What change since 9-11 when you cross the border? [[looking for interview,Cbc french)

[stephane]

I am reporter for CBC-French and i am looking for peoples who can share their experience at the border. Did 9-11 split two neighbouring communities? Is there anybody who use to do a lot of crossboarder visiting friends and family and hardly do it now since 9-11?
How the crossboarding experience change?
I am looking for peoples to interview for french tv [[the interview will be in english unless you speak french)
thank you
stephane.blais@cbc.ca
519-792-7653

[jefferson78]

Stephane,
Prior to 9/11, my wife and I used to visit Windsor on a regular basis. We were attracted to the fine restaurants, the casino or just to walk the riverfront. We absolutely loved the cleanliness and the friendliness of our Canadian neighbors.
Sadly,since then, it is just not worth the trouble. First it was the long waits at the border. Now it's the passport requirement, of which neither of us own.
I've read too many border-crossing horror stories to make me want to experience the inevitable hassle.
We are saddened that this entertainment option has disappeared from our lives and we miss our Canadian friends. But such is life in the post 9/11 world.

[SWMAP]

Stephane: The archives at the Windsor Star will have a story from last year about three Windsor residents have been banned entirely from the U.S for telling the Border patrol that they were going to Somerset Mall rather than telling them that the real destination was their weekly yoga class in Troy, MI. They lied because the weekly inquiries were getting too difficult. Turns out "educational establishments" have to have credentials to receive Canadian students and the yoga school is, by border agents, an educational establishment. So they are banned.

Also, you may not have seen this article from yesterday about the elderly Italian Canadians who were fined $300 at the border because they brought six tomatoes to their grandchildren and didn't have enough English to recognize the "fruits and vegetables" question:
http://www2.canada.com/windsorstar/n...4-9a84b0fd38c6

I also had a tomato moment last week. Who knew that now a single tomato for your lunch must be surrendered?

[dtowncitylover]

J'ai des cousins au Oakville, Kitchener, Milton, et Burlington. Je me souviens d'y aller souvent pour des événements familiaux et tous les cousins americains [[donc, moi et ma famille), sont allées. Mais maintenant, pas tous les americains ont leur passport, donc les voyages a la GTA sont rare. Ils viennent ici, et ils ont leur propres histoires d'horreur au sujet de la frontière. Je me souviens d'aller à Devonshire Mall au Windsor souvent pour le shopping ou un évènement.

Ma grand-mere habite au Grand Blanc, Michigan, mais elle est canadienne encore. Un an, je suis allé avec elle à la fete de mon grand-oncle. En le retour, elle a été bousculées [[presque crié à) par le garde-frontière pour vivre aux États-Unis si longtemps et ne devienne pas une américaine. Elle a été très supris et offensé. J'etait la, c'etait uncroyable.

Donc, oui, j'parle francais bien, si vous voulez me contacter, just Private Message me on here.

[Pam]

Also, you may not have seen this article from yesterday about the elderly Italian Canadians who were fined $300 at the border because they brought six tomatoes to their grandchildren and didn't have enough English to recognize the "fruits and vegetables" question:
http://www2.canada.com/windsorstar/n...4-9a84b0fd38c6

Haven't they always had agricultural restrictions? That's not new since 9-11.

[gazhekwe]

After debating the issue among ourselves for some time, husband and I finally applied for, paid for and received our passport cards, which we are told to keep jacketed in our wallets to prevent unauthorized access. It was a hassle for us but we did it. Since then we have gone to Windsor a couple of times and it has been no problem. The border crossings were smooth and there wasn't a long wait at the bridge. I have an Indian card which I can use at the International Bridge in the Soo, but I have been discouraged here by the pugnacity and ignorance of certain border agents. My granddaughter has no other ID and had no trouble in the Soo, crossing with her Indian ID.

[j to the jeremy]

This summer I was stopped and hassled at the tunnel when I returned from Toronto . I was attending an MLS match between Chicago and Toronto, and, despite my attire, the Border Patrol didn't believe me. I declared the half-pack of cigarettes I had left from Canada, and after telling them my GF and I lived in the city of Detroit [[again, they didn't believe me ), they had us pull over to be searched. The initial guard was supposed to give us some sheet of paper to fill out, but he never did because they "ran out". So they just told us to wait inside the cramped office.

