Indeed it was. I grew up in Michigan, and we vacationed in Canada every summer back in the 1960's and early 1970's. The border crossing was very informal. The agent leaned his head into the car and asked Dad who we all were and where we were going. He might have asked Dad for ID, but certainly not the rest of us. My brother and I didn't carry any ID when we were youngsters; there was no need. The Canadian border agent was always very friendly and wished us a nice vacation. On the return home to the US, the Canadian agent always asked how many fish Dad had caught, and sometimes asked to see the cooler. They were more concerned with whether the lakes were being over-fished than they were with the identity of passengers in the car. Sometimes the US agents inquired about fireworks. My brother usually bought Canadian fireworks to take home to Michigan, where the laws were more strict. My parents are naturalized citizens who speak with heavy accents. Even during the cold war years, they crossed with no problem and little scrutiny.