quote:

Originally posted by airsoft guy:
Canadian Customs is where Canada sends all the assholes. Everybody else is polite and friendly, then it's like, "Scott, you're a dick, here's a customs uniform."

That sounds like the U.S.A. selection process for TSA staff.

Prior to my first trip to Canada, I called the State Department and asked if I needed a passport to visit Canada on business. They said I did not need one. Entering Canada was very pleasant.

When returning to the USA, customs grilled me and wanted to know why I didn't have a passport. I told them I had called and was told I didn't need one to visit Canada. He said that is true, but you need one to get back to the US. They finally let me through with my driver's license and retired military ID.

The last time my wife and I went through TSA/customs, we had our passports, driver's licenses, and military ID cards. I went through with no problem. The agent looked at my wife's military dependent ID card and announced loudly, "This woman has a fake military ID." I turned around to come to the aid of my wife and was threatened with arrest. The supervisor finally figured out military retired IDs and military dependent's IDs are different colors.

sadly, the most trying part about your visit to canada will be crossing the border to return to the states. all i can say is be glad you are not flying and dealing with the tsa as well.

Drove across into Alberta back in 2013. Just don't have any firearms, alcohol, and for some reason firewood in the car. Brief your children if you have any on this trip. They may question them directly. Tell them to be truthful and no jokes. Also you don't need a full passport. I got a North American card that is less expensive and is good for North America and the Caribbean. Had a great time in Banff. Beautiful part of the world.

quote:

It should not be illegal to beat the hell out of our border patrol officers.

Border Patrol isn't at the ports, they wear green and are agents, not officers. You're talking about Customs and Border Protection Officers who wear blue.

Went as a kid. Dad had a beer in center console and a cigarette in his lips. They asked if he had any alcohol, tobacco, or guns. He said no, they waived us through. Guess things have changed a bit.

quote:

Originally posted by Valpo Fz:
Don't get me started on Canadian customs. I had my motorcycle searched and was "interviewed" while the RV of college age kids was passed through with nothing but a wave. I was searched the first couple of times I went to Canada now it seems like I am good.

Quebec City is really nice, I spent three days there on the way back from Cape Breton and really enjoyed the old world feel. Just beware of the "Angry Moose". The Ft is awesome and definitely do the tour.

Wow, I've been into Canada 4 times with yachts, you pull over, tie up and walk to a phone booth that has a video phone and you clear customs through a phone booth......they never come, they never search, they just ask for passport numbers etc.

quote:

Originally posted by Skull Leader:

quote:

It should not be illegal to beat the hell out of our border patrol officers.

Border Patrol isn't at the ports, they wear green and are agents, not officers. You're talking about Customs and Border Protection Officers who wear blue.

I stand corrected. The sentiment is still there, however.

I can't tell you how many times I've been screwed with come back into the States. I've had my vehicle damned near stripped on the side of the road several times, the most memorable was crossing from Ontario into upstate NY. Everything I owned was in my truck and I was driving from Detroit to Ft. Drum. Those bastards emptied out my truck and all of my possessions onto the road while it was raining. Then, after finding nothing, they said, "OK, you're free to go.", and walked off. I had to pack it all up again to be on my way and was not very happy about it.

Funny part was, the dumbasses didn't bother to look behind my seat.

quote:

Originally posted by BrianC:

quote:

Originally posted by Skull Leader:
Whatever you do, don't lie.

Yeah, you don't want to end up in a Canadian jail. Poutine every day, hockey every night, a cellmate named Gordie who calls you "his own Don Cherry".

Poutine......

I like how the same people who bitch about our "porous borders" are the same ones who complain about getting searched or scrutinized by US customs, lol. I've never had a problem going to or from Canada. It's probably one of the easiest border crossings I've ever encountered.

The problem Americans seem to have when traveling is that we're used to having rights, and we're used to having the authorities treat us with some degree of respect. This is not the same everywhere, and it's a shock to some when they end up mouthing off to a border guard in some third-world shit hole and he puts them on the floor. Gotta remember that you're now a guest in another country...their house, their rules. (ETA - this last paragraph is not a commentary on Canada, rather on traveling as a whole. Our friends to the north tend to be pretty civilized)

I used to have it super easy going into Canada. I went for work probably 5-6 times a year for like 5 years before they decided to get more strict enforcing some work permit rules. I went over to supervise a relocation of some equipment we sold a customer and I was denied entry. Ever since, I'm on some black list because even with all the paperwork in order, I get put through the whole process. Only had one bad experience coming back into the US. Officer didn't like that I flew into Detroit to drive to Ontario instead of Buffalo (direct flight with a longer drive vs two flights with a shorter drive- I'll take the drive every time). The time the Canadians denied me entry the US guy was even joking about it saying they'd been on a binge with that lately.

quote:

Originally posted by goose5:
Drove across into Alberta back in 2013. Just don't have any firearms, alcohol, and for some reason firewood in the car.

Moving firewood can transport invasive species that may not exist at your destination. Emerald ash borer is a big one.

quote:

Originally posted by Palm:

quote:

Originally posted by goose5:
Drove across into Alberta back in 2013. Just don't have any firearms, alcohol, and for some reason firewood in the car.

