Glad Mexico border crossing is nothing like Canada!

I was treated like that at the Canadian border 25 years ago, and I was a fairly upstanding citizen then.

As you say, the real Canadians are wonderful people, but the border experience left a rather bad taste for me. I haven't been back since.

border

I think you hit the nail on the head Dennis!!

But then, crossing in to Mexico is usually a little too easy whether walking or driving in to Mexico, very rarely do they check you (car or documents)...is this a good or bad thing I wonder sometimes.....

Quote:

Originally posted by SiReNiTa But then, crossing in to Mexico is usually a little too easy whether walking or driving in to Mexico, very rarely do they check you (car or documents)...is this a good or bad thing I wonder sometimes.....

Quote:

Originally posted by SiReNiTa But then, crossing in to Mexico is usually a little too easy whether walking or driving in to Mexico, very rarely do they check you (car or documents)...is this a good or bad thing I wonder sometimes.....

Ahhhhhh, finally a system that works!!!!

Quote:

Originally posted by bajaguy Ahhhhhh, finally a system that works!!!!

Quote:

Originally posted by Nan& Even being arrested will deny a Canadian access to the US. Never mind being convicted. D

These posters are right! You can often expect delays by both Canadian and US customs inspectors, either direction. They WILL rifle thru your vehicle (especially RVers) without you present! They want only Yes or No answers. Don't be talkative or friendly. NO JOKES! Don't admit to anything. Give a well defined purpose and duration for your trip.

We were once detained for over an hour by an arrogant Phillippina woman over one can of Campbell's soup containing BEEF!

Going to Vancouver area, take the Truck Crossing rather than the "Peace Arch" on I-5.

Have a nice time here, Eh?

I think that tops about everything I've heard.

B&B,
I bet you a Tecate that that guard was on the US side....the US has a concern regarding Mad Cow disease getting into the USA....they confiscated our beef noodle soup at Osoyoos crossing....as we stood back eating beef jerky

The Canadian border has tightened up mostly due to US political pressure since 9-11.....

The border crossing just south of Vancouver (Both the Peace Arch and truck crossing are usually much tighter than the several crossings east of there....1/2 hour drive east of I-5)

Best way to cross a border is to only answer questions asked, look the officer in the eye without staring them down, answer questions with short and accurate responses, don't lie, no joking, no guns or other obvious weapons .....and stash the film cannister deep in the peanut butter jar

Hey, Hola All!...I've been out of touch for a couple of weeks or so. Just got to a computer to read the 'newspaper' .. BajaNomads.. and saw this thread about entering Canada v.s. Mexico. Guess I'll throw in my two cents. Good to be posting something again..

I can't speak for anyone's else's experience except my own about crossing back and forth to Canada, but I can say that I have been doing it by myself without trouble or hassle since about..holy cow...must have been 1957-1958..when I was a tadpole camping in some rugged wildernesses. My experience has been that crossing the Canadian border is very easy and cordial, but then I do about 4 hunting trips & many fishing weekends a year for decades now and am used to the routine.

Like most international borders, follow the rules and it should not be a problem. Sadly, there is NO humor allowed at the border..sigh.

Also..Keep in mind that 'personalities' exist in every culture.

As far as bringing guns into Canada from the USA, I have also been doing just that since the 60's..legally. I hunt in almost every province. Handguns?..now that's a far different story. My advice there: Do Not Attempt to Bring Sidearms Across. You will certainly regret that action unless you possess the required papers. And you will not get those easily.

For an update on the situation of firearms I will include some recent research into that subject. (I would hesitate to call firearms 'weapons' to the Canadian authorities. Their job is their job. 'Weapons' will raise a red flag and get you hassled. No need for that.

Here is a practical guide to bringing firearms to Canada for Americans. This is accurate information as of June 2, 2010. I tend to keep up with all Canadian Laws pertaining to hunting and bringing firearms to Canada.

