By: Michael Standaert, North Dakota News Cooperative

WALHALLA, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) – Communities and businesses near sites administered by the National Park Service and those reliant on Canadian tourists are facing uncertainty after recent policy decisions by the Trump administration. 

After the firing of 1,000 National Park Service workers on Feb. 14 along with tariffs against Canada and barbs issued by President Donald Trump and others in his administration referring to our neighbor to the north as the “51st state,” informal boycotts ensued and the economic impact is already being reported. 

On Feb. 3, the U.S. Travel Association estimated a 10% reduction in Canadian tourist visits would result in $2.1 billion in lost travel spending and 14,000 job losses nationwide following the Trump administration’s first salvo on tariffs. 

While initially paused for a month, President Trump announced on Feb. 25 that the tariffs would go ahead as planned on March 4.

Informal Canadian travel boycotts 

Some businesses in North Dakota have already begun to feel the impact of fewer Canadian tourists. 

Frost Fire Park, a ski resort near Walhalla in the northeast part of the state, recently saw a drop in visitors. 

“At least 25% or more,” the park’s general manager Patty Gorder said of the decline in the past month. 

“I’ve even had emails where (Canadians) have taken the time to let me know how they feel about the whole situation and how they’re not wanting to support not only our business, but our state, because of what the state of North Dakota is standing behind,” Gorder said. 

This includes people saying they’ll no longer use season passes they already hold, she said. 

Since winter is almost over, the impacts may not be as great as they would have been if the Trump administration’s actions happened before the ski season. 

Because the park is so close to the border and to Winkler, Manitoba, Gorder said around 75% of the clientele at Frost Fire is from Canada. 

“It’s really unfortunate,” Gorder said. 

The administration’s actions already impacted the Tourism and Marketing division of the state’s Department of Commerce as well, according to state tourism director Sara Otte Coleman. 

This includes delaying a paid marketing campaign in Canada until there’s a better understanding of Canadian sentiment about traveling to North Dakota, she said. 

“We have no way to project if our Canadian visitation numbers will decrease,” Otte Coleman said. 

While Canadian border crossings increased around 10% in 2024 from the previous year, Otte Coleman said the state still lags behind pre-pandemic numbers.

Visits by Canadians are currently around 78% of what they were in 2019. 

“We do not have detailed data on the number of Canadians visiting sites and events across the state, but know from tourism operators that Canadians are an important part of their visitation numbers,” Coleman said. 

The International Peace Garden, which straddles the border near Bottineau and is operated jointly by a nonprofit board of American and Canadian members, has not yet had a considerable impact because the park is in its low season, said CEO Tim Chapman. 

“We have received some feedback a few weeks ago from primarily Canadians, just kind of expressing dismay with some of the political rhetoric,” Chapman said. 

Chapman said visitor numbers and revenue rebounded last year to meet or exceed 2019 numbers.

“One thing I’ve encouraged visitors who have been a little frustrated is to continue to visit, because I think most Americans and Canadians, regardless of what’s going on in politics, still really appreciate that cooperation and friendship that our countries have always had,” Chapman said. 

Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak, R-N.D., said she recognizes the strong ties between North Dakota and Canada and would like to see policies encouraging, not discouraging, cross-border travel and business. 

Fedorchak said she believed the proposed tariffs had been effective in pushing Canada to address fentanyl trafficking and illegal immigration. 

Canada is the top destination for North Dakota exports, with the state sending $5.9 billion in goods to Canada in 2023, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. That represents 79% of North Dakota’s foreign exports. 

North Dakota also imports more from Canada than from any other country, with around $3 billion in goods annually coming south. 

Theodore Roosevelt National Park staffing

Another area of concern relates to the firing of permanent staff at sites administered by the National Park Service and how this could impact services in the park and tourism in surrounding communities. 