We sat for over 2 hours while they searched our car, with no help, no explanation, and no politeness to speak of . As we watched busloads of British tourists get their retinas scanned, we had no one give us any direction at all. People who arrived an hour after us got help before we did. This whole time, I was being told by passing officers to move my feet, not to talk, and not to put my hands in any pockets, even though they had already emptied them at the car.

Eventually some younger officer asked us why we were there, and I said "I have no idea". We were moved to another room where we were questioned for about 5 minutes, then allowed to leave with no explanation. Not even "this is a random search". They were still searching the car when we got back outside. I never got the paper form I was supposed to fill out, and the final officer told me it didn't matter.

[iheartthed]

Stephane: The archives at the Windsor Star will have a story from last year about three Windsor residents have been banned entirely from the U.S for telling the Border patrol that they were going to Somerset Mall rather than telling them that the real destination was their weekly yoga class in Troy, MI. They lied because the weekly inquiries were getting too difficult. Turns out "educational establishments" have to have credentials to receive Canadian students and the yoga school is, by border agents, an educational establishment. So they are banned.

It's a little more nuanced than that. They were taking a course to become yoga instructors, not just participating in a yoga class. That's why they needed the proper credentials, and I'm sure a similar requirement exists for Americans wanting to do the same thing in Canada:

http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/05/26/n...n-be-a-hassle/

[Detroitnerd]

The new security is stupid. It's a hassle for people. Tell the truth and you get disbelieved. Presumed guilty until proven innocent. But, hey, we all know that drugs and all sorts of other stuff crosses the border with no problem. Do you think all this pushy new security is going to stop somebody who wants to do harm to anybody? No way, man. It's just that the government always wants more "security" -- and it has nothing to do with safety. They're softening us up for their dream world, where there's a surveillance camera on every corner, and you can't cross the street without some K-9 with its nose in your crotch.

Security is a joke. The most secure place in the world is probably the DMZ in Korea: Machine gun nests, land mines, artillery -- now that's SECURE. But safe? Hardly.

If you want a safer world, seriously -- stop the wars.

[kryptonite]

My experiences crossing the border since 9/11/01 have been quicker and maybe even more pleasant than before. However, I have a passport and have taken friends from England and Austria to Windsor without any problems at all.

Years ago in the early 1980s I had two unpleasant experiences upon returning to Detroit. Once a friend of mine from Ohio got cocky with the border guard questioning us. I was driving and it happened despite my prior instructions to only answer their questions directly and not joke with them or get sarcastic, even if they were unpleasant to you. When asked if we had anything to declare rather than say 'No', my passenger said "Oh, just the contents of our stomachs". I cringed, but luckily the guard made a sarcastic remark and let us through. The second bad experience was at the tunnel when I did not hear one of the questions asked [[I was driving). I got quite an unpleasant lecture but still avoiding any search, etc.

Otherwise I have never had a problem on either side.

My experiences with customs in Europe is that they are not overly charming either. I just answer their questions as briefly as possible. It gets unnerving because you never know what they will ask.

[SWMAP]

Banned for five years?
Fined $300 for 6 garden tomatoes? BTW this tomato ban is new or possibly not uniformly enforced because I have brought them back for decades.
This is absolutely stupid for our country to treat neighbors like this.

[douglasm]

I've been worndering about the economic impact, at least from the "casual tourist" perspective. Cross border commutes [[except maybe between Seattle/Billingham and Vancouver) don't happen out here much, but vacations in B.C. used to be a common thing. Since the increased security measures over the past couple years, we haven't been north. It's not worth it for us to go through the hassle and expense of getting an enhansed drivers license to cross over an back twice a year to visit Butchart Gardens or take in a B.C. Lions game......

[yupislyr]

Haven't they always had agricultural restrictions? That's not new since 9-11.

No, it isn't. I remember going on school field trips 20+ years ago and they asked if we had fruits or veggies in our lunches.

Whether or not they actually confiscate them or fine you depends first on whether or not you admit you have the goods when asked. Also, as usual, it depends on the guard you get and their mood.