The Canadian Parliament is considering a Bill to abolish the registration requirement for non-restricted firearms. As of June 2nd, this Bill did not pass and thus the registration requirement is still in effect. Assuming that this Bill passes both Houses of Parliament and receives Royal Assent, it will NOT affect the registration requirements for restricted and prohibited firearms.

I've also heard some misinformation floating around recently. Here are the facts:

•It is possible to enter Canada with ordinary long guns without a license, provided that you have the proper non-resident paperwork and pay the appropriate fees. My shotgun permit has cost $50 per season in the past.

•It is possible for non-residents to get a Canadian firearms license and register register any firearms you wish to bring into Canada, thus waiving the non-resident paperwork and fees.

•ALL handguns are either prohibited or restricted in Canada.

--All handguns with a barrel shorter than 105mm (4.14 inches) are prohibited in Canada and are illegal to possess in Canada. DO NOT EVEN THINK OF ATTEMPTING TO CROSS THE BORDER INTO CANADA WITH A PROHIBITED FIREARM!

--Most handguns with a barrel longer then 105mm (4.14 inches) are restricted and thus legal to possess in Canada with a Canadian firearms license and registration certificate. Transport within Canada requires transport authorization paperwork obtained in advance.


•It is possible to enter Canada with restricted handguns, including to transport between Alaska and the Lower 48, provided that you have the proper license, registration certificate, and transport authorization paperwork.

•It requires a lot of work and time (a minimum of several months for the first time) to obtain the license, registration, and paperwork approvals; but it is possible. People do it, myself included. Do not attempt to enter Canada with a restricted handgun unless you have these documents in your possession. They won't issue them at the border.

•Many years ago, Canadian Customs would sometimes allow visitors with handguns to enter Canada with the handguns sealed in the case with Customs tape until the visitor exited Canada. This practice was never legal in Canada, and is now specifically prohibited by Canadian firearms law. Don't expect it. It's a quaint memory of the past now.
As always, direct information from the Canadian government is available from the Canadian Firearms Center (CFC) web page.

This is personal experience and I hope some of this helps your border crossing plans. Part of the year I live on a river that is the border between Minnesota and Ontario. .wide open, never saw an illegal crossing. They respect our borders as we respect theirs..at least here we do.

For example, we routinely drive back and forth over the border from a place called the Northwest Angle. I have yet to have a RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) pull me over and hit me up for mordida...








Canada is our friendly neighbor and wartime ally, perhaps they just decided to actually enforce thier laws to the letter?

Nice to be here. See ya later.



[Edited on 6-20-2010 by Pompano]

David, you must have had a cranky Border Agent that day, it's been years, but we used to travel back and forth all the time with nothing but a Wa State drivers permit.

As far as the TJ/SY border, I crossed today and again got a chatty agent. (I told the story of this happening before) On the way down April 24th. I got my first red light (well sort of) I had a green light and 2 guys waved me by, as I passed a 3rd. starting baning on the back of my truck, I stopped and he told me to back up to inspection, he didn't even have me open anything up just looked in the truck (maybe my snarling spitting, Rhodisian Ridgeback had something to do with it?)

And Paulina, the underwear trick dosen't work, I made sure my panties were on top of my un-zipped over night bag, at the inspection at EL R. he actually moved them to take a closer look in my bag! Maybe dirty ones work better?

little more realistic information on weapons

Being Scrutinized

Hook,
I REALLY appreciate your informed, sensible, and respectful comments

That other guy should certainly stay south of thew 49th


I like your pet geese and dog decoy.....the dog looks real....





[Edited on 6-24-2010 by motoged]

Quote:

Originally posted by motoged Hook, I REALLY appreciate your informed, sensible, and respectful comments That other guy should certainly stay south of thew 49th I like your pet geese and dog decoy.....the dog looks real.... [Edited on 6-24-2010 by motoged]

Hi motoged,

Perhaps you have Hook and me a little confused, but that's fine..we have the same sentiments about carrying firearms.


Yup..the dog decoy, then a puppy decoy, is looking more and more alive...

Pomp,
My apologies....sloppy reading on my part

But the rest all holds true.

