Harrassed, verbally abused and refused entry into Canada at Falls! Pt 1

[koval68]

The funny part is once you get past the border. The people I have met in Canada were probably the most genuinely friendly people I've met! Well at least on the New Brunswick, NS side of the country! 

Stereotypes are devices for saving a biased person the trouble of learning.
I think that our own personality has the power to open many doors, but it's our character that must keep them open.

[leyenda30]

I got the search treatment from a female agent going in to Nova Scotia. She asked if I had more than  ten thousand dollars not declared and I said that I wish I did have that much...exit stage right to the search zone. I was just kidding but she was NOT! It seems they are very literal...no sense of humor,,,sheez.

[DannyL]

The only despicable thing I see here is the Canadian/US bashing.

We live in the most beautiful countries in the world, have the freedom to do pretty much anything we like and yet a couple of people have a "hard" time with a person of authority and all hell breaks loose.
I've been crossing the US/Canada line thousands of times in my adult life and I've had BAD experiences coming and going. I still weekly go to a freight forwarder to get merchandise and see bad attitudes on both sides. I present myself without sunglasses on and am polite to a fault. I answer each question with the required answer, nothing more nothing less. I always say thank you as if I've had the best service in the world.
From my point of view I see older government employees that are bored and couldn't give a shiat. They are doing their daily grind and are not stimulated by the "job". Along comes someone not abiding the law and they spring into action! Females tend to be worse than the men.  Now the new crop of gun ho "guards" still have that "I'm the law and I'm going to enforce it and make them pay!" attitude. They are ready to fight, they can smell blood even when there is none. They will eventually simmer down and get in to the groove and realize they are just collecting a check till their pension.
As I sit waiting to clear customs each week I here all the stories from other people waiting along side of me. Watching the government employees makes me wonder how much money is wasted every single day. One thing that REALLY gets my blood boiling is the fact that I PAY their salary (on the Canadian side of course) and they don't have the basic courtesy to even pretend they like their jobs or at least serve me with some type of "happy" face. It make me absolutely NUTS! I love being greeted like I just killed their first born. Some kind of look on their face as if they just found out they would have to do the same thing over and over till they retire!

Ok I'm ranting, I think you all get my point.

Moral of the story is there are good and bad people representing each of our countries. It's a border crossing once and a while. Read up on the laws, be courteous to the man/woman at the gate. Let's each enjoy each others wonderful countries, I know I have and will continue to do for the rest of my life.
Don't focus on that blip of a moment on the radar of life!

Ride to live, live to ride!

[medicevans]

I've thought and thought and thought over the past two days and finally decided to go ahead and post on this topic.

The guy is obviously a moron and likes to think he is a little bit special and above the law.  For further proof, look at his ranting about the Giant Foods fiasco.  If I rolled into a US airport and had a pocket knife, but they wouldn't let me on the plane with it, should I stomp and scream and throw a fit?  Of course not.  Those are the rules.  No knives on airplanes.  If I tried to get into Saudi with a stack of Penthouse magazines in my duffel bag, I'd get thrown in jail.  But, but, but, those are legal in America!!!  Come on man.  This was on your bucket list and you planned for 5 freaking years but you couldn't take time to check if pepper spray was legal!?  Not only is it illegal, it would be like open carrying a pistol into a kindergarten in the US!  Then bitched when it got taken away from you and you didn't get it back!!?!  I'm thinking that the OP in the referenced post was a little bit hostile/bitchy towards the border guards.  Don't **** off the people guarding the border!!  Jeez man. 

Think US border guards are not nice?  Try Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi, Iraq, generally anyone who pretends to like the US so we will continue protecting/paying them. 

[Outback_Jon]

...and am polite to a fault.

Of course you are.  You're Canadian.   

[Strawboss]

I've had only one instance of trouble going into Canada, woman border agent, also with an attitude concerning my NRA sticker on the car window. A few tense questions but that was it. I'll not base whether I go or don't go into Canada based on one episode. But in fairness I will say that it seemed that around 1995-2001 Canadian boder agents REALLY turned the heat up in regards to U.S. citizens who they had thought owned firearms and in their minds therefore were trying to bring them illegally into Canada. Its different now, you should have no problems.

[MAN OF BLUES]

I've had only one instance of trouble going into Canada, woman border agent, also with an attitude concerning my NRA sticker on the car window. A few tense questions but that was it. I'll not base whether I go or don't go into Canada based on one episode. But in fairness I will say that it seemed that around 1995-2001 Canadian boder agents REALLY turned the heat up in regards to U.S. citizens who they had thought owned firearms and in their minds therefore were trying to bring them illegally into Canada. Its different now, you should have no problems.

good observation, and truly why i think we got "squeeezed"
I noted my pal and I were very polite, but we were BOTH wearing nice, clean, NEW NRA hats...
 and that woman kept looking at them intensly.... oh, and at the NRA stickers on my truck....especially the "I'm the NRA...and I VOTE" one. heheheheheheh 
in the aftermath of my experience, i was told they were specifically looking for Handguns and Handgun ammo...... funny part was, they NEVER looked at the long guns, OR the 20 sheets of documentation we had for them...never.

[DannyL]

Of course you are.  You're Canadian.   

I'll take that as a compliment! 

[JetJock]

Used to be in the gun business back when. Don't know absolutely for sure that this is the case, but the hostility and suspicion reflected when the Customs agents see NRA decals and firearms is likely based on too many "hunters" coming into Canada and selling firearms to Canadians. Smuggling in other words.

Yes it happens. And I'm pretty sure I had a customer or two that were doing it or considering it. I stopped selling to them.

[koval68]

Used to be in the gun business back when. Don't know absolutely for sure that this is the case, but the hostility and suspicion reflected when the Customs agents see NRA decals and firearms is likely based on too many "hunters" coming into Canada and selling firearms to Canadians. Smuggling in other words.

Yes it happens. And I'm pretty sure I had a customer or two that were doing it or considering it. I stopped selling to them.

Yes, it is true and still very much a problem...On behalf of all average Canadians (that don't share the same passion for firearms as our American friends do...), I would like to thank you for caring enough.....