Terrorized at the Canadian Border for having a CHL

[DeanfromOregon]

I was about to tell her that I knew my rights, but going into Canada I clearly did not.

 

[mancat]

what's ironic is that if you spend any time at the gas stations on the US side, you'll see many Canadians at the gas stations with multiple 5-gallon cans, filling up on as much gas as they can. I've seen SUVs with the entire back end of the cab loaded up with gas. so, no problems crossing back over the border with a virtual bomb on wheels?

 

[Gaucho Gringo]

Looking at this thread I am wondering why anyone would want to go to Canada unless it it imperative. A little background for my comment. My sister has been married to a Canadian and lived there for over 30 years now. They met at a ski resort in Montana that the Canadians flock to. Before that I went on a vacation to BC & Alberta in the early 80's. I had been hearing of what a wonderful place it is and decided I wanted to go. It was a total letdown IMHO. It looked a lot like the PNW and even in those days was very commercialized. My girlfriend at the time had in her mind the romanticized vision of Lake Louise and when we got there she was heartbroken. Nothing like it was supposed to be. We beat a beeline back to Oregon and spent the rest of the vacation in the Oregon Cascades. What we have in the PNW is just as good and in many cases better than to the north. Why would anyone want to subjected to a humiliating experience is beyond me. As an aside my sister and her husband spend more time out of Canada than in and own a home in Arizona. I am not as well off as them. I can afford the trainfare to AZ, Canada might as well be the moon. I guess my question is why anyone would want to go there unless they had to?

 

[Certaindeaf]

To be able to brag about packin heat. lol

 

[mancat]

the times I've been across, the only thing I've looked forward to is coffee & donuts at a Tim Horton's. you're right in that BC is basically an extension of the PNW, but with a European-style government and attitude about everything that is really offputting.

Sorry, I know there are probably some old-school Canadians on this site. I don't aim this at you.

also it's sort of amazing how quickly you'll find yourself talking with the "saury" accent, if you're a native PNW'er. the BC accent is so close to how we talk, the Canadian ticks to it seep in easily when around Canadians for a couple weeks.

 

[soberups]

If we are going to get stopped and questioned anyway, it sounds like the sensible thing to do would be to go ahead and pay for a Canadian posession license ahead of time and have a long gun in the trunk. Might as well make the hassle worthwhile...

 

[biggie24420]

You should invest in a trunk money..... give them (officer) a reason to search your car and BAM!!!! problem solved.

 

[4Freedom]

I just got back from my second trip to Canada.. Trip #2 turned out great!! This time in a strange twist of fate, it was the Canadian custom officer who was friendly and the US Customs guy who hassled me, although nothing like the Canadian guy did the previous trip.

Instead of going through the I-5 Blaine border I choose to go through the Lynden border to go into Canada and returned to US from the I-5 Blaine border.

The experience went like this:
CBSA Officer: Bringing any work related stuff with you?
Me: No
CBSA Officer: Meeting anyone, a friend there?
Me: No
CBSA Officer: What will you be doing in Canada?
Me: Going to see Vancouver , here is my itinerary
CBSA Officer: You look very prepared, have a nice trip to Canada


She didn't even ask if I had any weapons.. The officer this time just verified that I was actually doing what I said. After 2 minutes of simple questioning I was on my way and even had a friendly smile. What a contrast. I was obviously visibly nervous after my last terrifying experience.


On the other hand, when I got back to USA, I had quite a contrast of events. The border guard asked me if I was bringing weapons, guns and ammo back. I was saying to myself, what?? How funny, the American guy was the one to ask me about weapons. The guy opened up my back door and searched one of my bags. After a few minutes though he just let me go on my way. The US Customs guy was a little annoying, but not tyrannical like the previous CBSA official, Officer Sidhu, on my last trip.


Anyway, I just wanted to give people an update so they can use this for a reference for their Canadian trips. I thought maybe all Canadian border police were tyrannical, but now after my second trip I can see it really depends on the border guard you get.. If you see an Officer Sidhu on the Canadian side, just say your prayers.. The guy definitely has an agenda to torment "those Americans who are too comfortable with their guns." (His own words, not mine). I would also advocate people with CHLs avoid the I-5 Blaine border going into Canada and instead use the Lynden border, which seems much better and usually has less wait times.

I will say I was happy that my 2nd trip to Canada was enjoyable and to see that the Canadian government doesn't have an agenda against American gun owners. Now , I can confirm it really depends on which person is working there.

Also, a few things I learned:
1. Never say you will be meeting someone in Canada

2. Always have some itinerary planned, even if it is BS. It would help to bring a list of what you will be doing that day.

3. I am not unemployed and I do have small business, but if you happen to be unemployed going to Canada , don't admit that, make up something.

4. Never volunteer any information, just answer questions, be polite and forward.

5. If asked where you carry your gun or if you have a CHL, don't ever say where you carry your gun. Tell them you only bring the gun to the range and back home. This is how Canadian law works and if you answer like this, they will think you are more "responsible" of a gun owner and not some American gun-toting yahoo. I'm just telling you what they want to hear with this final bit of advice.

 

[leadcounsel]

Had that been my treatment, I'd file a complaint.

This has opened my eyes as to planning any future trips north. I could easily drop $5-10,000 on a week in Vancouver, or skiing, etc. But because of their absurd treatment of clearly law-abiding people (e.g. lawful gun owners, ya know, NON-felons), and harassment at the border with an ALLIE nation, I'll pass.

