Canada My last trip to Canada was my last trip to Canada

[dancorn]

In the same vein I was driving west on I-90 in western New York and saw a flashing sign that announced "Operation Hang Up". It had to do with only using hand free cell phones. Shortly after the sign was an overpass where a man was studying traffic with a pair of binoculars. Immediately below the overpass was a state police car with a driver inside. I surmised that the scout was to radio the driver if he saw someone holding a cell phone. It reminded me of an old World War II movie about the Gestapo watching German civilians. This spying and the border folks and the airport thugs and the secret cameras at red lights all contribute to a feeling of a Police or Gestapo state mentality. Slowly this is becoming the GSA (Gestapo States of America). What a **** shame to have the "land of the free" turn into the "land of fear".

 

[blondechick]

I'm also through with Canada. My last trip (literally) up there, they searched my laptop. My laptop contains personal emails, private photos, and our business spreadsheets. I understand the need to keep dangerous people and dangerous items out of our country...But really how does a few packs of smokes endanger our county? And how is some Border Agent looking photos of me playing putt-putt making our Country safer?

 

[layoutshooter]

I'm also through with Canada. My last trip (literally) up there, they searched my laptop. My laptop contains personal emails, private photos, and our business spreadsheets. I understand the need to keep dangerous people and dangerous items out of our country...But really how does a few packs of smokes endanger our county? And how is some Border Agent looking photos of me playing putt-putt making our Country safer?

Maybe you were using Taliban approved explosive golf balls? LOL!! They can get a BIT instrusive, to the point of stupid to say the least. I can't afford to give up Canada though. This week Canadian work accounted for 100% of our weeks income and it was GOOD income!!

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I'm also through with Canada. My last trip (literally) up there, they searched my laptop. My laptop contains personal emails, private photos, and our business spreadsheets. I understand the need to keep dangerous people and dangerous items out of our country...But really how does a few packs of smokes endanger our county? And how is some Border Agent looking photos of me playing putt-putt making our Country safer?

Canada is big on kiddie porn enforcement......thats why the LP check...had it done to me...no big deal....

 

[Turtle]

I've had my laptop searched twice by Canadian customs, both times were many years ago and it didn't take 15 minutes.

But I've been reading where US Customs are starting to search any and all electronic devices with greater zeal and frequency, thanks to the New Directives on Border Searches of Electronic Media from the head of DHS, Janet Napolitano. They have always has personal searches, and if there is a suspicion, electronic devices. But they no longer need suspicion at all.

The searches include cameras, cell phones, laptops, iPods, flash drives and SIM cards, CD/DVD's and any other electronic device capable of storing information. They're looking for export-controlled things like encryption software (and anything encrypted), kiddie porn, anything related to terrorist activity, but they can look for other things, as well. Not only that, they can make copies of all the data, and if they actually have a suspicion, or any difficulty in getting at the data (passworded or corrupt entries), or if they are simply too busy to take a close look right now, they can hold on to your device for 30 days, so an expert can look at it.

The ultimate in fishing expeditions, especially in light of the fact that they will have access to your online e-mail and cloud computing documents (you're required to give them your passwords if they ask for them).

But, not to worry, as Janet has reassured us all...
"Keeping Americans safe in an increasingly digital world depends on our ability to lawfully screen materials entering the United States," DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano said in a statement. "The new directives announced today strike the balance between respecting the civil liberties and privacy of all travelers while ensuring DHS can take the lawful actions necessary to secure our borders."

Gag me with a spoon.

The 99-page DHS Privacy Report to Congress (PeeDeeEff), where they detail their Privacy activities from 2008 through 2009, dramatically downplay the electronic searches, stating that, "between Oct. 1, 2008, and Aug. 11, 2009, CBP encountered more than 221 million travelers at U.S. ports of entry. Approximately 1,000 laptop searches were performed in these instances—of those, just 46 were in-depth."

