Terrorized at the Canadian Border for having a CHL

[AMProducts]

Ok, it seems pretty clear you guys don't know how to deal with security checks...

Get one of those cargo carry bags that goes on top of the car, and fill it with inflatable pool toys, but have the rest of the car empty (or at least appearing empty) when you go up and they start questioning you, let them get side tracked with the pool toys, because it won't make any sense to them, and also isn't illegal. They will freak out and carefully examine each and every one. They will completely ignore almost everything else.

I had a cop freak out about ammo cans full of apples. He took some of the apples, but I was smuggling the ammo cans.

 

[JohnnyD]

Must be the norm I had a friend go up there to look at a car he was thinking about purchasing. He had all the customs paper work in order and flew out there. They pulled the same thing interrogating him about who he was meeting why he had so much cash searched his phone to see who he had been talking to and so on. Then he decided not to buy the car flew home and went though it all once a again.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I guess our border patrol boys have to now run away when the mexican drug cartel throws rocks at them.

 

[RVTECH]

Ok, it seems pretty clear you guys don't know how to deal with security checks...

I agree, and I have no personal experience with it but I do deal with people who routinely go to Canada delivering RVs and their stories are nearly verbatim, The big difference is they have learned long ago not to get on their 'high-horse' or 'soap box' etc about "being a law abiding American" or showing any defensiveness, no matter how slight to any of their questions as they will only make it worse. Quite frankly they are most likely trained to crank up the hassle factor just to see if they can slip you up on anything. The ones I talk to tell me how they nearly draw blood biting their own tongues when they are questioned. Many have stopped taking deliveries to Canada and are hoping someday they will establish 'neutral zones' on the border specifically for truck drivers or anyone making deliveries to Canada.

 

[PBinWA]

Stick to "yes" and "no" answers. No jokes, no explanations, minimalist clarifications.

I've had bad experiences from officers on both sides. In general the US guys are meaner than the Canucks since 9/11. Used to be the other way around.

The whole border crossing - government interrogation thing sucks. I can't imagine how much it must suck in the south where they have those spot checks on the highways that are still inside the US.

We are slowly losing our freedoms.

 

[mjbskwim]

I'm interested to know if you that are interrogated and ask who you are going to see,tell these people about this.
I would want to know someone told the BP my name. Now they gunna come looking for me cause I talked to an American?
How about the guides up there? I would guess they know their clients are getting probed before they come to hunt.
I'm sure the canadian government cares what the citizens think as much as ours does

haha

 

[RVTECH]

In general the US guys are meaner than the Canucks

They have said this also about their experiences.

 

[Lincoln4]

They have said this also about their experiences.

I've found the same. In 2008, in my 36 foot motorhome as I re-entered Canada from Alaska I was asked about my occupation. As I carry a firearm daily on the job, I figured things were about to go sideways. I told her what I do for a living, that I had none with me, and they were all locked in my safe at home. She smiled and let us go on. As an added bonus, she was pretty cute!

Now the US agent at Sumas was a jackwagon. But we still got through with no big issues. Can't be much fun sitting at that window all day asking the same questions over, and over, and over...

 

[Martini_Up]

when asked if you have firearms at home, why not either tell them NO or repeat you have no firearms in the car?

"Do you have any firearms in at home, Mr. Martini?"

"I have no firearms in my possession, Mr. MapleLeaf"

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Er............blank Canada!

 

[Certaindeaf]

Well you can't really blame them.. a detachment of bums pushing shopping carts poses a real national security threat to canuckland.. what are they gonna do in retaliation.. untap their maple trees?

 

[Certaindeaf]

Oh, and Canadian bacon sucks.. it's ham, dood. and it sucks

 

[erudne]

In the past I crossed several times w/ no hassels but that was before 9-11, now I would not go into CA on a bet. Still I find it strange that a Muslim living in Portland was allowed to "smuggle" weapons, ammo and even a destructive device into Canada just a few years ago

 

[taylor]

I know you guys think differently and that's OK but the above stories are some of the reasons I won't get CHL. I have heard horror stories about evil anti-gun cops here in USA running the plates and having the driver spread eagle in the snow while they tear apart the car. Plus info could end up on the front page like in Conn. when they published CHL's address's giving burglars a roadmap to get guns. My city isn't violent enough yet to cause me to even think about going armed, and I never go out after 7pm anymores (I'm up there in years). But as I said that's me you all do what you want. Besides if some young punks started pushing me around and I was carrying I don't know what I'd do.

 

[DieselScout]

I have some Canadian friends who come to the US to show their tractor, and yes it is a show tractor. Anyway, on trip on the way down, they were asked by the US boarder patrol agents if they had any beef with them. They said yes, they had some chili that was canned in the US, but had beef in it. They were told it would have to be confiscated as no beef was allowed in from Canada. So, the US boarder agent "waddled" (their words not mine) into their trailer and took not only the chili, but their eggs as well. Guess he needed some breakfast.

Anyway on their return trip they had a problem with the Canadian boarder patrol. They always clean their tractor and trailer before heading back to Canada. They make sure there is NO soil, or grass or anything that could transport seeds on it. The tractor is s a show tractor so it's super clean anyway. On their return trip from Oregon, they were met with rain, and hot dusty blowing weather in a construction zone, so you can imagine the tractor got a fine coating of road grim on it. The Canadian boarder agent refused them entry back into Canada, telling them their tractor was "sufficiently soiled it could contain seeds of invasive." He had them pull over in "no man's land" my buddy got out and asked if their was anyway he could wash it off and be on his way. He was told by the same agent they had no mean to wash the tractor and he wasn't being allowed in Canada and the US wouldn't take him back. Then the guy walked off. My buddy and his wife sat for about 30 minutes discussing what to do, when another agent came up, who was very nice and pleasant, gave them their paperwork back and told them to have a safe trip home.

So it would appear like in any job, there are power hungry control freaks.

 

[Ligito]

I finally shut up and accepted it and moved on my way.

They don't need anymore attitudes in B.C.?

 

[Don H]

I commute back and forth from Oregon to BC all the time. The CBSA does not know if you have a CHL or not. He was probing. The border agents always ask open ended questions and see where it goes. If you get defensive or start smarting off, they'll grill you. Sure, it's not right, but that's what they do. If you want to be granted access to the country you have to just grin and bear it, sorry to say.

 

[John H]

. The CBSA does not know if you have a CHL or not. .

Are you sure?? The only time I was questioned about guns was when I had a Active CPL, questions stopped after it expired. And this was before 9/11.

 

[DieselScout]

Since CHL's are state-by-state their is no national database on them. Their is no US "clearing house" of concealed carry holders. In Oregon, a police agency cannot see if you have a CHL from another state, however it maybe logged in a Criminal History Report, as a non-criminal finger print submission. I'd have to check on that. Also, I don't know if Canada has access to the same reports as LEO's in the US do.

 

[Don H]

Are you sure?? The only time I was questioned about guns was when I had a Active CPL, questions stopped after it expired. And this was before 9/11.

Not 100% but I have an active CHL and a Canadian possession license and they never said to me, "I see you have a license, are you carrying now." Before I had a CHL and PAL it was the same way.

One thing to note, the CBSA expects you to declare any firearms items and you should do so in a pro-active way (e.g. prior to them asking you). The guards are generally nice, but they do fish...it can be fast or involved, mostly depends on their moods and your reaction.