Another incident but really the SOS.
Anyone who travels between Washington state and British Columbia knows how polite and professional the Canadian Customs officers are, and how thuggish and fascistic the American agents are.
Some of us refuse to subject ourselves to it as a consequence.
***how polite and professional the Canadian Customs officers are, and how thuggish and fascistic the American agents are.***
Absolutely true. A friend of mine found this out forty years ago on a fishing trip to Canada. Upon return they met with the most churlish American border patrol agents they had ever seen.
My friend said to his traveling companion, after leaving the friendly Canadian officials and being insulted by the American officials said...”Well, we are back in the States again!”
As a Canadian I understand the officer's point of view when I am entering the US. Do I have a legitimate reason for entry? Do I qualify for entry? Does the length of my stay match my reason for entry? Am I bringing something in that should be taxed or confiscated? Their questioning is based on these factors. I have found them, on the whole, to be polite, open and friendly, like most Americans. The best policy is "yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir".
As a Canadian coming back to Canada it is a different story. They have to let me back in so the questioning is limited to should they be collecting taxes from me or am I trying to bring in some contraband. Once my citizenship has been established I find the Canadian officers to be dismissive and disinterested.
It certainly was true in our case. I traveled to Vancouver, BC for the fair (around 1985) with my then 11-year-old daughter who I'd raised alone since she was 19 months old. I had nothing to prove she was my daughter but after questioning us courteously for a few minutes and convincing themselves of our legitimacy, Canadian Customs officers waved us on. They could have detained us but chose to be neighborly.