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Marc2b -> RE: U.S./Canada border (7/1/2007 12:29:06 AM)
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Except for four years when I lived about an hour away, I have lived my entire life only a twenty to twenty-five minute drive from the border. I’ve crossed the border so many times I couldn’t even begin to count. When I was I child my family would take a two week vacation to Georgian Bay nearly every year and often we would take day trips to African Lion Safari or some other family thing. When I was nineteen my friends and I would go to the strip bars in Fort Erie (since the drinking age in New York is twenty-one, this is practically a right of passage for young American males around here). These days I spend a week in Stratford nearly every year to take in some Shakespeare (already got my tickets for this year). Hell, once I got confused by some road construction, took a wrong turn and ended up on the Rainbow Bridge – I had to cross the border just to turn around! And it cost me five buck to do it!
Up until the last few years (post 9-11, in other words), crossing the border was a simple matter:
Canadian Customs Official: "Citizen of, eh?"
Me (and my buddies): "United States."
Canadian Customs Official: "where you heading to in Canada, eh?"
Me: "The Sundownder."
Canadian Customs Official: "How long you going to be in Canada, eh?"
Me: "five or six hours."
Canadian Customs Official: "Enjoy yourself, eh."
Me: "Thank you."
Crossing back was also simple:
American Customs Official: "Citizen of?"
Me (and my buddies): "United States."
American Customs Official: "How long have you been in Canada?"
Me: "About six hours."
American Customs Official: "Anything to declare?"
Me: "No."
American Customs Official waves us through.
Me "Thank you."
That was it. The only real problem was that depending on the amount of traffic, you might have a bit of a wait (anywhere from 10 to 45 minutes) to get through customs. Since 9-11, the Canadian Customs Officials haven’t changed much but the Americans have gotten a little more strict. They may ask to see your driver’s licence and/or ask for more details about what you were doing. Soon, passports will be required. It’s kind of sad. The fact that two countries could share such an open border said something good about the people of both countries.
Also, the wait at the border has gotten worse over the years. A joint U.S./Canadian Bridge Authority was created to build a new bridge to relieve the congestion. That was, God... I don’t know... twelve, maybe fifteen years ago. Not one steel beam has been put into place yet because of the usual bureaucratic bullshit delays like "environmental impact statements" and "union versus non-union labor. The most ridiculous delay, however, comes from the Bridge Authority’s inability to make up it’s mind on whether they should just build a functional bridge or a "signature" bridge that people will "ohhh" and "ahhh" over. My opinion on the matter – JUST BUILD A FUCKING BRIDGE ALREADY, WILL YA?
I haven’t been to the Sundowner in years. I wonder if it still exists.
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