Posted on 03/27/2019 9:10:10 AM PDT by ConservativeMind
Canada has turned into the Little Fascist State of The North. I scrubbed my laptop and cellphone and then, once at the hotel had someone send me an email containing my most used URL’s and contacts. Then I scrubbed it again right before re-entering.
Let the bass turds browse to their hearts content!
Well, I’m also canadian and travel to Vancouver close to 5 x a year bec. I am in the “biz” (see my credits in Tron 2 etc).
here’s what to expect: erase all your personal sh*t from your laptop because they WILL ask if you have any porn in your laptop (yes, they ask this stupid question) and they can confiscate it to look into it.
The border and customs people there are mostly assholes. Say the right answers, you’re in.
ALSO, convert your USD$ to CDN not at the airport but go to DT vancouver where they have exchanges. It’s cheaper. US yankee dollars has more buying power than CDN. Let’s say you go to Starbucks at the airport (there are MORE Starbucks in vancouver than L.A I kid you not) and you pay US, you’re the sucker unless you just want to break it into CDN. If it doesnt bother you about money, go for it.
I dont know what city you’re going to but I can tell you the places to avoid from toronto to Montreal to calgary etc.
For example: you got Montreal city limits, they WILL speak to you in English because they have “manners” but once you get out of the city limits, NO ONE wants to speak to you in English but French and they will think you’re just a stupid American..stuff like this etc.
I had to go to my cell phone provider and get a different SIM card that was enabled for foreign use.
Lots of good FReeper advice. Buy a burner phone and don’t take a pile of cash. Cash can be seized if you don’t declare correctly how much cash you’re carrying. Use your credit card.
My wife and I will go ahead with our plans to visit Quebec and New Brunswick by car. We will play it simple and straight, saying only short answers to questions, having our printed itinerary for everything, and minimizing our digital footprint.
I told my wife that each of you convinced me it was a worthy trip with the right preparation.
You are all great!
Hi. My Mom’s mom (grandma) was born in Red Deer and only lived there a short time before they headed west to Cranbrook, BC and finally and settling in Creston, BC. I’m thinking of a family genealogy tour some coming year and maybe swing by Red Deer. Like all places, it’s changed a huge amount since the 1905 era, but it would be fun to visit there a bit and maybe check out the local history museum. We’d head to Banff and Lake Louise after or before Red Deer. Ideas? We are in North Idaho, so less than 500 miles to Red Deer.
I remember Mark Stein telling of one of his returns to the US during the time he was being persecuted in the Canadian courts —
BP Agent: What was the reason for your visit to Canada?
Mark: I was on trial for crimes against humanity.
BP Agent: Well then, welcome home.
There is a lot of great history up here, and Banff and lake Louise while very touristy are also very beautiful. The old hwy through Cranbrook and Creston is a beautiful area too. One could drive that way and hit Chilliwack or Abbotsford BC, then head into WA and go east through the southern side of the cascades and rockies back to Idaho. Whatever you decide, I’m sure it will be a great trip.
Quebec is a beautiful city. We stayed at the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac. If you don’t stay there, just go in anyway and take a look around; it’s breathtaking. There is a lot of history there and on the boardwalk. Be sure to visit the Morrin Center.
The old railroad hotels in Banff and Lake Louise are great. I went there with my Dad (RIP Dad) in 1968, Many happy memories.
If I had to choose one, it would be Lake Louise. Don’t know how the glaciers have held up but now that the planet is cooling you should inquire about a glacier tour.
Take off your sunglasses to talk to the border guard. Make eye contact.
Sarcasm will only work against you. When asked where you were born, *a hospital* does not fly well.
They have computers and key in your license plate number so by the time you get to them, they know everything about you they need to know.
Clean out your car and make sure there’s nothing in it that could not cause an issue. You can check the government websites about what can and cannot be brought across the border.
They will ask you if you have any firearms or ammunition. Which..... DON’T. They’ll ask you how long you are going to be in the country, what the purpose of your visit is, and if you are bringing anything into the country that you plan on leaving in Canada.
Make sure you have your meds all stocked up if that’s a need. Check the weather. It’s cooler up there.
On the way back once, on the US side, we were selected for a random search. It was a nuisance. We had to leave the car parked in a designated area and go into a building and wait to be interviewed. It was a nuisance but as irritating as it was to be delayed, politeness is the word of the day.
It would be good to have cash and my understanding is one of the kiosk’s on the Canadian side of the border that does currency exchange will give you a better exchange rate than anywhere else. Check your change between now and your trip. If you live close to the border, you know that you find Canadian coins mixed in with your change all the time. They can be very useful on a trip like that. IIRC, the exchange rate if very favorable for us right now.
I hope you know French. If not learn SOME, and hope for the best. If your pronunciation is not perfect French Canadian, some will pretend that they do not understand you. But almost everyone up there is bilingual and you should have no problem. Montreal has the Francophone and the Anglophone sections of the city. You can find someone who understands and speaks English. The road signs are all in French in Quebec and the closer you get to Montreal, the less English you see.
Also, become familiar with metric conversion for speed limits and gas prices.
You may want to turn off your phones when you cross the border especially if your phone likes to search or if you didn’t adjust your plan for international calling. The phone companies love to sock you for international rates and if you inadvertently get a text or call while out of range of the US, which is only maybe a 1/4 mile into Canada.
The itinerary is a great idea. I never thought of that one, although our trips into Canada are usually just to visit for the day or my brother in Montreal for a couple days.
Gas is expensive up there. Fill up just before crossing the border, although you’ll find the gas prices much higher on the US side just near the border, it’s still cheaper than Canadian gas. Just be prepared for that as an expense of your trip.
Sounds like a good time. It’s something mr. mm and I have discussed doing ourselves.
Have fun!
Wow, really?? I remember the good folks over at "FreeDominion".
Ditto! While getting into Canada (years ago) for work was difficult (I had to prove to them that NOBODY in Canada could do the work!) - I shipped my equipment in and out to make things a bit easier. (Due to tariffs, etc.)
I did have my laptop computer with me, and that was a huge hassle upon returning to the USA. (Used for work, so therefore tariffs - but not under the third-party shipping company that handled all of the paper-work).
A buddy told me just say you were on a vacation to avoid all of that, but I didn’t feel right doing that.
A friend of ours is dual Canadian-American. She went to visit her folks in Canada. When she drove back down and tried to get in they didn’t let her. Something to do with her son’s paperwork. (The son was still in the USA!) I think she was stuck in Canada for 9 months or something as they got it sorted out.
Make sure your car is in top mechanical condition. Change the wipers if they are at all questionable. I had them go on a trip once and it was enough of a hassle here in the US.
Top off the fluids and take an extra quart of oil.
We also pack a lot of snacks and food for traveling and paper plates and plastic ware. Something to drink and water. You can save a fair amount of money by not eating out all the time.
Don’t forget a first aid kit, too.
I agree. Answer the questions and don’t volunteer information.
FR is pretty right and conservative.
I would expect it to be considered a *hate* site.
It wasn’t shut down by the government. It was closed by the people who ran it.
We were in Quebec and New Brunswick a few years ago. Montreal, Quebec city and the covered bridge in New Brunswick.
Crossed from New Brunswick into Fort Kent Maine to see the beginning of US Route 1 (had been to the end in Key West).
My experience just the opposite. Rectal exams on returning to US.
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