Canada does its best to keep out a comicbook hippy

[drice6900]

 

From Mile High Chuck today:

 

"To begin, In case you missed it on the first go around, Ashley and I traveled to Montreal in early September in order to make a guest appearance at the Montreal Comic-Con. We were invited there by the promoters, Alex and Oscar, not only because they wanted me to buy comics from other dealers at the show (thus increasing the overall cash flow in the dealer's room), but also for me to be the guest auctioneer for an auction benefiting a Montreal Children's hospital. I agreed to go to this show primarily because I really like Alex and Oscar, but also because I think that Montreal is the most beautiful city in North America. If you've never been there, I highly recommend that you find some reason to go...

 

In anticipation of going to Montreal, I shipped the vast majority of the comics that we had purchased on our trip back to Colorado, keeping only a group of 20 long boxes of bargain comics that we had purchased for 10 cents each in Boston. The total cost to us of these comics was about $700, and I figured that I would just pay duty on them when we got to the border. Boy, was I ever naive. The first problem that we ran into was that the Canadian border guard did not like our cargo van. By his way of thinking, a cargo van is only driven for commercial purposes, and we were thus obviously planning to engage in major comics dealing while in Montreal. When I explained that the comics were merely an afterthought, and that the main reason for our attending the convention was to help with the auction, he was momentarily swayed. Everything fell apart on this front, however, when the border guard asked for proof, and I had Ashley whip out my iPad to show them the auction listing on the convention website. Imagine my utter dismay when I discovered that Oscar and Alex had forgotten to mention my name as regards the auction. Suffice it to say, that lack of proof made the border guard extremely suspicious.

 

The next problem that we ran into was that I did not have my passport along. I had realized a week before our drive up to Montreal that I had failed to bring it, and called home to have it sent to me. I was assured, however, that I did not need it, and that my Colorado driver's license would suffice. Wrong. Especially considering that I was born in Germany and am (technically) a naturalized US citizen. The minute that I failed to produce my passport, the border guard sent us over to the inspection authorities.

 

Once you are in the inspection area, you are stripped of all rights. Ashley and I were forced to stand on the sidewalk while two armed Canadian border guards spent half an hour going over our truck. They went through our suitcases, checked for hidden panels, and generally made a total mess. They then proceeded to search our computers and cameras, checking on our recent web searches, and also examining all of our photographs for illegal activities. I'll not go into any specific detail, but I can assure that it is almost impossible for anyone to pass this kind of microscopic scrutiny without something coming up to peeve them. As a case in point, a waitress at a restaurant in Vermont told us a horror story the next day of she and her 60 year old mother being detained for six hours (and her mother being strip searched) because she had some prescription drugs along, without the little bottles to prove that she was authorized to have those medications. They only let them go after their doctor's office faxed copies of the prescriptions to the Canadian border authority. Had it been a weekend, both of them would have been held until Monday...

 

In any event, we were held for about two hours, and then sent back to the USA with a strict admonition to not return with our comics. As it turns out, returning to America also proved to be a problem, as it is now an offense punishable by a huge fine for a US citizen to not be able to provide proof of citizenship when returning from a foreign country. Yow! I managed to sweet-talk our way back in unscathed, however, when the US border guards turned out to be big comics fans. That was about the only thing that went right on that particular crossing...

 

Ashley and I have since crossed into Canada again, twice. Once the next day (after spending ten hours finding a FedEx LTL freight facility in the back woods of Vermont to get rid of our 20 long boxes...), and again two weeks ago when we slept in Montreal after our day of enjoying the fall foliage in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. On all four occasions, we were hassled on both sides of the border because we were driving a cargo van. Simply put, crossing the border in anything but a passenger car is just an invitation to trouble. My traveling with Ashley also doesn't seem to please the border folks very much. This last factor (which became quite obvious after a while) annoyed me to the point that I am getting quite flip, which is also a mistake, but quite frankly, I don't give a damn any more. I now know that they are going to search my vehicle every single time I cross the border, so I essentially challenge them to do so. I just build in the extra time, and keep my cool as the Dudley DoRights on both sides of the border do their utmost to keep their respective countries "safe."

 

I'll close out this story with a couple of admonitions. First, as was cogently pointed out to me by a friend who's wife is a defense attorney, if you do make the mistake of trying to cross any international border with something that turns out to be illegal, never, ever, admit to any culpability. Playing dumb and resorting to plausible deniability is your only defense, no matter what the nice border guards might say about the benefits of cooperating with them. Second, do not let the potential intrusiveness of border searches stop you from enjoying International traveling. You do have to be very careful to obey all laws and rules of the country to which you are going, and making sure that you know about all of the particular regulations of your host country are your responsibility. At the end of the day, however, International travel is incredibly enriching and enjoyable. Even knowing what I do now about my present likelihood of being searched, I would return to Montreal in a heartbeat. If at all possible, however, I would not go in a cargo van..."

 

[Silver Surfer]

We already have a comic book hippy, who needs another one.

