Canadian travel to the United States dropped by roughly 30 per cent in 2025. This sharp decline reflects growing discomfort about border crossings. The reasons could be based on political climate, what people hear on the news, or what friends have heard or experienced.

In late December, the U.S. government announced it would begin mandating photographs of non-citizens at all land borders and airports. The measure, reported by CBC News in December, 2025, instantly caught the attention of Canadians who regularly cross the border for various reason such as shopping, family visits, or vacations. While the policy was presented as an administrative update, it added to that sense that border crossings are becoming more intrusive and tightly monitored.

Canada has been using facial recognition technology to verify the photos of travelers by air, both citizens and noncitizens, arriving from international destinations since 2019. This policy has largely faded into the background of routine travel. Yet the U.S. announcement reignited the conversation about surveillance, privacy, and what travelers might be exposing themselves to simply by crossing into another country.

Stories about border officers accessing personal information on laptops and cell phones and advice about wiping devices before travel have become common. The stories are usually fueled by warnings circulating among friends, families, online forums, and news sources. It may have happened to some people, but most border crossings are smooth and without issue. But for some Canadians, these warnings have been enough to cancel trips or decide that crossing the border simply isn’t worth the stress.

Earlier this year, Manitoba celebrated a huge health care milestone: over 3,700 doctors in our province, more than we’ve ever had before. Since 2023 alone, more than 350 net new doctors have joined Manitoba’s hospitals and clinics.

Our government has worked to train the next generation, retain the doctors we have, and recruit from across the country and beyond, all with the goal of making sure more Manitobans can connect with the care they need close to home.

Part of that work has meant looking beyond our borders. We have actively recruited health care professionals from across Canada and internationally, including doctors from the United States and the United Kingdom. These professionals are choosing Manitoba because they want to work in a strong public health care system and be part of communities that value their skills and expertise.

The work we’re doing alongside our partners to train, retain, and recruit is having a real impact. Our province has gone from the worst to the best in Canada when it comes to access to a family doctor, and we lead the country in access to same day care. Communities across Manitoba, including right here in Fort Rouge, are benefiting from new doctors joining local clinics, hospitals, and emergency rooms.