Canadians Too? (visa, 9/11, middle east, illegal immigrants)

[travelintom]

I don't know if Canadians enjoy special immigation and visitation privileges or not. I do know that in terms of "border security" there have been terrorist threats from Canada and none from Mexico. I also know that the winter population of Canadians swells here in Arizona and particularly in Yuma. I also notice fewer Canadian dimes lately.
1. Do Canadians enjoy special immigration/visitation privileges?
2. Should they? Why?
3. Are we leaving a giant gap in our wall on the north side?
4. Don't you just hate the way they say "about"?

[AZaussie]

Canadians are threatening the US with terror? Mass drownings with Maple Syrup prehaps? It's just terrible...

[NewToCA]

The border with Canada has been subject to stronger security recently, due to concerns about evil folks coming into Canada as a gateway to enter the USA.

USATODAY.com - Up north, the worry on border is economic

[nativeDallasite]

Originally Posted by travelintom

1. Do Canadians enjoy special immigration/visitation privileges?

Yes.

2. Should they? Why?

Yes, because Canada is a huge trading partner and ally, and we don't have a huge number of Canadians moving here and taking American jobs...so I'm satisfied with our visa policies regarding Canadians. Incidentally I think our policies towards them are more lax than theirs regarding us.

3. Are we leaving a giant gap in our wall on the north side?

Yes and no. We've never really needed a strong northern border before but I am certain we will need one in the future.

4. Don't you just hate the way they say "about"?

Yes.

[Steve-o]

The only things Canadians have done to hurt us was send us Bryan Adams.

[Mach50]

I guess nobody remembers 9/11 where allegedly 2 terrorists came by way of Canada?

So knowing that, the US government sent 6000 troops to the Mexican border, where 0 terrorists came thru

[macmeal]

There was one VERY angry guy some years back (don't recall which middle eastern country he was from) who was caught on the Victoria BC-Port Angeles, WA (Strait of Juan de Fuca) Ferry. In his trunk were various "fishy" things, including LA-Area street maps and some diagrams of the layout of LAX. Don't know whatever happened to this guy.

Of COURSE there is a threat of terrorism from Canada. It has a long, mostly unattended border with us, running through a vast stretch of remote country--and it has a large number of refugees and immigrants from some areas that REALLY don't like the U.S... No big mystery there.

The BIG difference with Mexico is not possible terrorists, but illegal immigrants. Canada is a very affluent nation, pretty much on a par with the US in terms of living standards. Mexico is an impoverished nation with an enormous part of its population living in serious poverty. The economic pressure driving people out of Mexico and into the US is very strong. Little such pressure exists coming from Canada.

[macmeal]

Originally Posted by Mach50Thunderdart

I guess nobody remembers 9/11 where allegedly 2 terrorists came by way of Canada?

So knowing that, the US government sent 6000 troops to the Mexican border, where 0 terrorists came thru

I wouldn't bet too heavily on that. Shortly after 9-11, I heard several reports of a large number of "single males" who were staying in a cheap hotel in Nogales, Sonora, which normally caters to prospective border-crossers. It turns out that these men were all natives of several Middle Eastern countries. According to the story, they were arrested by the Mexican "Feds" and transported to Mexico City to await deportation. The Mexican government notified the US.
I don't know how the story ended up, or whether they were ever deported, but it seems to me that the US / Mexican border would look very tempting to any terrorist with "half a brain"....

[travelintom]

[quote=nativeDallasite;1830122]Yes.
Yes, because Canada is a huge trading partner and ally, and we don't have a huge number of Canadians moving here and taking American jobs..

Gee, I looked it up and you are right. Canada is our number one trading partner and Mexico is only #3 (after China) and only has about 2/3 of the imports and exports that Canada has. We do lose less in our trade balance with Mexico though. And I seem to recall that Mexico refused to join the "coalition of the willing" but I think recent polls reflect most US citizens are no longer "willing" either.

But I have never quite understood the part about how the Mexicans are taking American jobs. I would think that an American should be able to sucessfully compete for that job, what with superior language skills and all. Then again, I have never known an American that lost his job to a Mexican or applied for a job that was given to a Mexican.

I do wish I had saved all those Canandian dimes over the years. I think the return on them might have beat my IRA.

[Hawkeye48]

Originally Posted by macmeal

I wouldn't bet too heavily on that. Shortly after 9-11, I heard several reports of a large number of "single males" who were staying in a cheap hotel in Nogales, Sonora, which normally caters to prospective border-crossers. It turns out that these men were all natives of several Middle Eastern countries. According to the story, they were arrested by the Mexican "Feds" and transported to Mexico City to await deportation. The Mexican government notified the US.
I don't know how the story ended up, or whether they were ever deported, but it seems to me that the US / Mexican border would look very tempting to any terrorist with "half a brain"....

I remember reading about that. Also the Bush Administration's Intelligence Estimate last year documented middle-eastern men coming into the US over the Mexican border with Venezuelan ID documents.