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Have you or any other Canadian that you know of who have never been to the United States?
Would be interesting since most Canadians live near U.S. border..
I find it quite ridiculous that some, or even many Americans who live within 5-10 hours drive from Canada and have never been there, even prior the requirement of U.S. Passport. Some people who have never traveled outside the U.S. say that they wish they traveled to another country, well duuh! I tell them you have Canada short drive from you, especially Quebec where it is French speaking and taste of mini France! It's at least something.
Last edited by Jews for Jesus; 08-04-2013 at 11:41 PM..
The vast majority of Canadians I know have been to the US at least once, even if only for a short trip over the border, and most have done more than that. That said, I have met a significant number of Canadians who have never been there, I even met a young English waitress in a border town in Quebec's Eastern Townships who lived 8 km from Vermont and had never been over the border. The likelihood of not having been to the US tends to increase with distance from the US, rural location, and to decrease with income.
I've also met lots of new Canadians who haven't been to the US. They are much less likely to have family ties to the US compared to English Canadians, and they like to go abroad to countries to whom they have ties for vacations, or sometimes to other nearby places in Canada which are all new for them.
Yes, I have known some in Ottawa as well, which is only 100 km from the border. But they are only a tiny minority of course.
And as BIMBAM said I find that new Canadians tend to be less likely to have crossed the border - provided they don't have relatives in the US.
Those immigrants to Canada who have relatives in the US are the most likely to cross.
Those who don't are the least likely to cross.
Of course, with the passport requirement my sense is that the number of people who have never crossed on either side is going to go up sharply over the coming years.
And as BIMBAM said I find that new Canadians tend to be less likely to have crossed the border - provided they don't have relatives in the US.
The main reason for this is racism.
All new Canadians who don't look white (and even those who look white but are named Vladimir) face harassment and intimidation from U.S border guards. They don't consider them Canadian. It doesn't matter how long these new Canadians have been Canadian. 2 years or 40 years, it doesn't matter to racist U.S border guards.
All new Canadians who don't look white (and even those who look white but are named Vladimir) face harassment and intimidation from U.S border guards. They don't consider them Canadian. It doesn't matter how long these new Canadians have been Canadian. 2 years or 40 years, it doesn't matter to racist U.S border guards.
My mother was told " you don't look Canadian " once when crossing at a land crossing.
All new Canadians who don't look white (and even those who look white but are named Vladimir) face harassment and intimidation from U.S border guards. They don't consider them Canadian. It doesn't matter how long these new Canadians have been Canadian. 2 years or 40 years, it doesn't matter to racist U.S border guards.
This is most acute for my Muslim friends, a larger number of whom haven't visited the US.
^^ Even here in the U.S., people who are not white don't look "Americans".
I believe it. You could almost understand the guards statement from a view of prejudice against non-whites, but my mother is a white French Canadian. To this day, she still has no idea where he was coming from.
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