In North Dakota, this includes the state’s most visited tourist site of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, as well as Fort Union Trading Post straddling the border with Montana, Knife River Indian Villages near Stanton, and upkeep of both the North County and Lewis & Clark national trails. 

Representatives of Theodore Roosevelt National Park and the National Park Service Midwest regional office out of Omaha, Nebraska, declined to comment on personnel matters when contacted by NDNC. 

Bill Wade, executive director of the Association of National Park Rangers, which is tracking the firings and impacts, said he’s confirmed at least three permanent staff at Theodore Roosevelt National Park were fired on Feb. 14. 

What kind of positions were axed at the park are not known, he said. Wade is also uncertain about any firings at Fort Union or Knife River. 

“What we know from the numbers that we have nationwide, it seems that the functions in parks that were hit the hardest were those staff that do the interpretation and education, the visitor centers, staff that give the programs, do school groups, things like that,” Wade said. 

Others let go include workers at park entrance stations and custodial staff, Wade said. Loss of those workers could lead to longer waits to enter parks and facilities that aren’t as well kept. 

Staff at Fort Union declined to comment on any staff changes. 

Wade indicated additional plans for staff reductions at the National Park Service are forthcoming and could occur in late March or early April. 

“That suggests potentially many more layoffs,” Wade said. 

In a statement in response to questions, Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said that the National Park Service is still determining full-time staffing levels and there’s been no change for Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s seasonal hiring plans. He said the park expects it will be able to maintain its in-park experience for visitors. 

Fedorchak said her team is currently looking into the situation with Theodore Roosevelt National Park and will continue engaging with stakeholders. 

“I appreciate the concern folks in tourism and others have on the current federal funding uncertainty,” Fedorchak said. “I believe these disruptions will be short term and the summer tourism season won’t be impacted.” 

Otte Coleman said the state Commerce department will have a delegation in Washington, D.C., in early April and hopes to get more clarity from the Department of Interior, now headed by former Gov. Doug Burgum, and the National Park Service. 

Doug Ellison, former Medora mayor and owner of Amble Inn and Western Edge Books in Medora, said there’s been “some discussion and concern” about the impact of the staffing cuts on public services at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in the community. 

“We’ll see how the dust settles,” he said. 

On the Canadian tourism side, Ellison didn’t think there’d be a huge impact on Medora but did say around 20% of bookstore customers are Canadian. 

Border restrictions during the pandemic reduced numbers coming down from Canada, so those impacts were already “very noticeable” in recent years, he said.

FARGO – In the late evening hours of Tuesday, March 4,

President Donald Trump addressed the United States Congress for the first time

since taking office earlier this year.

After his speech, those representing the state of North Dakota were quick to weigh in on the president’s priorities for the next four years.

Trump’s “vision for the future of the United States” will bring more energy independence and border security, North Dakota

Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak, R-N.D., said in a statement late on Tuesday.

“I am proud to stand with President Trump in turning the page on the disastrous policies of the previous administration and deliver on a new era of American exceptionalism. From unleashing American energy to securing our border, the President laid out a clear road map to a stronger America and peace around the world,” Fedorchak said.

Under the Trump administration, unlawful border crossings in the north and south are predicted to hit the lowest number seen in years,

according to NPR factcheckers.

However, the U.S. was producing “record amounts of oil and natural gas” under the Biden administration,

NPR reported,

and set a natural gas record in 2023.

The country will get “back on track” under Trump, Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said in a release on Tuesday.

“After being in office just over a month, the Trump administration has already put in place policies that are stopping the flow of illegal immigration, helping to build U.S. energy dominance and showing that America is back open for business to grow our economy,” Hoeven said. “At the same time, the President has made clear that we need to rebuild our military to keep our nation safe, support our veterans, make government work better and support our small businesses, including our farmers and ranchers. We look forward to continuing to work with President Trump on these priorities to build a better future for the American people.”

