I'm getting the impression that the majority of Canadians would be quite content if they never had another disease ridden Yank come in again. Some of the stories about treatment of Alaskans transiting thru the north were pretty bad. Everything from your basic stinkeye, the middle finger, to refusal of fuel service, to minor acts of vandalism. Maybe it's time for Alaska to put up some real money to upgrade the State Ferries. Just not go where we're not wanted.
flintlocke;
Good morning to you sir, I hope the weather is cooling off a wee bit for you all in northern California.
While I can't address from what sources you're getting that impression - I can only suggest that if it is from any mainstream news source I'd personally tend not to take anything said at face value. The media on both sides of the medicine line sell fear and division - it's apparently their mission in life and frankly they're quite good at it.
Here in BC, in 2018 before our world began to circle the bowl, tourism dollars represented at least $8.7 Billion CDN or about 4% of our GDP. Much of that was cross border visits from stateside.
Our hospitality industry is in a full blown crisis, with pubs, restaurants and small hotels teetering on never coming back from this.
British Columbia pays into federal transfer payments because we're considered a "have" province, while Quebec and much of the Maritimes receive those federal transfer payments. We traditionally do not vote Left/Liberal federally however, so when that group are in power they don't mind sticking it to the west whatsoever.
That's why the Saskatchewan, Alberta and northern BC oil and gas industry has been crippled and yet Saudi oil is refined in New Brunswick.
To me it couldn't be clearer, it's about teaching the uncouth and unwashed west who is boss.
The left leaning Canadian parties do not care one bit if no one ever hunted or fished again. They will give lip service to having indigenous First Nations folks still be able to do it, but it's disingenuous to say the least as some FN bands own the guiding sectors that are being crippled by this all.
I will say too though, that this goes both ways for Canadians attempting to visit the US.
In the '80's we used to make a couple trips to Spokane a year just to shop. One morning in the Sun Tree Inn parking lot - it was just off where Sprague and Division cross - I got up early as usual and decided to walk the parking lot. There were exactly 2 plates there which were not either BC or Alberta plates. I'd guess there were between 150 and 200 cars there.
We used to be able to go down for a jug of milk, a tank of gas, maybe a couple frozen chickens and a brick of .22 ammo - no more. Trap shooters and even pistol shooters used to compete in tournaments stateside and it's all but impossible now. The same for us going south to hunt, the permits to bring a firearm are very, very tough to get. Tough enough that friends who used to hunt pronghorn in Wyoming gave up.
After 911 the US media began to spread outright lies that some of the terrorists had come from Canada, so the border restrictions were put in place and never lifted. That myth has been repeatedly proven untrue now, but we're still not welcomed into the US by either US Customs or Homeland Security anymore.
In the final analysis then, those who direct what the media says seem to have accomplished their goal sir - as it appears by your statement that the impression you're getting is what they want you to get - you know?
Anyways, I apologize if my words sound peevish and frustrated, but here in my part of BC tourism is roughly a third of our GDP and we're hurting badly. I am frustrated beyond words at Crown Prince Sparkle Socks and his evil minions which to me include our media.
Here's to brighter days and better travels for us all sir.
Dwayne
