Letters to the Editor - July

The Editor, President Biden and

Washington State elected officials:

President Biden recently issued the statement that “Our economic recovery isn’t leaving anyone behind.” The one exception to that statement is the unique U.S. exclave of Point Roberts, Washington.

Point Roberts has never recovered from the almost two-year Canada/U.S. Covid-driven border lockdown. Visitor border crossings are still down 50 percent. In April 2018 there were 134,000 border crossings; in April 2023, only 72,000 crossings.

Point Roberts’ local economy continues to struggle economically, and we are poised to lose our fourth summer season. The resident population has declined by 25 percent. We desperately require and deserve government acknowledgement of our situation and intervention or recovery will never happen.

Both U.S. and Canadian policies need to be seriously reviewed taking into account the geographical oddity of Point Roberts. Formerly, Point Roberts businesses were allowed to hire neighboring Canadians on a part-time basis to accommodate the increased service industry demands.

This program worked flawlessly for years but was arbitrarily removed without cause seriously impacting Point Roberts’ businesses. Without this option, Point Roberts has no pool from which to draw employees. The closest U.S. area to draw workers from is Blaine and requires a 25-mile drive through Canada and crossing two international borders each way. This is not an economically viable option for prospective workers or for local businesses. The program should be reinstated immediately.

Visitors from Canada are routinely inspected at our border for citrus fruit yet we have no citrus fruit orchards here. Similarly, potted plants require federal inspection certificates – apparently to prevent mad cow disease, yet Point Roberts is without a single cow. Chickens and eggs are inspected, and we have no chicken hatchery.

Further, we have no connection to the U.S. mainland to spread these diseases. Any and all items sold in Point Roberts originating from the U.S. must travel through Canada to get here, yet getting them across the border into Canada by consumers is at best, difficult.

A serious threat assessment needs to be conducted by both Canada and the U.S. at the Point Roberts border and some or all of the unnecessary border impediments removed.

Brian Calder

Point Roberts

The Editor:

My family has several reasons to be thankful to PeaceHealth St. Joe’s. Dr. James Douglas and Dr. Don McAfee are two of them.

My dad had congenital heart defects but that didn’t stop him from having a life well lived. Eventually, however, he needed two emergency heart surgeries in a matter of three weeks, which Dr. Douglas skillfully performed.

Dr. McAfee, as my dad’s cardiologist, respected his decision to avoid any future heart surgeries. My parents referred to Dr. McAfee as providing “one-man palliative care.” It worked so well that he was never admitted to the hospital for his congestive heart failure, which is very unusual.

My mom, as a caregiver, delved into the benefits of palliative care. After my dad died, she went full-tilt to raise awareness about advance care planning and to encourage PeaceHealth to launch community-based palliative care.

She and many others in Whatcom County worked relentlessly to advocate for outpatient palliative care, successfully. Or so they thought.

I was shocked when she told me PeaceHealth management shut down its outpatient services on this compassionate care model effective May 26.

How can a hospital group – that claims to treat humans with patient-centric, personalized care – justify that decision?

When our dog, Panda, was diagnosed with terminal cancer, my husband and I were fortunate that a palliative care veterinarian was available to help us. He came right to our home. Veterinarians even send cards of comfort and support when a pet dies.

I hope for all the human patients in Whatcom County, PeaceHealth management will have a change of heart.

Kristin Jackson

Waynesville, North Carolina