Over the last six weeks, a flurry of changes from the Trump administration have left North Dakota farmers, veterans advocates, victim service shelters, tourism industry leaders and federal workers concerned that the budget cuts, federal layoffs and new tariffs will harm the state’s economy, veterans health care and more.

Even North Dakota’s governor weighed in on Tuesday.

Since taking office in January, Trump has made “significant progress” by “bringing common sense back to America,”

Gov. Kelly Armstrong said in a release.

“Illegal immigration is down, investment in U.S. manufacturing is up, and North Dakota is among the states that stand to benefit most from the president’s focus on American innovation, common-sense regulations and government efficiency,” Armstrong, a Republican, said.

Members of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL were less enthusiastic following the address.

Under Trump’s administration, health care costs will go up as will household prices for working families, the

North Dakota Democratic-NPL chair Adam Goldwyn said online prior to Trump’s address.

“Whether it’s the price of eggs to housing, Trump’s policies are already making life more unaffordable for North Dakotans, and this will only get worse,” Goldwyn said in the release. “They’re going to steal from you and your grandma to pay for tax cuts for out-of-state billionaires.”

The price of eggs was rising under the previous administration as well.

During his Tuesday address, Trump blamed the skyrocketing price of eggs on former President Joe Biden.

However, the rising cost of eggs is largely due to an ongoing avian flu epidemic that is running rampant amongst crowded chicken factories,

NPR factcheckers reported on Tuesday,

leading to the slaughter of tens of millions of chickens that were producing America’s eggs.

In addition, the Minnesota DFL Party released a statement following Trump’s address that was critical of the administration’s agenda.

Trump’s policies will also harm Minnesotans, according to Minnesota DFL Executive Director Heidi Kraus Kaplan.

“As he pushes forward with a budget plan that would rip health insurance away from thousands of Minnesotans who rely on Medicaid and a trade war that will raise the cost of everything from food to electricity, Donald Trump is showing Minnesota his true colors,” Minnesota DFL Executive Director Heidi Kraus Kaplan said in the release. “Minnesota Republicans will be held accountable for rubberstamping Donald Trump’s plans to cut taxes for the ultra-rich while shredding programs that support working-class Minnesotans.”

Some Democrats left the chamber in protest during Trump’s address, according to Reuters, while others applauded Trump at times throughout his speech.

U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., condemned the actions of some House Democrats on Tuesday in a release.

“Democrats in the Chamber sneered, heckled and booed,” Cramer said in the release. “You don’t have to hate America because you hate President Trump, and you don’t have to love Trump because you love America.”

FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – More perspectives have come out on the North Dakota House’s ruling on gay marriage rights.

“The state of North Dakota, the Declaration of Independence, our Century Code here in North Dakota, and our constitution pretty much lay out what the definition of marriage is and was,” said state representative Bill Tveit.

Tveit looks at his view of the topic as upholding his constitutional rights.

“When this law was passed, I’m opposing the method that the Supreme Court used to pass this,” said Tveit.

Tveit voted to support the resolution to overturn the ruling on gay marriage, while some have pushed back on the decision.

“Never thought it would ever come back to this agenda, you know. I wouldn’t say hate but just like not accepting it,” said Blaine Finneseth, a gay man himself and wedding photographer.

Blaine has lived in North Dakota his whole life and has aspirations to get married in the place he grew up in.

“I would love to get married here; it’s my home state and I have the feeling now that it’s not going to happen potentially. I just feel like it’s that people are trying to take that away and people are okay with it,” said Finneseth.

As a wedding photographer, Finneseth expresses that he wants to see same-sex couples be able to share their special day together.

“And for other future people too, like me. Going out there and also future clients would like to be able to photograph their wedding and have them be happy,” said Finneseth.

The decision has not turned into the law. It’s a resolution that will go to the Supreme Court if it gets passed by the Senate.

Tviet says a hearing by the Senate about this resolution is not yet scheduled that he could find.

Stick with Valley News Live for updates on when the Senate hearing on gay marriage takes place.

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