Note the dates. The new and improved directives came down from Mount Napolitano on August 27th, sixteen days after the report. Apparently, the report didn't indicate enough searches to suit Napolitano (I really don't like her much, can you tell?. Many estimates have in-depth laptop searches just for the month of September alone as being more than 1000. Thaaaat's quite a little bump. I guarantee you she's on the prowl for all those right wing extremists who are a significant danger to our nation's borders. Yep, she's my fav.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Those guys couldn't catch a cold if someone sneezed....

 

[DannyD]

I'm also not interested in going to Canada. Greg said if you're polite & professional they'll let ya thru w/ no problems. I'm not some hell raiser. I'm not a tough guy who's gonna kick someone's tail. Nothing of the sort. I do my best to treat people well.

Those people though, have ways of pushing ya to your limits. The first time I ever called a woman a bad baddddd name was a border patrol agent. She wasn't even the main agent. She ran out there as a backup to the guy I was dealing w/. The stuff I said to him wasn't so pleasant either. Yea, I was so mad by that time I didn't care if I went to jail. I'm sure I would have cared an hour later, but at that moment I didn't. I'd done nothing wrong & they were being..... well, border agents.

Yea they definately got me riled up. At the same time I had a good feeling that I ruined their day too. To bad things have to come to that when you're actually happy about a situation where all parties lose. At least on that day though, I wasn't the only one.

Even when ya don't get grief from the border agents, the wait in line to come back is often 2-4 hours. Or at least it was back when I went to Canada a few years ago. In 4 hours from Windsor you could be almost to Chicago. We don't get paid to sit there. 4 hours @ 60MPH = 240 miles. 240 miles @ 85 cents = $204. I know it doesn't actually cost $204 to take a run from Canada. Still, a person who picks up from Detroit is gonna be 4 hours down the road vs. someone who picks up in Windsor.

IMO Canada just isn't worth it.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Time is money...time lost sitting at the border is a load lost run down here...or as a I being a Canadian once..running one up there...

When I was a Canuck the worse thing possible was the thought of coming to the dreaded US....The only thing then that the US offered was cheap smokes and booze....

 

[greg334]

OVM,
What do you mean "when I was a Canuck"?

Once a Canuck, always a Canuck - or as my cousins say you can take the man out of the maple leaf but never the maple leaf out of the man.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

OVM,
What do you mean "when I was a Canuck"?

Once a Canuck, always a Canuck - or as my cousins say you can take the man out of the maple leaf but never the maple leaf out of the man.

I mis-spoke...
or the Canadian beer!!

 

[solo11]

, I stress that I will not go and if it comes down to either go or leave, <<<,

In a polite manner " threaten " them that you'll need to call the I.R.S. and have them determine if you're a contractor or an employee, chances are they'll soon " realise " you have the option as an owner operator to refuse anything without penalty.

 

[greg334]

Actually the IRS will tell you they won't do a thing, you are under a contract and work exclusively for the company as a tool tio provide services to the company's customers. Their concern is to make sure that taxes are properly paid and this is the only reason that they have the 21 points. Labor issues, which this is one of them, falls under the Department of Labor and if you have a legitimate complaint of abuse, which this is not, then they will act (slowly though).

 

[jj214]

I have been "pulled in" once in twenty years of border crossings. I would estimate I have crossed 500 times (minimum) over that time span. I answer yes sir, no sir, thank you. If you look professional, act professional, you will be treated fairly. Complaining about Custom agents etc. doing their job is simply a waste of time. Know the law regarding what you can and cannot bring in/take out before you take your first trip. I have noticed the Canadian officers are asking about previous arrests. Something they have not done for a number of years. I recall prior to the pars days when you spent hours at the brokers, a JB driver lied about a previous arrest and was not allowed to drive the truck out of the compound. JB had to send another driver to even move the truck. Everybody has a job to do, everybody has a bad day now and again. Maybe I have been lucky, but I believe you can set the mood for a border crossing. Working out of Michigan I have made a good living transfering loads from drivers who could/would not go into Canada.

 

[simon says]

No declare, do not pass go, do not collect $200. I can think of a lot worse reasons why one should not go to Canada: this one does not qualify...look in the mirror.