Odd questions from Canada Customs

[AlaskaProf]

That last flight my pocket knife was caught in carry on and they gave me a choice to mail back home. Which I did.

I had a similar experience departing Washington National. Very personable agent pointed out the post office 30 yards down the concourse; said he'd let me back in the head of the line.


Bought a padded envelope; jumped the line, all good. Envelope arrived home ripped open, no knife.:lol:


On another occasion, I very pointedly took the knife from pocket, placed it into my checked bag. (my wife monitors this sort of thing)


x-ray revealed another knife in my shoulder bag.

 

[guy with a boat]

Anyone I know that ever spent time in college can open a bottle in 10 seconds or less without a bottle opener.

 

[AKDoug]

Likewise crossing the border headed back to Alaska on my Harley, a female Canadian Customs agent gave me the third degree about firearms ownership. Including asking if I usually carried when riding, and if I had carried while riding this trip. I was truthful and answered yes, that will never happen again.

When tired of getting the third degree, I asked if she would care for me to pull over so she could search my motorcycle, she declined figuring she had over reached her authority on the subject. Hence forth, the answer is "no"!

 

[porman]

In 2005 we were entering Canada from Washington and the Canadian agent didn't want to let us in without passports. I had checked and they weren't required, but he didn't care. Then he asked us why we were going to Canada and I told him we were going to see a boat that was being built for us in Delta. His next words were "Welcome to Canada." Coming back into the US we were pulled out of line, separated and questioned, and our car was searched.

 

[soin2la]

No metal spoon in most hotel rooms.

Don't smoke so no BIC lighter.

I used to have a little tool that fit on a key chain that would work as a screw driver and it had a bottle opener. But that was not on the key chain I took overseas.

There was nothing in the hotel room to open the bottle and that was done on purpose. There was even a nice lounge we could use. No bottle opener was in the lounge, just plastic forks, spoons, and knives.

What, you don’t have a belt buckle?

Any tool, the back edge of a knife, an axe, counter top, seat belt and naturally, another bottle. There’s no end to bottle openers within easy reach and if, for some unknown reason there is nothing else, use your teeth.

 

[mvweebles]

What, you don’t have a belt buckle?

Any tool, the back edge of a knife, an axe, counter top, seat belt and naturally, another bottle. There’s no end to bottle openers within easy reach and if, for some unknown reason there is nothing else, use your teeth.

Use the jam-side door latch/strike-plate. Place the bottle with cap against lower edge of the latch opening. Hold bottle firmly with one hand. With the other hand in a fist, whack the top of your 'firm hand' and the cap will pop-off easily.

Enjoy......

Peter

 

[GoneFarrell]

Use the jam-side door latch/strike-plate. Place the bottle with cap against lower edge of the latch opening. Hold bottle firmly with one hand. With the other hand in a fist, whack the top of your 'firm hand' and the cap will pop-off easily.

Enjoy......

Peter

+1 to that.

When I wuz young (of age) and crossing the border guys would jam their hands into the bottom of my coat pockets hoping to come up with pot crumbs under their finger nails.

They never did find any!

 

[Cargile]

No metal spoon in most hotel rooms.....Dan

Except for being brought by room service, why would you expect a metal spoon in your hotel room? Ummmm.
The Mrs. is a great traveling companion. Never leave home without her.

 

[Jc180]

Have had similar experience being boarded by US border patrol outside the Ft Piece inlet when returning from the Bahamas by boat. Agents looking for fresh conch. We had shells, but no fresh conch and were needlessly harassed.

Does anyone but me see the irony in all of this? Both Canada and US have an open border policy. Priority given to illegal immigrants, but harass us boaters. Upside down world we live in.

 

[Mako]

But illegal immigrants never bring fresh conch into the country

 

[MichaelD]

Bedwell Harbor is a training station. If it’s not training day then check in is normal via phone. If it’s training day, it can become long and intrusive. Just always be totally honest and it’ll be ok.

 

[billdomb]

guns aboard

OK, we normally do travel with firearms aboard.

If getting to Canada, is there a facility where they can take them temporarily in quarantine for return on our exit?

 

[dannc]

What, you don’t have a belt buckle?

Any tool, the back edge of a knife, an axe, counter top, seat belt and naturally, another bottle. There’s no end to bottle openers within easy reach and if, for some unknown reason there is nothing else, use your teeth.

I can't remember if I had a belt or not. I lost one going through security one time so I might have been belt less.

Yeah, I am going to use my teeth go to open a bottle. NOT.

Since I was flying, carrying a knife, as mentioned, much less an axe, was not possible. We were in a hotel and I was not going to risk damaging THEIR property to open a beer.

 

[Steve DAntonio]

I've cleared Canadian customs many times, by boat, car and AC, and have been asked about firearms and ammo aboard, but never if I owned one. Asking someone of they own a firearm, that is at home no less, is inappropriate to say the least, and how they store it, at home is even more inappropriate, and for that question to be asked by a foreign official, well, that's just over the top inappropriate.

