I'm so angry and disappointed for dh! Canada border crossing story inside :-(

[LauraGB]

Big fat rant ahead:

:rant:

 

So, dh was invited to attend a fly-fishing shindig in Windsor tomorrow to demo his new reels and rods. He packed his car with his demo rods and reels (which he designs and manufactures) and the flies he was donating to the raffle, etc. He drove 15 hours to get to this show, but at the international bridge was detained - no big deal because it often happens (he spends a lot of time fishing in Canada). However, this time he told t hem why he was there, and they asked the estimated value of his stuff, and he told them. They said he needed to pay 5% duty on his things to pass through (which would have totalled over $1000!) and then he would have to do the same to get back into the states. :001_huh::svengo: He explained that he wasn't "selling" anything; it was all his own property (everything was demo stuff - he couldn't have sold them even if he wanted to). But no go. Finally, he threw up his arms and said "Fine". He was given a pink piece of paper to head back across the bridge - the crossing into Canada took about 2 hours, the crossing back took about the same :glare:. When he was back on the US side, he produced the pink paper, but had to go inside because the border patrol's handwriting was so bad they couldn't read what she had written. Apparently, she had written that he had a "poor attitude" :lol: - but, dh was frustrated and I know his attitude wasn't nearly as poor as mine would have been after 15 hours of driving and then being told I needed to pay taxes on MY OWN STUFF, in both directions, and then by not doing so, my entire trip was pointless, except for the 6 tanks of gas I blew money on.

 

:rant:

 

Ugh.:glare:

 

Thanks for letting me vent.

Edited June 26, 2010 by LauraGB

[lisamarie]

I would have been pissed off. Really, truly beyond words mad. You deserve to rant.

 

I thought it was bad enough that they now require passports to get into Canada. We went to NJ a couple weeks ago and wanted to drive back through Canada to see Niagra Falls but didn't want to spend almost $500 to get us all passports. I think it's a ploy to keep us all in our own country.

[jujsky]

That is so ridiculous! I'm sorry your poor DH had to go through that. Poor attitude? I'd sure as heck have a poor attitude if I had had driven that far and waited that long for the crossing.

[Mejane]

Wow. That's just ludicrous. She definitely wouldn't have liked my NY attitude after all that wasted time and gas! :)

[cat in black]

Horrible!

Frustrating!

Senseless!

But I just have to ask. Does your hub have a website or catalog? My guys are all fly fishers and I am always on the lookout for new stuff for Christmas, anniversaries, birthdays, etc.

[LauraGB]

Lol - And he's the "nice" one of the two of us. Seriously, he's so laid back and polite - I can't imagine what he might have said to her to get a "poor attitude" on his report card!

 

It's awful for him not only because of the inconvenience and cost, but because for weeks tons of clients have been emailing him totally looking forward to seeing his new design and some making the trip primarily to see his new reels! It completely stinks!

 

And the most ironic part of it (I put this in my original post, but then deleted it, but now I'm just going to say it anyway) is that President Obama is in Toronto for the G20 Summit - just miles away from where dh was supposed to be. The summit is supposed to be talks of support with the global economy and trade, etc, but dh (a little guy from the States) can't even get over the border to show his product, much less sell it. :glare: Most of his clients are either Canadian or European, but he can't even demo his product (which would increase sales and give more jobs for longer here in our state for production, etc) across the Canadian border. :confused:

 

Super annoyed.

[SproutMamaK]

That IS ludicrous! I don't see how that's legal... when the rest of us cross over, we don't have to pay taxes on the clothes in our bags, or the cars we drive over. So why would he have to pay taxes on his personal possession that wouldn't be leaving his possession? For that much money, I'd call someone (I don't know who, I'm Canadian, lol) and put up a stink. Seriously, he paid $2 grand in taxes on stuff he already owns?

[AHASRADA]

Makes very little sense to me (well, none actually!) I cross the border at least monthly, and there is never any duty to pay on our personal possessions. Duty is for items that are going to be *left* in the country you are traveling to. As long as you are bringing the stuff back with you, it shouldn't be an issue.

