At first I thought that this was an April Fools' joke:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel...,6878660.story
Looks like things will soon be getting very quiet in the touristy places near the two USA land borders, such as Niagara Falls, ON and the smaller Mexican border towns.
A friend of mine was wondering earlier tonight if this might ultimately force Canada and Mexico to set up an EU-style customs union with the USA (strong continental perimeter/no internal land border controls).
Mike
Haven't you heard, nation states are soooooo twentieth century.A friend of mine was wondering earlier tonight if this might ultimately force Canada and Mexico to set up an EU-style customs union with the USA (strong continental perimeter/no internal land border controls).
I'd be shocked if the US formally liberalized its border with Canada. With Mexico, I think it's already happening informally and will continue to do so. So maybe in the not to distant future the three countries set up an interpol type of security force?
From USA Today
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"I've been carrying my passport all along," says Ginny Scahill, a special-events and campaign consultant who lives in Buffalo and owns a beach house in Fort Erie, Ontario. "I just make it a point to keep it with me. I wouldn't be surprised if I'm going to be required to take it into Iowa eventually."
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I can see it now:
Papers! Where are you papers?
If you have no papers go back to Illinois or we shoot!
Off to Zanzibar--To meet the Zanzibarbarians!
I feel this is kind of non-news. You need a passport to fly into the USA, so why not a passport to drive into it? You need a passport to travel to Britain. You need a passport to travel virtually anywhere else in the world. Why is this so offensive? They will never, ever get my fingerprints. But a passport for entry is acceptable.
Wow... there are going to be a lot less 19 and 20 year old college students going over into Canada to drink.
I don't have a problem with it.
When compassion exceeds logic for too long, chaos will ensue. - Unknown
I learned to carry my passport with me into Canada because on return from my first trip into Canada after 9/11, I almost didn't get back into the US. We all had our driver's license, but immigration wanted to see proof of citizenship, not residence. When I told him that a driver's license was all I had ever needed and that I had not heard of a change in policy since the attacks, he argued with me and said that a passport or birth certificate had always been required. Okay, he was screwing with us, but at the time I was pretty nervous. You don't want to mess with immigration (they can strip your car if they claim you are suspicious - you can't do a thing about it), so I plead ignorance.
It makes sense to require a passport for re-entry into the US from Canada and Mexico. Just as long as they tell people what to expect!
urbanchik
Under Surveillance..(my favorite political pin) Oh and make no mistake, they are moving towards a national ID! Sad, very sad.........
The US stands to loose a lot of Canadian visitors, Not so much of a problem for Canada.....because after all....who wants to go to Canada.....(he he he....The One continues to mess with his Canadian friends....he he he
In reality, I always take the passport to Canada and Mexico....it just makes sense....and I make a point of using the passport whenever I need to provide an ID, to justify spening $80 (w/ photo's) to get one.....(The Gov. would love to get everyone to buy a passport.....big$$ for them)
On the ground, protecting the Cyburbia Shove since 2004.
No problem with this all along. I always used my passport anyways to get into the Great White North... now if they will only give me stamps at the border crossings...
You get all squeezed up inside/Like the days were carved in stone/You get all wired up inside/And it's bad to be alone
You can go out, you can take a ride/And when you get out on your own/You get all smoothed out inside/And it's good to be alone
-Peart
Doesn't effect me. I've never traveled internationally. I've never had to shell out the cash for a passport. More and more security. yuck.
Dude, I'm cheesing so hard right now.
You'll never see an EU-type customs union un North America. Why?
Canada doesn't want guns coming into the country unchecked from the US, and the US doesn't want the flood of cheap labor from Mexico. It's not like western Europe, where a nation is surrounded by first world countries that don't have a gun culture.
Growth for growth's sake is the ideology of the cancer cell. -- Edward Abbey
Darn it, now I have to order my son's birth certificate to get him a passport. How silly.
Great aerial of the US Mexico border......the greatest example of large scale wealth vs. abject poverty anywhere in the worldOriginally posted by Dan
You'll never see an EU-type customs union un North America. Why?
Canada doesn't want guns coming into the country unchecked from the US, and the US doesn't want the flood of cheap labor from Mexico. It's not like western Europe, where a nation is surrounded by first world countries that don't have a gun culture.One foot in the US (wearing $200 New Balance shoes and the other foot bare and sore in Mexico, looking for a pair of shoes......heavy man.......heavy.......
And NO I don't want to see the Canadian's responding that that aerial is of the US and Canada.....ha ha ha.....yeah, we get you have a massive inferiority complex.....
On the ground, protecting the Cyburbia Shove since 2004.
I guess I will have to curtail my part-time job as a drug mule.
"I am very good at reading women, but I get into trouble for using the Braille method."
~ Otterpop ~
Oh, I really should get a new passport...before the security checks for even being allowed to have one make it impossible to get one. It has only been on my "to do" list for about 2 1/2 years....
One more nail in the grave of Canadian independence. When will you silly Canucks give up and be absorbed into the greater North American union? Are you really that attached to the queen? Hey, Doubya would take care of that French problem for you in a heartbeat.
Seriously, I think there is some trade-related posturing going on here.
Anyone want to adopt a dog?
Ok, I have a problem with this. This will definately hurt the economies of communities along the border. Living here in Buffalo I'm in Canada at least once a month. I have family in Southern Ontario and usually spend quite a few holidays up there. I have a passport which I take with me when I cross the border, but I'm young and figure I can get more use out of it than just going to Canada. What about my Grandmother who is 89, she's not going to go buy a passport just to go see her daughter who lives only 40 miles away. I can't imagine what it will do to both Niagara Falls'. So now, someone who lives in St. Catherines and is a Sabres or Bills fan and may have Season tickets might decide its too much of a hastle to come over every week. This will definitely hurt WNY. I've always thought we should be moving in the other direction with border security, like the EU.
'Planning Rockstar in training';-)
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