pre-election campaigning and posturing by Justin Trudeau, the proposed border reopening on Aug. 9 not only could be scuttled by the U.S. government but by our own border agents, who have now given their unions a strike mandate.

The agents have been without a contract since June 2018 and, consistent with other federal, provincial and city employee contracts, these union actions could have been prevented.

To claim to have negotiated in good faith and pass a contract renewal date by years is utterly disingenuous. Should the border reopen, lines will be lengthy and likely take hours to cross.

The Prime Minister's  decision to make this political announcement, without prior consultation in concert with an American announcement, may well backfire.  Americans may get their hackles up and not open the border to U.S. travellers.

During my career I have sat at the union negotiating table on numerous occasions. More than 90 per cent of my working life was in management and ownership positions.

I come down 100 per cent on the side of the union. This is just another example of incompetent government stonewalling.

Samuel Young

NOTL