mardi 1 janvier 2008

The other side of post-9-11 security: Americans kept from entering Canada

- Another side-effect of the post-Sept. 11 security mindset: Americans who used to enter Canada with a wave and a few friendly questions are finding themselves stopped cold by sometimes even youthful indiscretions.

For some time, a drunken driving conviction was enough to deem a foreigner "inadmissible" because the crime is a felony in Canada.

But until recently, experts say border agents were less likely to find out about a foreigner's drunken driving record, either because they didn't ask or because they didn't have extensive criminal history databases to check.

(...)

Some fishing parties who have had a member denied entry into Canada have wound up at the Thunderbird Lodge on the U.S. side of Rainy Lake.

(...)

"The number being denied (entry) is increasing, and it's directly related to more questions being asked" "If you have a DUI or you wrote some bad cheques or shoplifted or smoked some pot, you're probably going to need a (special) permit to come into Canada."

The Canadian government denies it is turning away more Americans.

(...)

Canadian immigration officials say would-be visitors with minor records can be provisionally admitted. That's done by paying about $200 in U.S. money for a temporary permit or paying the same amount and following a months-long process to "rehabilitate" their record permanently.

The Canadian Press

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