 

My dh has crossed with "samples" before, and he did have to fill out something, but didn't have to pay. Did he ask to speak to someone else, the agent's supervisor, something? Maybe there was a document he needed to procure ahead of time. I can't imagine.

 

 

I thought it was bad enough that they now require passports to get into Canada. We went to NJ a couple weeks ago and wanted to drive back through Canada to see Niagra Falls but didn't want to spend almost $500 to get us all passports. I think it's a ploy to keep us all in our own country.

 

Just to address Lisamarie's comment. A passport actually is not required to cross North American borders (Canada and Mexico) traveling by land or sea (passports are needed for air travel). Due to the increased security requirements, the US government has created an alternative, called a Passport Card. It looks like a driver's license, and only costs $20. These would only be necessary for adults 16 and older. For children, only a birth certificate is necessary (as long as they were born in the US and are crossing with their own parents, whose names are listed on the birth certificate and have their passports or cards with them).

 

HTH,

[LauraGB]

. Seriously, he paid $2 grand in taxes on stuff he already owns?

 

No, he didn't pay it. Good grief, we don't really have it for something like that (you know, something that makes no sense at all - I mean, ds's braces cost that :lol:) And even if we did, it's a trade show of sorts; it wouldn't be financially reasonable to pay an extra $2k in addition to the expense to drive, stay and eat to get there.

 

The guy who put on the show was sympathetic - he had to pay over $10K in taxes and expenses just to put the show on - and it's on the bank of a river!

[jenL]

I have nothing nice to say about how your dh was treated. What a ridiculous, insane, stupid policy!!!

[LauraGB]

Makes very little sense to me (well, none actually!) I cross the border at least monthly, and there is never any duty to pay on our personal possessions. Duty is for items that are going to be *left* in the country you are traveling to. As long as you are bringing the stuff back with you, it shouldn't be an issue.

 

My dh has crossed with "samples" before, and he did have to fill out something, but didn't have to pay. Did he ask to speak to someone else, the agent's supervisor, something? Maybe there was a document he needed to procure ahead of time. I can't imagine.

 

 

 

I think the red flag for them them were the words "trade show" (which isn't actually what it's called, but it more or less sums up what dh was doing there) and the fact that he had about $20K worth of fishing stuff with him.

 

He was given the option of having a lawyer draw something up - at $300 per hour, and they weren't sure how long it would take but told him would be more than an hour. The other people he could have talked to (I can't remember what they were called) had all just left for the weekend just before he got there. :glare:

[KathyBC]

At the homeschool convention this year, I remember the Teaching Textbooks rep and Abeka rep being super-clear about the fact that they could not sell ANYTHING they had brought with them, but could only take orders. They had to account for each and every item that had come into Canada when they brought it back to the U.S. A couple of years ago, Dr. Keller of RS4K was scheduled to speak but couldn't get through the border.

 

The whole thing has become completely insane.

[Scuff]

So did he not cross? Do they have his name orcould he try the tunnel or toing up to Port Huron? A little out of the way, but he'd get someone else and now he knows what not tosay!

[Jody]

It is all about the money! It is so sad! I would have had a fit about that!

[Nicole M]

My dad used to have a place in Vancouver, so up until a couple years ago, I would take my boys up fairly regularly. I have had so many horrible experiences at the border, I am beginning to think we are actually at war with Canada, but someone failed to enlighten the general population.

 

I was once detained and interrogated, and my 7 year old son was interrogated as well, by a woman wearing a bulletproof vest. I didn't have a permission slip from my husband to take the boys out of the country. Instead of saying, "Ma'am, is there a way your husband could fax the paperwork to us?" the woman asked a million questions that confused me and terrified my children. "Was your daddy in your house when you woke up this morning?" Now I'm all for protecting children, but sheesh.

 

I'm sorry your husband had this experience. Exasperating.

[LauraGB]

So did he not cross? Do they have his name orcould he try the tunnel or toing up to Port Huron? A little out of the way, but he'd get someone else and now he knows what not tosay!