In Virginia, fire arms aren't "registered", (and WA state is no different), even if you have a carry permit, so technically, legally, no government official should be able to look at a computer and know if you own a firearm or what type of fire arm. Carry permits are legally accessible by law enforcement in most states, but again, for most "shall issue" states, and WA is one, I'm nearly 100% certain there are no fire arms attached to the permit (in some states there are).

Having said all that, you are at their mercy, so if you want to enter be polite and give accurate, brief answers.

 

[AlaskaProf]

...and for that question to be asked by a foreign official, well, that's just over the top inappropriate.

Uh...he's not a foreign official if you are standing in his office.

 

[Wolfhound]

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, ..."
Please note above the Source of all natural rights, including the right to self-defense. That Source is not men or women or constitutions or elected representatives... governments may recognize (or not) certain natural rights, but those rights continue to apply nonetheless.

 

[Steve DAntonio]

Uh...he's not a foreign official if you are standing in his office.

Ha, I suppose so, guess I'm the foreigner.

 

[guy with a boat]

OK, we normally do travel with firearms aboard.

If getting to Canada, is there a facility where they can take them temporarily in quarantine for return on our exit?

I think long guns are allowed if declared, likely with some restrictions. I know its possible to keep possession when traveling through Canada. I believe handguns are a no-go, and you would have to arrange your own storage in advance. The best source of course is CBSA for accurate info, not some nut like me on the internet.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Re: Post #'s 44 and 46: "...over the top inappropriate." Hahaha! Customs officials can pretty well ask any questions they want. They are the guardians of their respective country's borders and are tasked with keeping undesirables out. This includes anyone the official might deem "iffy" for whatever reason.



The American Constitution has absolutely NO relevancy when entering into Canada-none, no matter how strongly you may feel about it. I do not know what may be applicable when traveling in the opposite direction.

 

[Simi 60]

Greetings,
Mr. d. Heck, you can uncap a bottle with almost anything. Spoon, BIC lighter etc.

We still have our bottle opener from Lac Thien restaurant in Hue, Vietnam.
Never been an issue on a plane, not through South East Asia or Oz.
Flat stick with a bolt through it.

Oh to be there now for a Bánh xèo and an icy cold Huda

 

[tiltrider1]

Greetings,
Re: Post #'s 44 and 46: "...over the top inappropriate." Hahaha! Customs officials can pretty well ask any questions they want. They are the guardians of their respective country's borders and are tasked with keeping undesirables out. This includes anyone the official might deem "iffy" for whatever reason.



The American Constitution has absolutely NO relevancy when entering into Canada-none, no matter how strongly you may feel about it. I do not know what may be applicable when traveling in the opposite direction.

Actually you are right and wHat you say is true even for US citizens entering the US.

For example, police can not search a car with out a warrant (unless the saw a crime committed) but boarder patrol does not need a warrant nor even reasonable suspicion to search your car. Your rights do not come into play until after you have been admitted entry.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. t. I think US customs can also stop and search without a warrant within 100 miles of a border, as well. In Ontario Canada, game wardens can search anywhere without warrants. Includes homes, cars etc.

 

[AlanT]

No metal spoon in most hotel rooms.

Don't smoke so no BIC lighter.

I used to have a little tool that fit on a key chain that would work as a screw driver and it had a bottle opener. But that was not on the key chain I took overseas.

There was nothing in the hotel room to open the bottle and that was done on purpose. There was even a nice lounge we could use. No bottle opener was in the lounge, just plastic forks, spoons, and knives.

Later,
Dan

I bet that there was! I have used the receiver in the door frame (the hole that the door lock bolt goes into). Works for me.
~A

 

[gc9773]

"Honest Signals"...

As someone who used to do this for a living, for those of you who suggested that "80% of communication is non-verbal", BINGO. What we are looking for are called "indicators". You ever hear of those speed dating competitions, where, in 5 minutes, a woman knows if she is interested or not? The subconscious mind is processing quite a few variables and we are looking for "outliers".

This is when we know if we need to "dig further" or not. "Divided Attention" tasks are also used as well to determine whether or not an individual is being honest or not.

First, understand that hand gun possession is much different in Canada than the USA.

Second, USA citizens continue to cross the border with hand guns mostly undeclared.

The do you own a hand gun is not uncommon. You will be asked the question at least 5 times during your next 10 visits. Answering consistently will lead to fewer inquiries in the future. Answering inconsistently will lead to more inspections.

While you might think it is none of Canada’s business, you are mistakenly trying to use the US Constitution to define Canadian freedoms. Another error often made is thinking the US Constitution protects you when entering the US. It protects you once you have entered the country but not while entering. A fact that has been held up in court.

I suspect most folks here are well aware of the fact that Canada's firearm laws are much different than those of the US, nor do I believe that Americans are attempting to subvert "Canadian Sovereignty" with the US Constitution, which given how much various groups here have wiped their bottoms with, is likely largely irrelevant as of late. A "turf war" engaged with various "groups" in this country has revealed the "ugly underbelly" of human nature.

