posted on November 10, 2004 07:59:23 PM new
Libra,
In case you don't know it, kiara is correct on her statements of the procedure at customs. They care what you are bringing INTO the country. They really don't care what you are taken out of their country. You could take a pound of crack cocaine out of the US to Canada. All you have to do is pay the toll at the bridge or tunnel. When you reach Canada Customs, then you are at the discretion of Customs Officer. Of course they are trained to observe any person who may be smuggling anything into the country. The profile of the people in the car might cause suspicion to the officer. People who act nervous and fail to make eye contact are good for a start. People who claim they have nothing to claim, but the rear of their car is weighted down from articles in the trunk is another.
When you are reentering the US, you have NO legal rights until you are released by the customs officer and allowed to pass into the country. This is why they can search your car and person without any warrant.
As far a kiara feeling unsafe, I can understand that. I am sure that if Osama could strike fear into the American public by creating disaster in Toronto, he would. Canada is a equal target for any terrorist group. The close proximity and the nature of any terrorist attack on Canada would cause fear in Americans.
posted on November 10, 2004 08:52:18 PM new
What Can I Bring into Canada Legally?
Canada has a ZERO TOLERANCE policy on the importation of recreational drugs. Even if certain drugs are legal in your part of the world, you may find all of your possessions seized, yourself in a Canadian jail, after which you will be deported back to your home country, and banned from entering Canada again for life.
Recreational drugs include, but are not restricted to:
Opium (and all of its derivatives)
Cocaine
Heroin
Marijuana (and all by-products used as recreational drugs)
Hashish
LSD - in any form
Magic Mushrooms
Designer drugs (Ecstacy, etc.)
Amphetamines
If you can't live without them, and they are legal where you live, please stay home.
posted on November 10, 2004 09:04:24 PM new
Libra - I can only speak for the US/Mexico border...but in all the times we crossed at different border towns we never were checked/searched going into Mexico ...and we always were checked coming out. And they were checking to see if we were bringing liquor into the states.
No experience going in to Canada nor coming back out, so I can't speak to that.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Four More Years....YES!!!
posted on November 10, 2004 09:12:12 PM new
Libra,
I live in Michigan, and am less than 5 minutes from being in Canada if I were to leave right now. I don't use any street drugs, nor am I an alcoholic, current or former. If you wanted more specifics on those subjects, then you might want to consult with your leader. He has that history, not me.
posted on November 10, 2004 09:15:12 PM new
LIBRA... he continued to say....
When you reach Canada Customs, then you are at the discretion of Customs Officer. Of course they are trained to observe any person who may be smuggling anything into the country
posted on November 10, 2004 09:17:50 PM new
Have been crossing back and forth most of my life. I enter Canada through Canada Customs and when I leave Canada I enter the US through US Customs.
When I come into Canada there are no US border guys bugging me and when I leave Canada there are no Canadian border guys bugging me. It's that easy.
I explained this to Libra63 before and if she was bothered by Canadian officials as she tried to return home it means she was driving the wrong way in the wrong lane trying to get back to the US through the Canadian entrance so of course they'd stop her and ask to search her vehicle.
posted on November 10, 2004 09:20:52 PM new
Libra,
You can take anything out of the US anytime you want to. That DOES NOT mean that you will be able to take it into Canada. There is no questioning when you leave the US going into Canada. All you do is pay the toll. The questions begin when you are stopped at Canada Customs.
The 4 primary questions are...
1 Were do you live?
2. What is your citizenship?
3. What is the purpose for your trip into Canada?
4. What are you bringing into Canada?
If you stumble on any one of those, or appear to be lying, be prepared to be directed into a secondary inspection area.
posted on November 10, 2004 09:26:51 PM new
Libra,
You know you're in trouble when you see the customs guy starting to put on those rubber gloves and he's smiling at you. LOL
posted on November 10, 2004 09:31:26 PM newYou could take a pound of crack cocaine out of the US to Canada. All you have to do is pay the toll at the bridge
Now did I read that wrong? No I didn't and above I posted what you can't take into canada legally. Well maybe if you ever get caught you can do the RT from the federal prison.
posted on November 10, 2004 09:46:06 PM new
There is no hope.. it is hopeless.. she is a blockhead..
She probably has me on ignore.. so didn't read my last post explaining what she didn't read... oh lord.. this old lady drives me crazy... how can anyone be that scattered!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
posted on November 11, 2004 12:44:00 AM new
Libra,
I guess that I should restate my comments for your easier understanding.
When you leave the US and go to Canada, you can have ANYTHING in your car with you. It could be drugs or a gun, or both. When you leave, you give the toll taker the toll at the bridge or tunnel. Here in Michigan, it's the Michigan Department of Transportation toll taker. There are no questions or conversation. You don't even have to speak any words or even say thank you if you don't wish to. The concern that you should have is when you enter into the customs area of Canada. That is when you are required to respond to questions of the Canada Customs Officer.
The same goes for leaving Canada. Pay the toll and leave. You can leave with anything you want to have in your car. Your concern will begin when you enter the US Customs Inspection area. Hopefully a person will not have any contraband in their car.
kiara,
Did you know that the US Customs has radiation detection at the border? If you even have a very small amount of radiation in your system, such as from a medical procedure, the equipment will be able to detect it. If you go to the cardiologist and you are given a test that involves the use of a radium dye, they will know when you approach.
posted on November 11, 2004 08:34:02 AM new
No I didn't know that, Yeager. I've never had any radium dye but what happens if they detect any..... do they ask you about your medical history? Maybe they are worried that someone may try to smuggle uranium across.
Years ago the Customs officials on both sides used to be quite easy-going even though they were serious about doing their job but since 9/11 they aren't nearly as friendly.
posted on November 11, 2004 08:43:36 AM newbut since 9/11 they aren't nearly as friendly.
Strange thing is that it does not even slow down the thousands that sneak into the US everyday via Mexico.
So friendly or not it does not deter any one.
posted on November 11, 2004 08:50:27 PM new
kiara,
I first learned of this when a woman wrote to the local paper indicating this. In her letter, she said that as she and her husband approached the US Customs booth, the inspector asked them, "which one of you had a xray involving radium dye". The woman said that she did, and he apparently allowed them to pass. She must of been of the age where heart procedures are a regular part of life, as she didn't say that they were asked to go to a secondary inspection area.
About 4 months ago, while I was at the cardiologist, the technician told me the same thing. She said there would be a small amount of dye left in my system and that if I was going to Canada, they would know about the dye. Very interesting.
posted on November 12, 2004 05:32:32 AM new
Tim Wilson, comedian, had this to say about Martha Stewart:
"Boy, I feel safer now that she's behind bars. O.J. & Kobe are walking
around, Scott Peterson's going to be soon, but they take the one woman in
America willing to cook and clean and work in the yard and haul her ass to jail."
AIN'T LIFE GRAND...
Bigotry and prejudice -- these are assertions, not arguments. This is name-calling, not case-building.
