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I was a freakin' hell raisin' rabble-rouser...but I have no Idea what actually made it onto the 'record'.
They let me get a real estate license,(FBI printing) but man, that isn't saying much!
heh...I just got a picture of a raisin in a satan costume. a 'hell-raisin'.
Back in '94 I was 18 and a freshman at WSU. I ended up getting blotto and pulled some stupid shit that resulted in a theft charge on my record. Not a huge deal but enough to get me pointed back in the right direction.
The following summer I tried to cross into Canada and they pulled me aside, searched the car and sent me to Immigrations. There they told me that based on my record I would not be allowed into Canada and in fact they didn't have to let me back to the US either (WTF? No-mans land?).
Over the next several years I passed back and forth without any probelms, several times getting the '20 questions' or searched but not another trip to Immigrations.
So 3 years ago I was headed up with my wife's family. There were 8 of us between 2 cars and I was driving one. My inlaws get through just fine. When we pull up they ask the usual questions, including if anyone had ever had to speak with an immigration officer. I replied 'no' thinking it was so long ago, not a big deal. WRONG FUCKIN' ANSWER. The boarder agent calls me out on it and tells me I'm trying to 'sneak' into the country and I am in big trouble. We pull into the bay and step in to talk with the friendly Canadian Immigration officers. After an hour and a half of threats of bringing a dog in to search the car and telling me that they could refuse entry they finally let us pass on. Holy shit that sucked and then everyone else wanted to know what the hold up was.
So last year (same border crossing, same President's Day weekend) when we get to the questions I answer truthfully. Once again, inside we go with passports in hand. Another hour later they call me to the window. The Immigration Officer showed me something on the computer screen. He said "In the future, if you are asked it you have been arrested you have to say yes. But if you can tell them you have not been convicted." It turns out that it has since been expunged from my record. That was the best news ever!
This year, no questions and they didn't even ask for our passports on the way in. In fact, my father-in-law Russ fucked up every questions they asked. Agent: "You're all citizens of...." Russ: "Uhhhh....Washington?". Agent: "How many dozens of beer are you bring up?" Russ: "Dozens?.....uhhhh [looks for support].....4?" Agent: "4 dozen. You have 4 dozen beers with you?" Russ: "Yeah, that sounds about right...".
The question I always want to fuck with is:
"Do you have any drugs with you?" Uh, no, we can get them much cheaper up here. Besides, don't you just ship them all down to us anyway? How stupid would I have to be to bring them back?! :fuckyou:
Ditto thereQuote:
Originally Posted by rideit
Here's my answer - reckless driving is included. In fact "almost all convictions" is pretty broad.
Guess I'll be keeping my $s in the USQuote:
Originally Posted by altasnob
I got a DUI in 1994 in CT. It shows up when you search my SSN.
It was a misdemeanor conviction.
I guess if Canada considers me as some kind of risk for that? OK that’s their right.
I guess I'll spend my Ski$$ elsewhere. I was kind of looking forward to one of those Cat Trips. But? Oh well I'll live.
Thanks for the Beta, saves me allot of money and trouble.
1) enlist 2) desert they may even pay your way and give you a season pass
Ive had this happen to me in dec 2006.. right b4 nye.. sucked so bad. i can tell u the people at vancouver, bc immigration really are NOT flexible at all. Ive travelled to something like 20 different countries and never ever, ever had any problems. im going to apply for the rehabilitation asap.
That kind of stuff isn't going to fly much longer (or any longer for air travel). I just spent half my day at work reading the new passport restrictions for traveling between the US and Canada/Mexico. You might as well be going to China, for all the good not having a passport is going to do you. It'll be the same thing in a year or two for land/water crossings, also. Those tourists this summer are gonna be SOL trying to get on the cruise ships up here in Alaska without a passport ...Quote:
Originally Posted by Imz
it is a bit ironic that a country who allows its citizens to smoke dope and shoot heroin in public hassles a bunch of tourists about to drop $ on a vacation
As was said previously...
Hope we all feel safe now...
Ya shouldn't get your panties in a knot about it. If it makes you feel any better we get the same bullshit crossing into the US. It was the Bush administration that brought all this on.Quote:
Originally Posted by MTT
The last time I crossed the border was in aug. There was a group of us on road bikes doing our annual Whitefish century ride. The woman working at the US customs inspected my drivers licence and passport and asked the regular questions. Where are you going? How long are you staying ? etc. Then she asked me if I had any weapons? There I stand beside my bike, clad in spandex and she's asking if I have any guns on me? Immediately a smart ass answer popped into my head...but I refrained and grinned sheepishly and very politely answered "no mam"
I totally agree that it is a pile of crap, but we can't do anything about it. The sad truth is it's gonna get worse yet...this is only the start. You might as well just play their game and do what you have to do to clear your record. Get it done, don't let them take away your freedom to travel.
They don't need a reason.Quote:
Originally Posted by laseranimal
A friend heading south was asked "have you ever been fingerprinted." She innocently replied "yes" -- inside she went. A few hours later a smarter customs agent asked why -- all California RNs are fingerprinted.
I laughed.Quote:
Originally Posted by cascadianwarrior
gee, this is friggin' insane.
back in 1994 i got a "possession of a loaded weapon" charge from when I was 18. I was shooting dirt clods with a .22 in the undeveloped fields of brush outside of san clemente, ca. ended up doing 20 days of community service.
now i can't ski whistler?