BTW, with millions of illegals pouring through our southern border, which is smaller than the Canadian border, you would THINK we would be better at securing OUR southern border than we are... seems that we can't even ask an uncomfortable question for these folks pouring in to the US in semi-tractors filled with people, guns, drugs, etc.

 

[Truenorth]

For any US Citizen planning on going to Canada do yourself a favor and buy a SENTRI PASS.

Trust me it's so much easier to just drive through and flash your ID than deal with Canada's equivalent of our GED failed TSA agents.

 

[8ball]

For any US Citizen planning on going to Canada do yourself a favor and buy a SENTRI PASS.

Trust me it's so much easier to just drive through and flash your ID than deal with Canada's equivalent of our GED failed TSA agents.

I have a SENTRI pass, and it's awesome. I rarely speak to anyone at the border. Did I have to give up my fingerprints to the Feds? Yes, but they already had multiple copies on file.

I have a CHL and drive through the Blaine border fairly frequently, and never have problems. I have been asked the weapons question in the past. I do agree that the US CBP is less friendly than the Canadians.

 

[4Freedom]

For any US Citizen planning on going to Canada do yourself a favor and buy a SENTRI PASS.

Trust me it's so much easier to just drive through and flash your ID than deal with Canada's equivalent of our GED failed TSA agents.

Great idea.. I will seriously have to look into it.. I would say the border is worst part of my trip to Canada and back to USA.. If I could find a way to get less hassled I would certainly pursue it..

 

[cascadianliberty2012]

If Russia can get away with taking Crimea from Ukraine why in the heck can't we take B.C. Back! Just saying!

Because then Russia would take Alaska back!

 

[cascadianliberty2012]

Looking at this thread I am wondering why anyone would want to go to Canada unless it it imperative. A little background for my comment. My sister has been married to a Canadian and lived there for over 30 years now. They met at a ski resort in Montana that the Canadians flock to. Before that I went on a vacation to BC & Alberta in the early 80's. I had been hearing of what a wonderful place it is and decided I wanted to go. It was a total letdown IMHO. It looked a lot like the PNW and even in those days was very commercialized. My girlfriend at the time had in her mind the romanticized vision of Lake Louise and when we got there she was heartbroken. Nothing like it was supposed to be. We beat a beeline back to Oregon and spent the rest of the vacation in the Oregon Cascades. What we have in the PNW is just as good and in many cases better than to the north. Why would anyone want to subjected to a humiliating experience is beyond me. As an aside my sister and her husband spend more time out of Canada than in and own a home in Arizona. I am not as well off as them. I can afford the trainfare to AZ, Canada might as well be the moon. I guess my question is why anyone would want to go there unless they had to?

I love how you say "Canadians flock to..." because as we know, they're all migratory geese

 

[mjbskwim]

Hey as long as the Canucks still have their pot,beer and hockey,oh and ice fishing,they would never know the difference

 

[cmassey]

these situations happen alllll the time. Think about how boring it would be to guard a border all day long, they have to entertain themselves somehow. I crossed the border pretty regularly in 2012 and 2013 and I ended up figuring out which border crossings carry less attitude and less hassle. Sometimes they go on power trips in which you literally cannot do anything but sit there and take it or you wind up in jail. Pretty lopsided huh? at least you took down the officers information

 

[Doc In UPlace]

So does this mean that the "enhanced" RFID drivers' license they sold us as being 'as good as a passport' for ground travel into Canada and Mexico are now passé and useless?

 

[Truenorth]

So does this mean that the "enhanced" RFID drivers' license they sold us as being 'as good as a passport' for ground travel into Canada and Mexico are now passé and useless?

RFID is just makes it easier for them to electronically pull up your information and more difficult to copy than a standard WA drivers license.

It does not require an FBI background check like the SENTRI pass.

To answer your question, yes RFID drivers license it is now and has always been pretty much useless for border crossing.
Saves them 30 seconds to type your drivers license number into the system that's about it.

 

[Doc In UPlace]

Ahhh, that's not exactly accurate. (I mentioned RFID not because I didn't know what it was but because it is a unique feature of the enhanced license. The non-enhanced do not have it.)

According to Washington DOL, quoting here:

•Why is Washington State issuing EDL/EIDs?

The federal government recently passed the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), which requires a passport or other federally-approved identification or proof-of-citizenship document for all travel into the United States.

To preserve travel, trade, and cultural ties with British Columbia and increase security at the border, we are offering EDL/EID Cards to Washington residents who choose to participate. The EDL/EID meets federal requirements, and is an approved alternative to a passport for re-entry into the U.S at land and sea borders between the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean.

So as you see, it is more than an RFID chip with the DL data on it.

 

[Truenorth]

I've had the enhanced WA ID since they came out. I'm sure it's fine for some folks.
Anybody can get one, including felons so they still need to run you through their system.
It does not speed up the border crossing at Canada.

Enhanced ID is not valid for crossing into or out of Mexico.
You can argue with a Mexican border patrol guards about it if you like.
I chose not to and believe it was a wise decision. Passport is much easier with them.

I use a SENTRI Pass or Passport and plain WA drivers license for Canadian and Mexican borders.

TSA pre-check card, US passport and several forms of redundant US government issued ID with my current photo for international travel.

I've never been stopped, hassled, searched or asked to step aside at any border crossing, TSA security checkpoint or customs for any country.

Wife and I travel a lot and the time saved NOT waiting in long lines at borders and airports is priceless.