I grew up in Winnipeg and spent some time canoeing Lake of The Woods and Winnipeg River system from Keewatin to Minaki....a beautiful part of the world...NW Angle Inlet and Rainy River areas are gems....glad you have a northern retreat as well as Baja


I have thoroughly enjoyed your travelogues w/ pics...keep them coming.

[Edited on 6-25-2010 by motoged]

I think it's better that Beercan stay home and deep fry some turkey in his backyard....we don't need any pistol-packing rednecks littering our countryside

My desire for a gun isn't based on any fear of humans, especially in Canada. We're big on dry camping in remote locations for extended periods. Have done this in Alaska a bit.

Especially when hiking in to back country lakes and streams for fishing, I liked to carry a .44 with the AK brown bears and grizzlies around. They are not uncommon up there. Mine is only a 4 inch barrel, so it's looked up with disdain by the Canucks, I guess.

What do Canadians do to in these situations.............just rely on "free" health care, after the fact?

[Edited on 6-27-2010 by Hook]

Hook,
For a start, our health care system is NOT free....our taxes cover basic costs....your government might learn a lot from our system. You might want to educate yourself on such matters before taking such an idiotic comment.

As for comparing your "barrel" size with another personal measurement that has likely brought about a few smirks, Canadians don't tend to think that way

And not a lot of folks being eaten by bears these days....you still living your Davy Crockett fantasy? Most of us up north don't wallow in the gun culture such as you might. I have spent 40 years in the woods and have never needed a gun to protect myself....I have learned how to avoid being eaten by wildlife so far....

I grew up 45 minutes south of the Peace arch and have driven through canada numerous times carrying firearms on my way to AK for work ing as either a guide on the Kenai or working on my families gillnetting boats, the guy I brought was a 12ga shotgun. The last few times I had to pay $50 bucks to transport it through.

I know many, many hunters who no longer go to Canada to hunt, after Canada made it difficult to bring in firearms. Canada really hurt it's tourist/hunting industry in doing so. I no longer hunt as I live in baja full time so I could really care less. The people I know all stay on US soil, however they still travel to destinations to hunt.

Why would you even risk bringing the film canister in PB through the border, when it'd be very easy to obtain north of the border However, I no longer do that either

Why am I expecting Canadians to understand the concept of personal responsibility with firearms?

So, you're saying wildlife officials in the backcountry aren't carrying weapons for protection? I doubt it. They are realists.

motoged,
hook is a conservative gringo with NRA lunatic ideas, it is a waste of time to debate with gringo right wingnuts. he does seem to get all hot and bothered about canada, that is probably because some canadian girl rejected his advances

Goat,
Yep I figured that....but the discussion is kind of like hunting: ....one sits in a safe position with an overpowered weapon taking surprise shots at an unsuspecting critter of lower intelligence

It's way too easy ...that's why I gave up hunting decades ago.

[Edited on 6-28-2010 by motoged]

Canadian headache

Folks,
I am guilty of taking a defensive and sometimes hostile stance whenever some yank makes a condemnation of something Canadian that seems trivial, way out of line, or denigrating in some way. That, perhaps, is a demonstration of my sense of national pride...

I think we have a damned good country even though the beer is a bit more expensive than US downstream suds (yep, there certainly are micro-brews which are great). Our country seems to be branded as quasi-communistic by some tea party types, but their political rationale is so skewed, it should not come as a surprise to me.

I quite enjoy most of my travels throughout the USA, and have some great US friends.....but I am SO glad I don't have to live with some of the thang going on down there....

Border guards are a separate breed ....but such services often attracts power freaks....and just regular folks who, like you and me, can get peey at times.

If a border experience gets in your way, stay home.

Mexican horror stories don't seem to keep the majority of us out of Baja.....we pay attention and try to avoid risky situations and take the rest in stride.

And I will just flash my stubby 4 incher to anyone who gets in my way

Quote:

Originally posted by motoged And I will just flash my stubby 4 incher to anyone who gets in my way

Does everybody up there run around doing that? What a strange cultural quirk. In the US, that would get you a "deviate" label.