[synch]

Wow that sucks for you! Crossing is a pain no matter where you go indeed! I've come across quite a few pushy & rude guards while going to the u.s. .... It seems almost like the perfect job you can get since you just have to show up & do your job & don't even have to be nice to people! What other job could you have where you could get away with being so rude?!?

 

... maybe the dmv .. .

 

[the blob]

So does one have to pay a duty on everything even if one is likely to return to the U.S. with 70% unsold?

 

Chuck seemed very nice and personable at NYCC. He just took my at my word as to how many comics I had in my stack (not that some other dealers don't do that as well).

[VintageComics]

I thought drice was trolling me again.

 

[seanfingh]

I thought drice was trolling me again.

 

 

Water Cooler vendetta?

[Subliminal]

As soon as they saw his tattoos they knew he was trouble.

I don't see what his complaint is considering he had no passport

 

[DarkKnightReturns]

Border guards are usually asshles

 

There are nice ones though I find at the Tsawassen/Point Roberts crossing

One even gave me advice on when beer goes on sale at the stores down there and cut me a break on the taxes coming back. His butchy partner didn't look pleased.

 

One time a guy charged me nothing on an entire flat of coors light. I think he just felt bad that I wasted money on crappy beer

[synch]

They normally allow you a set amount per day is my understanding ... the more days you spend over the more amount of purchases you can bring back.... I normally just tell them about how much I have spent on actual items like comics or toys I've never bothered to tell them about pictures with media guests or sketches or autographs that I have paid for Its not like they have an actual way of confirming either for stuff like that

 

Some times I just say I just brought some comic books & toys & point to the normally .a pile of stuff in the seat next to me they give me a funny look & then just wave me through heh!

 

[lizards2]

Border guards are usually asshles

 

There are nice ones though I find at the Tsawassen/Point Roberts crossing

One even gave me advice on when beer goes on sale at the stores down there and cut me a break on the taxes coming back. His butchy partner didn't look pleased.

 

One time a guy charged me nothing on an entire flat of coors light. I think he just felt bad that I wasted money on crappy beer

 

::

[VintageComics]

I thought drice was trolling me again.

 

 

Water Cooler vendetta?

 

That chit shouldn't be crossing borders. We have rules around here.

 

 

[marvelcollector]

I don't see what his complaint is considering he had no passport

 

Yes. This made pretty big news when the change went into effect a few years ago. Don't know how Chuck could miss it, being such a big traveller...

 

Yes, Chuck, the world is out to get you

[asteroid-comix]

Why the would anyone want to go to Canada anyway? Con or not

 

 

 

[Fantastic Thor]

As of June 1, 2009, everyone from every country arriving in Canada by air, land and sea has needed a passport.

 

Next ....

[500Club]

I don't see what his complaint is considering he had no passport

 

Yes. This made pretty big news when the change went into effect a few years ago. Don't know how Chuck could miss it, being such a big traveller...

 

Yes, Chuck, the world is out to get you

 

We're actively screening for carriers of West Nile virus...

[underthebigw]

Sounds like every border crossing I ever made when I went to school in Montreal. Tear the car apart, try to coerce a deposit on every piece of electronics I brought with me, claim my visa was invalid, etc.

 

And not bringing a passport with you anymore is just asking for trouble. Those days are long gone (we used to cross the border at will, w/out any planning, often dictated by how much we drank earlier in the night).

 

These guys are just doing their jobs. The frustrating part is, at least going into Quebec, that their concern is more based on economics, while on the US side it was at least about immigration and security. Not much has changed in 30 years.

[AbsoluteCarnage]

Morale of the story???

 

When planning to run your 10 plus Kilos of blow across the boarder ...... drive a 2 seater!!!!!! ;¤)

 

 

 

I got yanked off 2 the side with my ex girl just going across from ONT to Buff NY at the Niag border and the looked through our bags briefly, didn't even open the trunk and let us roll.

 

I remember thinking wowwwww some people must come thru with motherloads.

 

I was driving a 97 mustang in 2000 mind you, 1 year before the tragic 911 incident and Im sure it's gotten much worse at borderland since......

[VintageComics]

Honestly, we never have a problem. Lou and I must cross 20 times a year.

 

I even crossed once without the correct ID. They interrogated me, confirmed all my info (which corroborated with theirs) and let me in.

 

I think you guys are all just shady looking mo fos.

 

 

[Subliminal]

Honestly, we never have a problem. Lou and I must cross 20 times a year.

 

I even crossed once without the correct ID. They interrogated me, confirmed all my info (which corroborated with theirs) and let me in.

 

I think you guys are all just shady looking mo fos.

 

 

You're CIA aren't you?

[AbsoluteCarnage]

Honestly, we never have a problem. Lou and I must cross 20 times a year.

 

I even crossed once without the correct ID. They interrogated me, confirmed all my info (which corroborated with theirs) and let me in.

 

I think you guys are all just shady looking mo fos.

 

 

You're CIA aren't you?

 

 

SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

 

Roy is NSA