US blocks Canadians from accessing Haskell's border library

U.S. Authorities Block Canadian Access to Historic Library on Quebec-Vermont Border
The Haskell Library and Opera House, located on the Canada-U.S. border, is seen in Stanstead, Quebec, on Thursday, May 16, 2019. Built in 1901, the library is located in the border towns of Stanstead, Quebec, and Derby Lane, Vermont, and has long been a symbol of harmony between the two countries. Stones set in the lawn mark the border between the two countries. (Photo by Paul Chiasson, The Canadian Press)

A small town in southern Quebec has announced that U.S. authorities have decided to block Canadian access to a historic library located on the border between the two countries.

Inside the Haskell Library and Opera House, a black line is drawn on the ground to mark the border between the United States and Canada. The main entrance to the building is on the American side, in Derby, Vermont, but for decades Canadian citizens have been able to enter the building on the Canadian side of the building in Stansted, Quebec, without a passport or visa, and can walk to the entrance via a walkway.

But that appears to be changing.

The city of Stansted said in a statement released Thursday night that U.S. officials had “unilaterally” decided to close access from the Canadian side. It was not immediately clear why the decision was made.

The library recently made international headlines after U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Christie Noam visited the building in January and repeatedly referred to Canada as “the 51st state of the United States,” according to Deborah Bishop, the library’s executive director. Staff were shocked by the remarks and accused Noam of disrespecting America’s closest ally.

“This closure not only jeopardizes Canadian visitors’ access to a historic symbol of cooperation and harmony between our two countries, but also undermines the spirit of cross-border collaboration that this site represents,” the city of Stansted said in a statement.

Sylvie Boudreau, chair of the library’s board of trustees, told CTV News that the change was announced after a meeting with officials from the United States Border Patrol (USBP).

The U.S. Border Patrol did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday morning.

Liberal MP, mayor to hold news conference
The statement said the changes will require “significant infrastructure adjustments” to accommodate the new regulations.

A news conference is scheduled for Friday afternoon with Sylvie Boudreau, Marie-Claude Bibeau (Liberal MP for the district), and Judy Stone (Mayor of Stansted).

The library was listed as a National Historic Site of Canada in 1985. The building was donated to the citizens of both countries by the family of American lumber mill owner Carlos Haskell and his Canadian wife Martha Stewart Haskell for shared use.

The library, which is privately funded but receives grants from the U.S. government, has welcomed Canadian and American visitors since its construction in 1901.

The changes come as diplomatic relations between the two countries have deteriorated since the 2024 presidential election and Donald Trump's repeated threats to annex Canada and his description of the Canada-U.S. border as an "artificial line."

Vermont Senator Peter Welch called the decision "troubling."

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