Please help Clarify.

[John]

Please don't take this as a new border war. Recently a guy in our fishing trip related that he was questioned at the boder. they asked him if he had ever been convicted of a felony. He replied that 22 years ago he had a DWI. They detained him and fined him $200.00

My question: What for? Isn't that double jeopardy?

[Stan]

I'm no expert, but I believe that by the letter of the law, you are supposed to obtain special permission from the Canadian government to enter the country if you've been conviced of such an offense. I don't think it means they won't let you in, only that there are some additional procedures to be followed in order to enter the county legally. I also think its something you have to do ahead of time, not at the border.

[Frank from TBay]

We get asked the same question when we go to the US. Seems both countries are picky as to who they let in. Canada is very serious about impaired drivers. But 22 years ago and a fine, this doesn't sound correct. What was the charge?
Frank

[John]

I don't know what the charge was.

[Ang;er1]

I think your buddy was pulling your leg. It is a fact that DWI is considered a felony in Canada. However, he would have been simply refused entry. He can apply for a Minister's Travel Permit which costs about $180 CA, but this can not be issued at a point of entry. This permit would be available to him if he applied.

Remember that Canada has its own imigration laws and when we cross the border we agree to follow them. I've crossed the border 100 times over the last 20 years and have only had two inspections. The people who staff the border inspection stations have always been very pleasant and nice to deal with.

When anyone decides to travel outside the US they should find out what entry requirements there are. Camada is a breeze to travel into. You should try getting permission to enter Turkey. Once you've had your arm stuck, pictures taken and haggled with their Embassy 15 times you might get a visa. Once you get there you find border guards with automatic wepons.

[whitey]

I went to canada twice this summer. questions were, anything to declare? booze or cigs? how long are you staying? and do you have pepper spray? Does your fishing buddy LOOK like a convicted felon? I hear all these outrageous stories about border crossings and just wonder how much is brought about by the occupants of the car acting like idiots, or looking like idiots.

[Corey]

AMEN!!!!

[karl-k]

Just looked at the U.S. State Department's official listing of entry requirements for ALL foreign countries.

www.travel.state.gov/foreignentryreqs.html

I searched the entire list of countrys and found that Canada is the ONLY country that cares or asks about criminal records, including DWI's. This is from that web site: "Anyone with a criminal record (including a DWI charge) should contact the Canadian Embassy or nearest Consulate General before travel."

Doesn't make sense. Getting into Turkey or Burma or even Libya or Cuba is easier (though the fishing ain't so good there).

[Frank from TBay]

Karl: I don't think you are being completely accurate. The USA also cares about your criminal background. We commonly work in and around the border area and stay many times on the US side because we cannot get a room on the Canadian side. When you cross they punch in your plate number and if has not been registered before all the workers are brought in and interrogated. You also sign various declarations.Your border people are very intimidating. I have been held up for over an hour at times, this happens every time you go over in a different company vehicle. I am a construction worker and it seems they watch us very carefully. I have gone to some of the countries listed in your post but your guards at International Falls MN win the prize for holding up myself and my men.
Frank

[Fallsman]

You are dead wrong, Karl-K. Just this past May a bunch of guys from our local BASS club crossed the border for a tournament and one guy was refused entry because he had a 15 yr old Canadian conviction for marijuana posession. The U.S. cares and so does Canada!