Stefanik’s Canadian Snowbird Act is a Snow Job

Letter to the Editor, North Country Now, May 10, 2025

Rep. Elise Stefanik’s “Canadian Snowbird Visa Act” is nothing more than a snow job.  A year ago, extending the number of days well-to-do Canadians could spend in the U.S. from the current 182 to 240 would have been neighborly; today it is a pretense to appear to be addressing a serious problem, all in a way that doesn’t upset President Trump.

Stefanik was silent when Trump offended Canadians multiple times by referring to Canada as our “51st state,”including when meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Carney, an idea supported by only 16% of North Country residents in a recent poll by the Center for Community Studies (CCS) at Jefferson Community College.

Stefanik was silent when Trump chaotically imposed tariffs on our nearest neighbor, and only speaks up to express support for Trump’s tariffs that are supported by only 47% of North Country residents. She is silent on the coming increase in prices expected by 69% of North Country residents (CCS).

Stefanik was silent at the end of March when the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority announced a $40,000 to $50,000 drop in revenue from March of 2024 due to strained relations with Canada, which doesn’t begin to describe the ripple effect throughout our North Country economy.  Regional economic concerns were shared by 94% of poll respondents (CCS).

Stefanik was silent when Carney made a stunning announcement that should have shaken the U.S. to the core: “The old relationship we had with the United States, based on deepening integration of our economies and tight security and military cooperation, is over. We must fundamentally re-imagine our economy. We will need to ensure that Canada can succeed in a drastically different world” (Politico).

Stefanik was unmoved by Carney’s announcement.

Let that soak in.  Her response to all of this is a meager outreach to Canadian snowbirds. How many 2024 Canadian visitors actually own property in the North Country, and don’t “snowbirds” usually head to places like Florida anyway?

We need a representative from the North Country who isn’t afraid of Trump’s retaliation and isn’t using the North Country as a stepping stone for career advancement.

Mike Zagrobelny and Ginger Storey-Welch

Chair and Vice-Chair of the St. Lawrence County Democrats