As an adult, I traveled to Canada on business several times. Before 2000, it was pretty much the same. There was never a problem entering or leaving the country. I would hear a few good-natured “Yank” jokes, but that was about it. “Toronto,” a friend observed, “is New York run by the Swiss.”
The Swiss have left the building.
In 2000 – and note, this was before 9/11 – I had to go to Toronto again on business. I checked with both the airline and the Canadian consulate about required documentation, and both agreed that a passport was not really necessary. When I got to Canada, I was stopped by one of the rudest, most hostile customs officials I have ever met in my life. I had no passport! I was obviously attempting to sneak into Canada for some obviously nefarious reason!
I was subjected to a protracted grilling, with frequent reminders that "Canada is a separate country, you know," and "This isn't the United States." When I said I was trying to enter Canada to produce some commercials, instead of being glad I was spending thousands of dollars there, the official demanded to know if I thought Canadians were incapable of making commercials on their own. She only backed off when I said that if I weren’t welcome, I wouldn’t make a fuss, I’d just cancel the job and do it in the United States ... using American actors and an American studio. I was squinting at her name tag and writing down her name at that moment.
She finally let me pass. I’ve never booked another job in Canada, and it’s about the last place I’ll consider working in or visiting again.
This is nothing new. Back during the Vietnam war era many Canadians were hostile towards Americans. Of course, not all Canadians are bad. Some of them have a good sense of humor. "Kids in the Hall" was a pretty funny show. I remember when they had Margaret Trudeau running around. She was pretty funny. Maybe the Canadians need to lighten up a bit more often.