 

They've got his name, license number...heck, they've even got his report card on file. I don't think it occurred to him to try a different route in. He's driving back to Sault Ste Marie today, getting a hotel and planning to fish the St. Mary's tomorrow before coming home, so I guess he'll find out if he's flagged at all the bridges. He's convinced that's the case, and he loves to fish the St. Mary's - it'll be so disappointing and rotten if it's a big hoopla to get to do that from now on, too.

[mcconnellboys]

The border guards appear to be famous for detaining folks they shouldn't, while allowing those they should probably be scrutinizing to breeze through. We were detained the one and only time we drove there (with little children in tow) and most folks I know from the South who have driven there have also been detained. We spoke with a former border guard turned park ranger after we were in Canada and he told us that profiling of southerners has been a long standing tradition..... Obviously we're not the only ones who get hassled.....

[Amy in MI]

We live in Michigan and this my husband is routinely detained and searched when he has to cross the border to visit the Canadian branch of the company he works for. He is not actually doing any work there, just attending a meeting or something, but he is always hassled. The last time they wouldn't let him in at all, got a pink piece of paper and was sent back to the US border, who of course searched him again because he wasn't let into Canada. He was so frustrated and the border agent was very rude to him.

 

Amy

[tricia]

This is shocking. I'm so sorry. But our country is going down the toilet. My son is a border patrol officer down in AZ and because of this 'crap' is dipping into other training to get away from the bull**** that you can encounter at the borders. He is NOT in agreement with most of them AND he knows that they can be an a** most of the time. That's like today I read in the new about the little girl who couldn't take her 2 inch pet turtle on the plane. She had to leave the plane and take another flight OR throw her pet away. Honestly!! My husband says it's all about control. People just have to control others no matter how insanely stupid the situation may be.

[Starr]

You just don't know what you'll get when you hit the border. I've seen truckers in the duty free shop saying they had been turned away and were going to go to the next bridge. It sounds like he was truly unlucky that the other border folk were not there. I hope it goes better next time.

 

A girlfriend and I were kept for half an hour at 11:30 at night at a tiny crossing coming back from Monreal. It was 15 below zero and only three cars had gone through. We were the last and it was almost time for their shift to be over. They told us they had to stop someone. :glare: I cracked up when the young man asked if we had any weapons. My friend said no and I had to remind her of the large plastic swords belonging to her 10 year old. :lol:

 

And it really doesn't pay to loose your cool. While most crossings are uneventful I've known of people who've mouthed off and were then asked in for a nice long visit.

[Starr]

I forgot to mention that it's usually the US side that's known for being the most difficult.

[Country Girl]

Kind of off topic Laura, but does you husband have a website of his products and does he sell to individuals or only distributors? We have fly-fishermen in our family who are always interested in new toys!

[mommaduck]

The border guards appear to be famous for detaining folks they shouldn't, while allowing those they should probably be scrutinizing to breeze through. We were detained the one and only time we drove there (with little children in tow) and most folks I know from the South who have driven there have also been detained. We spoke with a former border guard turned park ranger after we were in Canada and he told us that profiling of southerners has been a long standing tradition..... Obviously we're not the only ones who get hassled.....

Why would they profile Southerners?

[LauraGB]

Get this - dh just called from Sault Ste Marie...Canada. He got over that bridge just fine - no problems at all! It's just, oh, about 500 miles from where he was supposed to be going. :glare::glare::glare: What gives?

 

What a wasted few thousand miles, 4 days and several tanks of gas. Gah!

[Nicole M]

I forgot to mention that it's usually the US side that's known for being the most difficult.

 

Yes, actually that has been my experience, and I should have said that up front. Except for the body armor interrogation incident, we usually went right through going north, without even being asked for paperwork. Our paperwork is always examined with a fine toothed comb coming home again.

 

I'm glad your husband made it through.

[SproutMamaK]

Wow, what an unbelievable nuisance! Will he still make it in time for the guys (and girls) to see his product?

[Jean in Newcastle]

Dh has had trouble the last 2 times he's gone to Canada but it has been on the Canadian side. His official US passport was so shoddily made (pages cut unevenly and stapled randomly. . .) that they accused him of making his own back office version! But then after giving him an extremely hard time they admitted that they are running into a lot of poorly made US passports (so I think they were just enjoying giving him a hard time:confused:). He has finally sent back his passport with a detailed letter asking for a properly made one. We were told that they should give him a replacement for no extra money but we're not totally sure that they will honor that.

