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With regards to being charged to enter the country, it wasn't extortion, but a fee that they can charge for people with DUI convictions. It's called the Streamlined Rehabilitation process, which is common for trying to enter the country with a DUI. The fee is $200 Canadian.
* A fee is involved for the streamlined rehabilitation process, equivalent to $200 Canadian. There is no fee for deemed rehabilitation.
"Deemed rehabilitation and streamlined rehabilitation applications are processed at Canadian ports of entry." There is a lot more information available at that link.
A lot of the border guards are great people, but they are under a lot of restrictions and pressure. Patience and a good attitude will often help you go through quicker. I will fully admit to having an easier time getting into Canada than out of it; I usually get a smile and a wave from the Canadian guards, but I have been growled at by the American ones. Not often, but it has happened.
Extortion, outwresting, or exaction is a criminal offense, which occurs, when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion.
I do not have a dui conviction. I have charges for poss of marijuana (which BC considers a minor offense) and driving without license. The guy before me had a DUI and I am aware that Canada considers it a major offense.
What would you call charging 200 bucks to process some crap form?? They already had my criminal record there when they were asking me all their questions. I can see a reasonable fee for a temporary permit, but 200 dollars is downright unlawful. For 200 dollars I could have my driving record, criminal history, full background check, and credit report, hell I could even hire a secretary to prepare all these.
If you look at the facts as an open-minded person, not some sheep crossing there because the shepherd told you to, you'll see that, as someone else said they aren't trying to protect you from "terrorists", (look at Mexico's border) they are trying to get more money. You know the saying "crap rolls downhill" meaning all the "good citizens" who have spotless records will never have to worry, but those of us who got dirty growing up will pay the 200 toll or go home.
STAY AWAY FROM CANADA--UNLESS A 200 DOLLAR TOLL ROAD SOUNDS GOOD
LIE either entering or leaving Canada & the US, and you will suffer the result.
I live 3 miles from the border cross at least 3 times a week--ALWAYS have a destination and reason for going to that destination.
My first time in to the US 1952, have had a few personal mishaps along the way in my life --NEVER been refused entry. Clear answers and a polite respectful attitude will go a long way to smoothing the trip. Have had a DUI in the US and an Impaired in Canada---my RCMP criminal check is spotless
If you look at the facts as an open-minded person, not some sheep crossing there because the shepherd told you to...
Sheep? Shepherd? What are you talking about? LOL I cross the border often because I work for a company that does business there and they send me up there to work, not because some advertiser/marketer/random bystander (is that the shepherd?) told me to. I was also just trying to give the reason why they do the $200; I wasn't saying anything about the fairness of it nor justifying it's existence (after all, it is neither my nor the border guard's fault that the government wrote and passed that rule).
Anyway, I personally agree with Tek-Freek when dealing with the border guards (and most government officials):
Quote:
Smile
Be polite
Answer their questions
Don't volunteer information
Don't lie to them
can i go to canada if i have minor in possession charge im 17 and i got it when i was 13 or 14 and went to all the classes for it. i need to know asap cuz im leaving in less thna a monht
All i know is Custom Officers and Border Guards are constantly on a power trip, like they're special or something.They treat everyone like a criminal regardless.Check this little news report out, a lady was denied coming into Canada because she was unemployed and the Border Guard told her instead of coming to visit friends she needs to be home looking for a job:
All i know is Custom Officers and Border Guards are constantly on a power trip, like they're special or something.They treat everyone like a criminal regardless.Check this little news report out, a lady was denied coming into Canada because she was unemployed and the Border Guard told her instead of coming to visit friends she needs to be home looking for a job:
I absolutely believe that.
Just over three years ago, I was held at YVR for 4 hours. Why? Because I was a single woman traveling alone. I made a couple of mistakes initially. The first was not having my "return e-ticket" printed out. The second was not knowing what the difference is between a "solicitor" and a "barrister". (I told the guy that I was an attorney, and when I couldn't answer the question of whether I was a solicitor or barrister, more flags went up.)
You know, in retrospect, it wouldn't have been a huge deal, had I not been completely alone in this situation. Putting it the most diplomatically that I can at this moment...I was unfortunate enough to come through YVR at a time when some of the border guards had nothing better to do than give me a hard time. There was the time spent using one of those drug testing wand thingies. (He did give me the option of that or having the dog brought in though...) This guy had me admitting that my next door neighbors smoked marijuana, and that would be the only reason there would be any illicit drug residue of any sort in my belongings.
All of this I could understand, really. I was the unfortunate one. You know, the "lucky 50th customer" or whatever. But then he picked up a department store catalog from the 1970's that I had brought with me. I thought that my boyfriend would get a kick out of seeing me as a three-year old modeling snow suits. And, I flipped to the appropriate pages and told the guard exactly that. His response? "So your boyfriend likes little girls, does he?".
It was then that I fully realized that he was looking for a reason to deny me entrance into the country. For whatever reason, I was the target. I spent the next two and a half hours holding back my rage at the situation. There was NOTHING I could do.
At one point, I sat down on a chair in that heinous white room and put my head into my hands and began to cry. This guy sat down next to me and asked, "so is there anything else you want to tell me?". To this day, I honestly marvel at my own power of restraint. I simply said, "I would just like to start my vacation".
I was finally through, feeling completely and utterly violated. He wouldn't even contact my boyfriend to let him know that I was being held up. "He just lives ten minutes away, he'll be back".
In the three and a half years since then, I've been through the airport about half a dozen times, and through the car crossing over 70 or so times. I have had my car x-rayed on the US side (which was kind of neat and not too much of a hold up), and have been detained on the Canada side once. (Again, that one seemed like certain guards were really bored that day.)
The vast majority of people who work at the border do their jobs well, no doubt. But, like any other profession, there are the few that give the rest a bad rap.
The best advice I can give is to have all of your documentation, but be prepared for the worst. And, of course, be as polite and contrite as possible, even in the face of people who would like nothing better than to turn you back, for no apparent reason.
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I will fully admit to having an easier time getting into Canada than out of it; I usually get a smile and a wave from the Canadian guards, but I have been growled at by the American ones. Not often, but it has happened.
MIP charge