Moving firewood can transport invasive species that may not exist at your destination. Emerald ash borer is a big one.

If you burn the fire wood first, before moving it,instead of after moving it, you don't have to worry about that!

I’ve never had any problems in many crossings either way at the 10,000 islands crossing but my dad’s friend showed up one year in the late 70s to cross over wearing a nice suit, driving a 2 seater sports car, with only a briefcase with him and then told them he was heading up to Bob’s lake for a week of fishing.

Surprisingly his car was almost completely dismantled to the point of taking the tires off of the rims.

But they were polite about it.

Hi all, thanks for your thoughts. I am back now. They just asked purpose of visit, where headed and for how long. Not sure their requirement on how they do checks, etc. Anyway we enjoyed the visit. They have that form you can fill out and request rehabilitation. Maybe I should do it just in case.


FYI, I have been affiliated with three police departments, have Class 3 weapons, and carry permit here in USA.


Stay safe


kevin

I lived in NY the first 62 years of my life about an hours drive from the Canadian border. We would typically take a trip to Niagara Falls once or twice a year without a problem. A few years ago the son of a friend went on a charter bus trip with a bunch of friends for a batchelor party at a strip club on the Canadian side. Upon attempting to cross the border the Canadian border patrol entered the bus and took the names of everyone on the bus. They returned a few minutes later and said all were free to enter except my friends son. He was removed from the bus and told that he could not enter Canada because he had been charged and convicted of DWAI a few years earlier. He was told that even though 'driving while ability impaired was a misdemeanor in NY it was a felony in Canada and therefore as a felon he was not welcome in Canada. He was forced to wait on the US side for the busses return.

My wife, her sister, and I drove her sister's car from Michigan to Niagara Falls and back. Going in, Canada's officer asked "who's the 5th wheel?" regarding the sister-in-law sitting in the back. Guess he thought I was importing Americans or something. On the way back, the US officer asked if I had anything to declare, being an attorney and knowing the answer, I said "we have some alcohol, but it is less than the amount of having to declare." I guess that was a weird answer, so the lady said "turn off your car, put your keys on the roof and step out of the car." She had me show her the booze in the trunk. She did a cursory digging around and said "you have way too little alcohol in this car, you are free to go." Officers on both sides were initially gruff, then friendly. I think they do it to try to make people nervous or throw them off.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeNH:
I used to have it super easy going into Canada. I went for work probably 5-6 times a year for like 5 years before they decided to get more strict enforcing some work permit rules. I went over to supervise a relocation of some equipment we sold a customer and I was denied entry. Ever since, I'm on some black list because even with all the paperwork in order, I get put through the whole process. Only had one bad experience coming back into the US. Officer didn't like that I flew into Detroit to drive to Ontario instead of Buffalo (direct flight with a longer drive vs two flights with a shorter drive- I'll take the drive every time). The time the Canadians denied me entry the US guy was even joking about it saying they'd been on a binge with that lately.

I'm on "the list" too.

I was always hassled because I carry tools with me and they consider that a skilled trade. It apparently was somewhere in the NAFTA that made it more difficult to perform a skilled trade in one of the other countries from which you reside. I haven't had to go to Mexico yet, but may soon for my current job. We'll see how that goes.

The first time I went to Canada to our office in Quebec, I didn't have a clue, and my company didn't advise me of any issues. I was stopped and questioned and ultimately they let me in because I was going to install new equipment. (see next paragraphs)

If you're going there for anything but to work on something you're fine, but as soon as you pick up a tool you have to be there for a very specific criteria.

I did some research and found that if the work you are doing is paid for as part of the purchase price of the instrument then you don't need a work permit. So I always carried with me an invoice showing the date of sale and that service work was warrantied for 1 year from the install date. We had enough systems up there that there was always one that was still under warranty. I would still get hassled and one time was detained for a few hours, but because all of my paperwork was proper they let me in.

One time the Quebec office asked me to go to a site in Hamilton, ON to work on an instrument. I knew it was a newer instrument and asked them for paperwork showing that and headed on my way. What I didn't pay attention to was the rest of the paperwork where they wrote too much and said some things that the Canadian customs decided required me to get a work permit.

So I was turned around and denied entry and they said something to the effect of "if I tried to go back across without a work permit to work I would be guilty of a crime". I assured them I had no interest in doing that and would let me boss sort it out.

A year or so later I went on a fishing trip to Northern ON and found out I was still "in the system", and every time since then that I've gone to Canada for fishing or vacation I get stopped and asked the same question "why are you in the system". So I tell them, and they say, "that's right, please pull under the canopy and go inside". So I do and they ask me the same questions again, and I give them the same answers again, and they let me go on my way.

It's all very silly, and I joke with people that if you really want to smuggle something into Canada get "in the system" because they spend so much time focused on that, that they don't even bother asking if you brought anything or searching you or your vehicle lol.

When asked if you have any gifts to give to Canadians do not say herpes.

They do not find this funny at all.

A good tan, a Pakistani accent, and a semi truck will get you over the border in both directions without slowing down.