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

**Wesley Mouch** · September-01-11, 05:55 PM

Originally Posted by 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.

The USDA website indicates that tomatoes may be imported into the US, with inspection. . Likely, they were banned for lying to the border agent. Both at the bridge and tunnel there are large signs saying declare all fruits and vegetables. You can't miss them.

**professorscott** · September-01-11, 06:30 PM

Shit, man, I go to Ontario at least once a week. I have my enhanced DL, I usually cross at one of the ferries so it's quick, and it rarely takes me more than 30 seconds at customs on either side.

I agree it would be better if it was more open, like in much of Europe now, but our government is very invested in the idea of pseudo-security so we feel like they are doing something to protect us from evil [[which they are not).

But it's not bad. I've been crossing the border in various places since 1978 or so, and it was a big hassle for several months after 9/11/01, but only for several months. The need for enhanced ID is only a hassle one time: buy it, now you have it. And as far back as I've been crossing, it has ALWAYS been easier going to Canada than coming back. We have always been more into fake security than our Canadian counterparts.

**Magnatomicflux** · September-01-11, 11:07 PM

Last time I went to the auto show on the tunnel bus, I was in US customs and the straight faced Guard began asking me things like "What's your age?" "Citizenship?" "where do you work?", "what do you do there?" "How much money do you make per hour?" "How much money do you make annually?" "Where are you going?" "Auto show?[[gives me the stink eye) Move along"

When I came back I got "Hello. How are you tonight?" " Perfect. How long were you in the United States?" "Where did you go?" "Anything to declare?" "Okay, welcome back"

I do miss those duty free liquor/beer runs though........

One time I got lucky coming back and got a good laugh out of it to boot:

"Hey guys. How long were you in the United States?" "45 minutes,eh?..............beer run wasn't it?" [[being caught...we gave a sheepish "yes sir")

"What kind of beer and how much?" "Busch???? Why risk it for a crap beer when you've got better stuff at home? [[period of silence and decision making) Welcome back boys, get outta here"

*sniff* those were the days

btw dtowncitylover.....nice bit of french there!

**Lowell** · September-02-11, 12:02 AM

Originally Posted by 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.

I have cousins in Oakville, Kitchener, Milton, and Burlington. I remember going there often for family events and all American cousins [[so me and my family) went. But now, not all Americans have their passport, then travel to the GTA are rare. They come here, and they have their own horror stories about the border. I remember going to the Devonshire Mall Windsor often for shopping or an event.

My grandmother lives in Grand Blanc, Michigan, but is still Canadian. One year I went with her to the party of my great-uncle. In return, she was shaken up [[almost shouted) by the border guard to live in the United States so long and does not become an American. She was very offended and above. I was there, it was uncroyable.

So yes, I'm talking french, if you want to contact me, just Private Message me on here.
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Google translation is getting better by the day... Not perfect but I get the drift.

**Pam** · September-02-11, 06:33 AM

I think I've been to Canada twice since 9-11 using a passport and had no problems. I prefer using the passport since before I wasn't sure what documents to bring. [[I was born on a military base overseas.)

**mikefmich** · September-02-11, 11:14 AM

I used to cross more times than I could count for decades. Relatives in Hamilton & Welland, cottage on Lake Erie, many trips to Ipperwash & Niagara Falls, shopping & playing hockey in Windsor, never been hassled.

Since 9/11? There is only one time I haven't been hassled, and one was of mind boggling proportions at the tunnel, both going and coming. One instance on the US side at the Rainbow Bridge crossing was utter stupidity, built on someone's ego and power tripping. Two hours later I saw the guy at a coffee shop on the Niagara US side, and told him what I thought in no uncertain terms. ...... nozzle to the max.

I will not go into Canada anymore unless I absolutely have to.

**stephane** · September-02-11, 01:38 PM

hi, i am reporter for CBC french. Is there anybody abvailbale for a 15 minutes interview [[it's not live and it's in english) tuesday or wednesday about their experience at the boarder? i am looking for people who use to cross a lot the boarder before 9-11 but hardly do it now.
please leave me your phone in a private message

**j to the jeremy** · September-02-11, 01:56 PM

Originally Posted by professorscott

Shit, man, I go to Ontario at least once a week. I have my enhanced DL, I usually cross at one of the ferries so it's quick, and it rarely takes me more than 30 seconds at customs on either side.

I agree it would be better if it was more open, like in much of Europe now, but our government is very invested in the idea of pseudo-security so we feel like they are doing something to protect us from evil [[which they are not).

But it's not bad. I've been crossing the border in various places since 1978 or so, and it was a big hassle for several months after 9/11/01, but only for several months. The need for enhanced ID is only a hassle one time: buy it, now you have it. And as far back as I've been crossing, it has ALWAYS been easier going to Canada than coming back. We have always been more into fake security than our Canadian counterparts.

But what about the retina scanners? All non-citizens who come to the US have an eye scan done now, it's mandatory. Maybe it's "pseudo-security", but why do we need that information? I think we are being slowly conditioned to accept more and more invasions of privacy until we are completely helpless. There are already RFIDs in every passport. Who thinks there's not a big screen where they can pull up your location anywhere in the world and find you?

**canuck** · September-03-11, 10:00 AM

It has become more complicated, longer waiting time to cross the border since 9/11 for sure. I was in Burlington Vt a couple of weeks ago and I went by rather quickly. But I have gone down before where the agent would ask and repeat the same questions, almost grilling, checking the trunk, walking around the car and the welcome is stiffer than it used to be. Pam is right about the agricultural restrictions. My wife once had to throw out some oranges we had brought with us at the US border, otherwise we would have slowed the folks in back of us eating them!

**Bigb23** · September-03-11, 10:26 AM

"Hey guys. How long were you in the United States?" "45 minutes,eh?..............beer run wasn't it?" [[being caught...we gave a sheepish "yes sir")

"What kind of beer and how much?" "Busch???? Why risk it for a crap beer when you've got better stuff at home? [[period of silence and decision making) Welcome back boys, get outta here"

*sniff* those were the days

I remember coming into the states from Grand Bend, in a van full of empties, the officer took a look, and laughed, and waved us on. Now you get a boot on the throat.

**dtowncitylover** · September-03-11, 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by Magnatomicflux

btw dtowncitylover.....nice bit of french there!

9 years of studying I was excited to use it on here! Haha But what I wrote wasn't totally grammaticly correct, French composition in an art in the language.

**softailrider** · September-03-11, 04:00 PM

Used to go across the border a few times a year for dinner and the casino, we stopped going a year or so after 9-11. It became more of a hassle then it was worth- who needs the uncertainity of a long wait at the border? We realy don't miss it very much either, there's plenty of places to eat and gamble around here.