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Am I the only one sick & friggin tired of this Homeland Security stuff
I can't even order a friggin scope from across the friggin Berlin wall!!!
I wouldn't even ask my sis-in-law to bring one across the border on her annual visit home in case she & her 5 kids were thrown in the who-scow for all eternity.
Whats so dangerous about us Canadians to the Yanks anyway, do they not realize we are identical to them except for a line in the sand!

Geeze I get pi*sed...can you tell

I'm sorry.

Our country is under siege by idiots.

Think of it this way. Anything coming across the border (with the exception of family, of course) may be tainted by idiocy.

I hear it rubs off.

So why can't a friggin hunting scope leave your country!!

because you may come hunt our idiots.

I grew up in US, now live in Canada. My dad was coming up to visit and I had an old scope at home I wanted him to bring me. He packed it in a carry on. He said security gave him a bit of a hard time. Pulled him over to side and took out scope, looked through it, asked him a bunch of questions, but ultimately they let it go and he was fine.

It seems that 90-95% of these things are all who you run into. I was down in US and brought back 40 lbs (20kg) of whitetail venison in a cooler (legal for personal consumption). I was all worried at customs in Edmonton, but my agent was this ex-military hunter guy. He was more interested in how the hunt went than any concerns on importing meat. Never even opened the cooler to look inside.

Edit: I should have added, my buddy I know up here from the states was trying to bring back a Honey Baked Ham on a plane- still wrapped and in package. He checked "meat" on his form, but was still taken in the little back room and hammered with questions. They wanted to know where the pig was from. Hell if he knew. Finally some supervisor with common sense came into the room and just told them to take the ham and leave. You just have to get lucky and avoid the people having a bad day!

Homeland Security,BATF and USBS run "Exit Checks" on a random basis on most major border crossings into Canada.The first question will be "do you have any firearms related products".If you do,and they are on the export by permit only list,they will ruin your day and there can be long term consequences.I just don't bother any more,it isn't worth it.Last time I went down they had the dog sniffing my vehicle,probably because I had a camo hat and coat on.There was nothing for them to find,except groceries!. Monashee

get the export permit and you are gtg. big pain in the butt thou!!

The creation of the Dept. of Homeland Security marked a serious decline in the rights and freedoms of the American people however, it must be said, that department has little to do with the export restrictions and restrictions on trade which have been put in place against American businesses. These restrictions date from 1998 and were put in place by the Clinton administration via the State Department. The regulations were largely ignored however, until George Bush took office. During his eight years, restrictions were tightened and costs to American businesses escalated to the point that many simply decided not to export any longer. Not surprisingly, things didn't improve with the Democrats take over of the Whitehouse.
For those in Canada, an immediate effect was to drastically increase prices north of the border as importers actually began to profit from marking up import costs. There has been no upside to the American businesses however and it surprises me that they have done nothing to lobby against the regulations imposed upon them. Perehaps they don't worry about it because they are part of such a healthy and vibrant economy! The border states especially would benefit greatly by a relaxation of the restrictions.
On top of the economic impact on businesses there is the less tangible social/political impact of the alienation of the Canadian consumer. Many Canadians are insulted to find they are lumped in with such countries as Venezuela and Columbia and are, apparently, seen as a threat rather than being America's closest ally. It should come as no surprise when some Canadians say, if we are unfit to buy American sporting goods, perhaps it is unfair to expect Americans to accept our filthy oil, natural gas, and hydro-electric power. Of course, the two things are in no way related but still...
The billions of dollars which are flushed down the Homeland Security toilet are bound to be a drag on the US economy but as long as so much of the population is willing to trade liberty for the perception of security, the flushing of those funds will continue.
The loss to the economy of money which exports would bring in is in no way counteracted by the imposition of fees and fines on the businesses involved. In this case, two negatives certainly don't make a positive. GD

Well said.

The major player behind these ugly laws is the Liberal Party of Canada.When Canada was asked if we would care to have the exemption offered on non military items like Great Britain,Germany,Australia and other US allies got,the Liberal Government of Jean Chretien declined.Thus we are stuck with this BS. Monashee

Monsashee;
I trust that under the circumstances this has been an OK day for you overall.

Thanks for putting in the last post as I was going to do something similar and then upon reading yours saw there was no need.

To me this is yet another example of the thought patterns of the federal Liberals and the high regard in which they seemingly hold me and my individual freedoms.

Anyway Monashee, well said as usual.

I think of you and your wife often and as I've said before you both are in my daily prayers too. All the best to you both in the upcoming Christmas Season.

Dwayne

greydog;
Another well thought out post from you sir, thanks for taking the time to do so.

As I've mentioned previously here, we were stopped this summer by Homeland Security when we were maybe 50yds from Canada Customs.

Besides the inconvenience of a little lost time we were really nothing out, though I really can't see the point of stopping Canucks there. I'd suggest that if we're that close to home and are involved in some nefarious scheme it would be much more simple to leave us to our own countries law enforcement and judicial system to be punished would it not?

I must add though did think it was strange that the one officer questioned why we didn't cross into Grand Forks - returning from a weekend of spending money in Spokane - and come home via that highway.

When I asked in reply if he'd ever driven that road, he said lots of times.....which didn't make his question seem any brighter to my way of thinking.

Anyway I couldn't agree more with your thoughts on the matter greydog. All the best to you and yours in the upcoming Christmas Season.

Dwayne

That short distance at the border can be the most stressfull of an entire trip.

I don't see Harper doing anything about it either...

Have you asked him to yet Have you asked him to yet?I've contacted my MP in this regard,but with the present occupant of the White House I doubt the offer still stands.Maybe the NDP will look in to it. Monashee

Only way to get Mr Harper to address it is to bring it to his attention. I have my MP looking into it.
I suggest we all do the same then we may just get it changed.
Jeff

The NDP??? Fat chance they'd be too busy bringing back the gun registry. :-)

There is every possibility that many elected officials on both sides of the border don't have a clue what restrictions to trade might be in place. It can't hurt to make sure they are aware. Likewise, the governors of the border states should certainly have a stake in this and they are always happy to blame something on Washington. I know the governor of Montana is quite aware of the importance of Canadian dollars flowing south from Alberta and southeastern B.C. GD

Fixed it.