I have several friends who recently went up to Upstate New York on business. While they're up there they decided last night to make a trip into Canada to take some pictures.
When they attempted to cross the Border they were asked for their Birth Certificates or Passports. Only one of them had a Passport but it was out of date. Canada didn't care about it being out of date. When the other two tried they only had drivers license's, so they did a background check on them. One of them had a DUI 25 years ago and has been completely 100% sober ever since. NOPE, they wouldn't let him in because of that.
So if you're thinking of going to Canada and you have ANY kind of record, Fagetaboutit! Eh? Me personally, I used to have an Office in Canada and let me tell you this, yes, it's very clean there but other than that, I'll never go back. Besides, with my Zoo background record, (ROTFLMAO) they probably wouldn't have me anyway.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
9 comments:
If they are "businessmen" how could they not know they needed their passports to re-enter the US? I'm not even a world traveler and know that's been the case for well over a year now.
Canada is nothing but a poor man's Finland. If you travel where it is cold and dark, at least have some good parties along the way: London, Amsterdam, Helsinki and even Rehkjavik make Canada look like Utah (and the ladies......oh..the ladies).
BTW 12:20. I can only assume because of your knee-jerk over-response without thinking first that you may be a fireman. I believe if you put the fishbowl sized vat of coffee down and read (maybe use your finger to drift slowly over each word like a three year old)with a clear mind you may realize by Mr. Albero's tone that his friends were in upstate NY on business. I have heard NY is a very valuable part of our own country. THAT was their true planned destination. It sounds like the Canada trip was a spontaneous idea to have some different fun-Since they didn't anticipate a detour to Nepal and such, they may have neglected to bring their passports. If I travel, I travel, so it is a reflex to me to have the passport ready....Canada to me is like Whaleyville. But Canada/US relations are a complex beast. In fact, I think by land/water you can get into Canada without a passport, but will have difficulty getting out. People who tend to think logically are bewildered by chickencrap technicalities like this, and sometimes legitimately caught offguard and unprepared.Point is, if your idea of being a smart rump is pitching in with your frequent flier experiences to Gumboro, you are more a part of the local culture issues than the solution.
Anon 1:14
You don't cross the border on a whim in a post 9/11 world, unless you're an illegal immigrant. I'm not a firefighter, but a real businessman. Travel across borders is a pain in the butt and must be planned accordingly.
You can get a waiver if it's been more that 10-15 years since a DUI, but it can take months and is a real pain in the but to do.
I've been laughing at the response of anon 1:14 for awhile. Funny funny funny.
And every Canadian public official will tell you exactly how little sleep they get at night because they are concerned that an established terrorist cell, who spent three weeks peepeeing in a folgers can during a transatlantic voyage from Yemen in a shipping container, will divert what precious funds they have to get their agents established in the states and then subsequently busted on a North bound swing back through the Canadian border because they have to have Niagara Falls pictures. Appropriately, the more intense scrutiny regarding American interests are the folks coming South, who we very very much want to make sure have passports. Google the whole deal and you will see how complex the current policy is. If it were up to me it would be no shirt, no shoes, no passport....no dice.
I was just in New York (Buffalo) three months ago and drove over to Canada (Niagara Falls) for the day. There were busloads of Canadians coming over into Buffalo to shop for the weekend....It is a bargain for them to come here whereas it is no longer a bargain for us to shop in Canada anymore. But Canada is still very nice...very pretty! And the Canadains were very friendly! I look forward to going back to Niagara on the Lake.....like going to England!
Did anyone see the new Southpark last night?
Eh
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