It would be prudent to suspect Canada has greater issues arising from within her borders than any "external element". I will sleep safe this evening assuming that various recreational boaters are not attempting to smuggle "military grade" hardware into our "Neighbor to the North".

Greetings,
Re: Post #'s 44 and 46: "...over the top inappropriate." Hahaha! Customs officials can pretty well ask any questions they want. They are the guardians of their respective country's borders and are tasked with keeping undesirables out. This includes anyone the official might deem "iffy" for whatever reason.



The American Constitution has absolutely NO relevancy when entering into Canada-none, no matter how strongly you may feel about it. I do not know what may be applicable when traveling in the opposite direction.

I've got some bad news for you, customs officials are not the "guardians of their respective country's borders", and only represent one layer of security to a culture or Administrative Region.

I can recall running maritime interdiction off the coast of Mexico, where, we secured 16 tons of cocaine from a former Japanese tuna boat, flagged out of Uruguay, with a Russian crew. We had satellites which saw EVERYTHING, but some problems are just "managed" until they go away as one cannot catch everything, and what is being managed might very well be a "redirect".

Some of the diatribe from at least one Canadian here is disturbing, as it does not reflect what is in many ways, a shared culture, for in many ways, the US and Canada have much in common...

 

[Bellakins]

We had a similar experience when DRIVING across the border from NY into Ontario. Knowing the Canadian laws, we did not bring a firearm. When asked at the border if we had one, my husband said no. Then, out of curiosity, he asked if ANY kind of guns were legal to bring in. They pulled us over and searched the car for at least half an hour.

 

[Wxx3]

In all the border crossings I have done:
45 years in Europe,
9 years with Dauntless
and 50 years US and Canada,

for some reason, maybe someone far smarter than me can answer, the US-CDN border crossing has been consistently the worst (a PIA), when in reality, it should be the easiest.
Maybe it started with the draft dodgers moving to Canada in the late 60's, early 70's. ( I was going to school in Seattle, so Vancouver was frequent trip for us and it wa a PIA then and and PIA 50 years later).
Richard

 

[gc9773]

In all the border crossings I have done:
45 years in Europe,
9 years with Dauntless
and 50 years US and Canada,

for some reason, maybe someone far smarter than me can answer, the US-CDN border crossing has been consistently the worst (a PIA), when in reality, it should be the easiest.
Maybe it started with the draft dodgers moving to Canada in the late 60's, early 70's. ( I was going to school in Seattle, so Vancouver was frequent trip for us and it wa a PIA then and and PIA 50 years later).
Richard

It is a PITA as it is PERCEIVED AS EASY, and thus, a "soft point"... You cover your base with assessed risks.

 

[thataway]

Twice entering into Canada by road in an RV, we have been asked the firearm question. After my truthful "no". The Canadian Custom's agent said: "I know that you have a concealed weapons permit in Florida, and thus we assume that you will always be carrying a firearm." Once we were towing a skiff, and the cover was pulled off the skiff. When pulling A C Dory, we were just waved on thru, after denying we had any firearms aboard.

 

[gc9773]

Twice entering into Canada by road in an RV, we have been asked the firearm question. After my truthful "no". The Canadian Custom's agent said: "I know that you have a concealed weapons permit in Florida, and thus we assume that you will always be carrying a firearm." Once we were towing a skiff, and the cover was pulled off the skiff. When pulling A C Dory, we were just waved on thru, after denying we had any firearms aboard.

Assuming this is true, then similar to NLETS (law enforcement database) or similar, we must contend with the reality that an international database exists, of sorts...

And what to do about it? Given that the Internet is distributed, and thus, fault tolerant, it would seem recourse is difficult, at best. Furthermore, it would seem that any local databases are fed into this "international database".

Does one "blow up"? Go "Postal"? I remember how all license plates were scanned in and out of the Mexican border. If, and only if, this holds true, then we live in a "Police State", of sorts.

Go "off the grid"? Stage a "faked death"?

The end of anonymity, it would appear. And everything is managed, like a "cage full of rats".

But they cannot control everything. And, ironically, if my recall of history is correct, this is nothing new.

Considering this information, it would appear the police are the "bad folks", but they had plenty of assistance. For so many were terrified of civil war, the fall of the stock market, running out of cat food...

Am I supposed to fear these people, for I do not. There is nothing terrifying about cowards...

 

[Action]

I suspect most folks here are well aware of the fact that Canada's firearm laws are much different than those of the US, nor do I believe that Americans are attempting to subvert "Canadian Sovereignty"

I will sleep safe this evening assuming that various recreational boaters are not attempting to smuggle "military grade" hardware into our "Neighbor to the North".

Hmmm, maybe if I pivot the turret 180 degrees, I could cross at Blaine.

Either that or this post gets me a full body search at the border.