The common element in the tomato and yoga stories is the perceived deception. It doesn't matter what the real story is if the guard thinks you're lying. They have the option of banning you for X years at anytime.

The reverse goes for coming into Canada. I have a US acquaintance who lied to a Canadian guard. It was a minor lie but they were caught and subsequently banned from Canada for 2 or 3 years. This was again well before any 9/11 increases in vigilance.

[RickBeall]

Before 911, my wife and I liked to go to Windsor to walk in the park and eat Steak Dinner at the Steak & Ale. Since 911, we have no passports so we have not gone back a single time.

[Meddle]

You want to see stupidity?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montre...nt-border.html

The library actually straddles the border. One door is in the States, the other in Canada. You have to go out the same door you came in or you could be taken down by border guards.

This silliness has to stop. We need to take America back from the D.C. Fool Brigade.

[RickBeall]

Be sure to read this thread which is happening right now

http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthr...Detroit-border

[iheartthed]

Banned for five years?

Lying to customs agents is illegal. Could've been worse...

[GPCharles]

Work in downtown Detroit and used to go to Windsor for lunch, either Italian or Chinese. Don't go anymore as you can't predict how long it will take to get back.

[kryptonite]

I have been asked similar questions in European countries: who do you plan to visit? what is the purpose of your visit? what cities are you visiting in this country? how long do you plan to be in each city? what are the names of the people you are visiting? what is your relationship to the people you plan to visit? Things like that. And I have been frisked down in Amsterdam, but it was quick and away then sent me.

Any time I cross a border I attempt to answer all questions as briefly as possible and not engage in any conversation. And I put up with any unpleasantries they direct at me, they are in control and can make your life miserable if they choose to.

As a matter of fact I am going to be in Europe in two weeks and will be going through this again to some extent.

[Lowell]

The overall thought of crossing is depressing and insulting but almost entirely on the US side. It is killing tourism and improptu visits, hence damaging business. Want to go to the Red Wings game or DIA? Oops someone in your car forgot / doesn't have a passport? Sorry you're not welcome. All have go back or he stays behind, meaning you have to drive him back. Even if you have credentials, what is to stop them from pulling you over and pawing through your possessions? Nothing. You are in a virtually lawless zone

Many like me have given up and paid the $40 [penalty for living on the border] to have our license upgraded to enhanced just so we don't have to carry around a clunky passport.

I personally have not had an incident in recent times but there is a overall souring atmosphere that says, "Why bother?" and this is disastrous for our border cities economies.

All this filled with ironies.

-There is absolutely nothing being done to stop anyone from driving onto the bridge or into the tunnel with a bomb-laden vehicle, destroying the structures or indeed proceeding to attack a border guard booth. But god forbid you show up without a passport.

-One can freely drive between France and Germany, two countries that murdered millions of each others citizens, but don't try that between the US and Canada, two countries at peace for nearly 2 centuries and allies in war past and at present. We urgently need a European Union style treaty to end this wasteful and ineffective barrier.

We are paying countless billions not for security, but for the illusion of security.

[iheartthed]

We urgently need a European Union style treaty to end this wasteful and ineffective barrier..

It would take more than just a treaty. Even in the EU, in most cases you still have to cross through customs when traveling from country to country. The only way around this would be for Canada and the U.S. to merge their border protection agencies. This is how it works in Ireland and Britain, where you can freely cross the border without having to go through customs checkpoints -- an Irish visa is good in Britain and vice-versa. Good luck convincing the U.S. or Canadian governments to give up that sovereignty... Canada doesn't even have that type of arrangement with Britain, its commonwealth big brother.

[Downriviera]

I used to go to Windsor about 30 times a year. Now I go once or twice a year. Its just to much of a hassle getting back into the states. I do have the enhanced driver license, but the lines are too long and way too many questions/searches.

[Meddle]

We are paying countless billions not for security, but for the illusion of security

and the benefit of security contractors.

[Detroitnerd]

They want you to equate security with safety, even though they aren't the same thing at all.

[Ray1936]

Interesting posts up above, to say the least. Meanwhile, the Mexican border is leaking like a New Orleans levee during Katrina. Go figure.