[4kids4me]

I would have been pissed off. Really, truly beyond words mad. You deserve to rant.

 

I thought it was bad enough that they now require passports to get into Canada. We went to NJ a couple weeks ago and wanted to drive back through Canada to see Niagra Falls but didn't want to spend almost $500 to get us all passports. I think it's a ploy to keep us all in our own country.

 

We now need either a passport, a Nexus Card or an enhanced driver's license to get into the States from Canada (if you're 15 and younger a birth certificate is fine)...so the increased security is going both ways.

[Starr]

We now need either a passport, a Nexus Card or an enhanced driver's license to get into the States from Canada (if you're 15 and younger a birth certificate is fine)...so the increased security is going both ways.

 

Yes, after the States increased their requirements Canada matched them.

[LauraGB]

Wow, what an unbelievable nuisance! Will he still make it in time for the guys (and girls) to see his product?

 

No, he's staying in SSM today and heading home this afternoon (he's still about 300 miles from home). To get to the show, he needed to cross in south eastern MI , which is about 500 miles from the northern tip of MI where he is now. It wouldn't be worth another 7 hour drive back and hope they let him in (and if he stayed in Canada it would be well over a 1000 more miles to get around to Windsor because he'd have to go up, over and around Lake Huron) He just crossed in SSM on the way back because he likes to fish the Canada side of that river.

 

Amazing, though. Oh and it was the Canadian border patrol that denied him, not the US.

[LauraGB]

We now need either a passport, a Nexus Card or an enhanced driver's license to get into the States from Canada (if you're 15 and younger a birth certificate is fine)...so the increased security is going both ways.

 

This is what we were told, too. We could get into CA just fine (or not, I guess), but the US wouldn't let us back without the passport.

[AHASRADA]

I read in the new about the little girl who couldn't take her 2 inch pet turtle on the plane. She had to leave the plane and take another flight OR throw her pet away. Honestly!!

 

Yes, there are a lot of things that happen at the border that don't make any sense, but it usually pays to be as prepared as possible. I have the border's phone number saved, and call them any time I am not sure about what I am allowed to bring, how to declare something, etc.

 

Last year, my kids had two tiny pet lizards (anoles), about 2 inches long plus tail. We actually bought them in the States and, after checking online, found out there was no restriction on them entering into Canada, and so did not declare them. The next time they wanted to visit Grandma back in the US (and couldn't leave the pets at home alone, unfed), I called the border, waaay ahead of time. It took speaking with 2 agents, being transferred to the local Fish and Wildlife office, who didn't know and had me call the regional Fish and Wildlife office. It turns out, I had to fill out a form online, as if I was importing wildlife. The nice agent walked me through the form, since many items didn't apply in my situation. The form then had to be approved and e-mailed back to me, printed and brought with me to cross the border. The Fish & Wildlife guy warned me that they might stop me, since few agents would be familiar with the form. He was right, but I had all my paperwork in order, and they actually laughed when they saw the cute little guys hiding in the leaves of the fake tree in their plastic cage. Fortunately, my form stays on file, so they next time the kids went to Grandma's for a week, I just resubmitted it, had it reapproved (yes, it is only good for one entry on a specific date!) and printed it again. The lizards have since died, which is sad, but easier at the border!

 

As for a permission slip from your spouse, yes, dh and I always have one with us when crossing with the kids on our own. We are rarely asked for it (although dh is asked more often), but there is no point in complicating our crossing by not having it with us. We just wrote up our own note, saying I, (complete name and passport #) give unconditional permission to my spouse, (complete name and passport #) to cross international borders while traveling with our children (complete names, DOB, passport #s), and had it notarized at the bank.

 

Agents can find plenty of ways to be annoying and unreasonable if they want to, but I have found that they respect and tend to leave alone those who are well informed and well prepared. Really, with the advent of the internet, there isn't any reason not be, and it can help prevent a lot of suffering at the border.

 

Moral: When in doubt, call ahead!