Entry into Canada update

[bassface44]

Count me as another one who enjoys Jinx's posts. I don't know where all the animosity is coming from. This is a guy who is going to be making the decisions and is in the best possible place to give us information. Why people would get all annoyed and post some of the derogatory comments is beyond me.

I guess I will just PM him when I am looking for some clarification and the rest of you goofballs can be left in the lurch guessin'

[Burr]

Kind of interesting, first time I crossed the border since March 1 when this new policy went into effect. I've been crossing at the same border, for 15 years, haven't missed a single year, and recently it's most likely 4-6 crossings a year. For the first time - ever - the questions I was asked at the border were much different than ever before.

Question: Have I ever been finger-printed - for any reason? My answer - yes.

Question: Why? - My answer - the department of homeland security will not allow me to have a haz mat endorsement on my commercial driver's license without first finger-printing me and running a background check.

Question Have you ever been convicted of (blah, blah, blah), or a DUI? Answer - No.

Question - Ever? My answer - Never. (my thoughts were didn't we just go through this? But, reminding a CC dude we just went over that same point might be a bad way to answer...).

In the previous 15 years, with over 30+ visits - I have never been asked if I have previously had a DUI. Makes me think there may have been a reason they never asked before... Even the 2 times I was pulled into immigration - they never asked.

Will be interesting to see what the line of questioning will be like when I go back later this week. Will they ask specifically about being arrested, DUI again? Then - it would appear there is a definite change in approach at the border crossing I use.

Almost like they didn't want to know the answer before, and now they do.

The plot thickens

[unclepaully]

I just crossed this past thurs at the soo and it was the smoothest crossing yet. We were asked about weapons and our destination & then he said have a good day. Probably 30 sec or less. No questions about DUI or any prior convictions.
Getting back in to the states was more of an ordeal. They were searching almost every vehicle on sun, it was an hour wait.

[offshoretroller]

Originally Posted by unclepaully

. No questions about DUI or any prior convictions.
.

Thats because they already know

[bricken]

I agree.... Thanks jinx for your posts. You have cleared things up for alot of us.

[mrpike57]

OK, my turn to comment. I have read the bulletin backward and forward, to me it is clear that this is a one time thing. If you want to get into Canada again, you will have to go through the normal process of showing them you are rehabilitated etc, pay the fee, and then you will be set for all future entries. I did the paperwork for one of my fishing buddies a few years ago, not bad at all, and, it only took a few months to get an answer back. My son in law also got turned back when we tried to cross a few years ago and he had his taken care of by submitting the paperwork, fees etc, in less than a month.

I may be wrong on this, but as I recall or understood it it, it is a felony conviction that keeps you from going in and that DWI/DUI in Canada is a felony. They do not want convicted felons in their country anymore than we want them in ours. If you are rehabilitated, then great, fill out the paperwork and you wont have to worry about it anymore. Just take it as another payment from a mistake you had in the past. Do the Crime, do the time.

Now, if they will just stop hassleing us if our boats drift across the invisible border and we havent called in, that would be great...although I called in at least twice a week from June to October and it never took longer than a five minute phone call.

[JinxCanada]

Originally Posted by mrpike57

OK, my turn to comment. I have read the bulletin backward and forward, to me it is clear that this is a one time thing. If you want to get into Canada again, you will have to go through the normal process of showing them you are rehabilitated etc, pay the fee, and then you will be set for all future entries. I did the paperwork for one of my fishing buddies a few years ago, not bad at all, and, it only took a few months to get an answer back. My son in law also got turned back when we tried to cross a few years ago and he had his taken care of by submitting the paperwork, fees etc, in less than a month.

I may be wrong on this, but as I recall or understood it it, it is a felony conviction that keeps you from going in and that DWI/DUI in Canada is a felony. They do not want convicted felons in their country anymore than we want them in ours. If you are rehabilitated, then great, fill out the paperwork and you wont have to worry about it anymore. Just take it as another payment from a mistake you had in the past. Do the Crime, do the time.

Now, if they will just stop hassleing us if our boats drift across the invisible border and we havent called in, that would be great...although I called in at least twice a week from June to October and it never took longer than a five minute phone call.

Just to clarify for you. If you are convicted of ANY offence in the USA that would equate to an Indictable (or Hybrid) offence here in Canada that will make you inadmissible. That means even if you were convicted of a minor charge such as theft (shoplifting) assault, etc. you will be inadmissible. It's pretty much any conviction other than say a minor in possession of alcohol.

[mrpike57]

Originally Posted by JinxCanada

Just to clarify for you. If you are convicted of ANY offence in the USA that would equate to an Indictable (or Hybrid) offence here in Canada that will make you inadmissible. That means even if you were convicted of a minor charge such as theft (shoplifting) assault, etc. you will be inadmissible. It's pretty much any conviction other than say a minor in possession of alcohol.

Thanks for the clarification.

[jignminow]

Originally Posted by Jball

Not to hijack this thread but last year a group of my college friends (8 of us) planned a fly in fishing trip to Red Lake Ontario. Each of us had budgeting spending 1750-2000 between the outfitter, food, fishing supplies, etc. About a month before the trip one of my friends was reading a board and saw something about DUI border crossings. Immediately he call me and explained that he had a refusal to blow (basically the same as a dui) 2 years ago. He made a mistake and got caught, plain and simple. I think all of us know at some point we could have been in his shoes. Either way this guy is a great guy with no other criminal history.

Since the charge was less than 3 years old he was banned from entering Canada under the previous dui laws. We all decided as a group that we would rather cancel the Canada trip and fish in the states and not leave him behind. We ended up going to Alaska.

Case and point is the law doesn't just hurt the guy with the dui. We could have easily spent 15k during our week stay in Ontario but because of that law we didn't. If this rumor is written into law it would allow people like me and my friends to spend money in your economy. I also hear rumors that the US had a reciprocating law that bans Canadians from entry. If that is true I also think that law should be changed immediately.

Just my 2 cents,
Jball

If I show up at the border with 6 friends and 1 of them gets turned away for a DUI, I'm dropping his butt off at the bus station and continuing on my way! His problem, not ours.............................