ian-mstm

Actually, he's an idiot... and you should worry about your *own* best interests rather than his. Are you planning on having children with this guy? I think Canada deserves a more intelligent gene pool, don't you?

Ian

Bill_S

Dad sounds like a wise man. I urge you to follow his advice.

crg

"They actually asked him if he was offered an opportunity to earn some money in the US, if he'd do it. He said "yes". What an idiot. I was ready to slap him silly."

OMFG! I laughed so hard when I read that.

Also, I'd refrain from using the term "day laborer" at the border because the term has a lot of illegal immigration overtones to it. Use "he does odd jobs in Canada."

Based on what you said, I don't think you'll have much trouble. They interviewed you exhaustively and opted to admit you. I'm sure they made notes. Travel with a string of pay stubs showing uninterrupted work history in Canada. If they searched your car twice, it's highly likely they found your pay stub and looked at it. If it was from Florida, their case would have been made.

BTW: Thank you for your honest intelligent, and concise description of your encounter. It was an interesting look into the process and well written. It's nice to see that they made the right decision on this one.

Canadian Missy

I'd laugh too if I hadn't been scared ****less first. They even told me, "he's already admitted he'd take illegal work here if he had the opportunity. (In other words they were telling me I can't save him, he did it to himself).

I gave some thought to what I wrote earlier... actually the pay stub was in my purse intentionally so they'd find it if they were randomly looking (they often will pick a backpack or handbag first, they have the most telling evidence). The other papers and proof was in my bag in a side pocket.

I know the second time they searched they only touched my BF's bag, he was drinking a soda outside when he watched the lady go through his bag in the back seat. The first time they went through, I think he peeked in every bag. I'm pretty sure mine wasn't rummaged because nothing was disturbed, at worst I think they looked. I'm really not convinced they found my papers.

Also on that criminal history question, just to point out, I do travel with the court papers and RCMP record (pre-pardon) in case they ever challenge me to prove I'm admissible. The onus is on me to provide the papers they want to see, so I always have that. That was in my bag too, in case I needed it. They asked my BF if he had a criminal record after they searched the car, but they never asked me at all. If they searched thoroughly, they already knew. And no one travels with that stuff for fun, they must know if I have it, that I intend to show it if asked.

I do know that at the Rainbow Bridge (that little carport) is where they search vehicles and the occupant is allow to watch. I got flagged for a random search once when I was shopping. They called it a seven-point vehicle inspection, but after they looked in the trunk (on that trip), they didn't bother to look in the rest of the car. The reason I say this, is Port Huron is entirely different. Unless I got special treatment because I was at the customs warehouse with mostly commercial travellers... No one gets to see the search. I asked if I could be present when he searched, and he said no. I guess that's so I don't get to find out what he saw or didn't see, I'd have to assume he saw everything.

Folinskyinla

Hi:

I often remind people that it IS an international border.

However, MY story is about the Blaine crossing entering Canada in 1991. It was shortly after a horrible pre-Columbine shooting at a school in Montreal. I was in a car with my wife and then small children. I was asked "Do you have any firearms?" I say no. I was then asked "Did you leave your firearms at home?" "No." "Please describe what firearms you own." "I don't own any."

I then had to pull over and they searched the car thoroughly. That last time I had custody of any firearm was in the early 1970's -- I will admit it was an automatic assault rifle [aka M-16A1], but it was a part of a "well regulated" agency known as the United States Army.

I'm left handed and most lethal weapons are not.

HunterGreen

That's why my husband and his buddies are always scared when they come back from Canada to go moose hunting. They have all these guns on them... and the last thing they want is be held at the border for hours or days!

Canadian Missy

I've heard similar stories of people who've had problems coming into Canada because the border folk think they might have a gun. I guess with guns being readily available in the US to most people, Canada is worried that the guns will come up here, where it's not legal for just anyone to have one. Firearms are heavily policed up here.

Well, if I didn't see the Canada-US border as international, well, I certainly do now. The Customs officers made it quite clear that we were entering a "foreign country". I also can't help but notice they always say "The United States", whereas locally I hear people call it "the states" or "the US". It's kind of weird listening to someone say, "how long are you going to be in the United States?" when I'm not used to hearing people call it that. In Europe they call it America (so I've noticed, everyone wants to know if I'm from America... technically yes, but they mean the US).

Speaking of foreign countries, I was headed over sometime about a year ago and had gifts. The officer asked me to describe the gifts, where did they come from? I said "foreign" because I was trying to convey it's not Canada, not US, and I thought there might be duty. So I wanted to be sure he knew it wasn't Canada origin. He said, "you mean they're from Canada? Canada's a foreign country." I'm thinking to myself, (not to me it's not). As the person answering questions, think from my perspective. The value wasn't great, I had to bring them inside for inspection, an officer peeked in the boxes I had, and told me I was free to leave. In general, they seem to make a big deal of people bringing things to leave in the US, but I haven't ever noticed them asking at the airport. Probably because I have that little blue form I have to fill out, which I declare everything on there. At a land border, whenever I'm visiting, I'm always asked if I have "gifts" (in the same sentence as medications, food, alcohol, tobacco). If I say I'm going shopping, they ask "are you bringing anything with you that's going to be left in the United States?"

Just my experiences...

Canadian Missy

I don't have too much experience with the Canadian border... I guess being Canadian, I get flagged through no problem. I've never been to secondary headed into Canada. The worst I got was a grilling at the airport by an officer who was intent on grilling everyone. He wanted to know in details what I did every day of my vacation, and when I said "sightseeing in London" he asked what it was I "saw" there. I got the impression he was suspicious I was actually on a vacation, and when he asked what I was bringing home, I recited the itemized list. He commented that I had it "well memorized". Well, I KNEW I was going to be asked!! It's not like I've never come home from abroad before, I know about the CSBA form and the declarations we have to make, so you'd think if I was counting on being asked, I'd make an effort to remember what I was bringing with me, since if you omit something and get caught, they rake you all that more heavily because they think you're lying about other stuff.