I just crossed with a friend with a recent DUI conviction. We crossed above Bonner's Ferry without incident thanks to recs from other mags. One guy in the group we were skiing with got turned away for a copyright infringement charge from two years ago though. Crazy.
It's ironic that they won't let us in to spend money and promote tourism, yet we let tons of people in from the south to milk our system for all its worth. Ridiculous to have to sweat this.
'Nuff said! We always liked America Light anyway, so why not become out 51st state?Quote:
Originally Posted by Tippster
Maybe the 52nd state after Cuba...
I see what you did there but unfortunately this was an issue before 9/11. I got turned around for an old DUI in 1999.Quote:
Originally Posted by bakers_dozen
Quote:
Originally Posted by cramer
Europeans, to their credit, are very well attuned to how much tourism means to their economy. Canadians, not so much.
So canada doesn't get my money for a while because I got a DUI. Oh well. It sucks I'll be missing their skiing for a couple of years, but there's this thing called Alaska.
regardless, of what each of us has, or has not done over our storied pasts. the real crime in this is that they are searching for people with domestic misdemeanor crimes( I know DUI is a felony in Canada). but the people we need to be worried about are obviously not going to pop up on these background checks. They most likely have fake passports/visa's and the like. but Canada misses out on a couple that was probably going to spend $40k on a week at whistler. the US I'm sure misses out on the same. all the while we wast innumerable amounts of money, resources, and time refusing tourists entry while terrorists walk through unmolested.
I think Americans should boycott Canadian ski resorts; Whistler in particular
A few years back the wife and I along with a few friends and our dog went to Vancouver to visit a friend whom I had visited about a dozen or so times that year. Everytime I had gone through it was quick and easy and no hangups whatsoever and this time was no exception. We were having a great time in Van. until my dog ran away in Burnaby and everyone NEEDED to get back to the states for work/school. Sooo, sadly, we had to leave our lost pooch in B.C.. We drove back to Missoula to get everyone home and then immediately turned around and went back. We got to the border below Van and expected to go through as usual but this time they made us go to the immigration office. They ran background checks on both of us and found three of my misdemeanors that I had recieved a few years earlier on my 21st birthday in Missoula. (I was directing traffic Downtown and didn't play nice with the police) Anywho, they said we couldn't enter Canada!!!! I told her (the immigration official) that I had entered Canada a dozen times in this last year with no problem and never got into any trouble while there. She said no. I told her about our dog needing to be rescued. She said no. So we had to go back without our doggie. I called my dad in Missoula and told him about the situation and he jumped in his car to see if he can get over and get the dog. When he got to the border....same thing. He was told he could not enter due to a MJ charge back in the 70's. He talked them into selling him a 90 day visa for 300 bucks and went to Burnaby and rescued Irie (our dog). I haven't tried to go to Canada since this whole incident figuring that I must be "flagged" in their computer sytem and therefore screwed outta skiing BC. Now the only way is gonna have to be hiking over the border in one of the many thousands of miles that are completely unwatched!! Ya thats right! If you get denied you can always just walk through.(even if you're a terrorist!)
My friend and I will be crossing next week. He tried to enter into a bar with a fake id and got busted for it in college. We rented a car. Should I be driving when we cross since I have a clean record?
So... does that mean the president wouldn't be able to get into Canada? :p
edit: shit, someone beat me to it.
After September 11th, US skier visits andQuote:
Originally Posted by powder11
off-shore visits to Canada slumped more
than 31.4% from 4.7 million in 2001/02 to
3.2 million in the 2003/04 season
Canadian skier visits to Canadian ski resorts rose to 2.1 million in 2005.
you guys wouldn't be able to turn the lights on without us. More Americans ski Canadian resorts than Canadians.
I happen to be one of "us", but Im willing to bet most Canadians would rather downgrade their standard of living than put up with more of us lowd mouth 'mericans on the ski hills.Quote:
Originally Posted by mr_gyptian
Amen brotha.Quote:
Originally Posted by powder11
For the Canadians that think this law is great because their mountains will be less crowded-lets face it, most Americans will not be affected because most Americans with the $$$ to travel to ski don't have criminal convictions. This law amounts to a major inconvenience for those who unfortunately got popped for some petty crime in their youth. The fact that the law appears to be arbitrarily enforced makes it even more of a joke. I would urge Canadians to to amend the law so that only those with US felonies and repeat DUI offenders get denied entry (and this is coming from someone with a clean rap sheet).
Blame Canada!!!
I agree. I will come up there this summer for the protest march.Quote:
Originally Posted by powder11
I agree the border system sucks. But re-think your statement here...you Americans wouldn't be able to turn your lights without us. You wouldn't be able to fire up your cars either.Quote:
Originally Posted by mr_gyptian
At least here at F.A.R. the resort is not dominated by American tourists. We get a hell of a lot of Aussies and Swedes and Brits. I'm not knocking Americans at all...as a matter of fact I love the US (I don't care for your politics but I love the people)
...I just get a little hot under the collar when someone takes the attitude that our existance is totally dependant on you.... not the case!
Went skiing at Baker today, and I find that every time the visit is a pleasent one.
Most stores in glaciar and the mountain have canadian money tills, which is really cool. I would say that almost half of the people at Baker today were Canadian. So there is a case of an American hill dependant on Canadian Skiers. I will conitue to ski Baker as I like the vibe, people and snow.
So far I have not had any issuses crossing the border from both sides. I find as long as you play the game and are straight forward, and DO NOT give any attitude you will have no problems crossing. Its even wise to have a passport for land crossings. I guess its a little harder for people with a record to cross, but thats the system.
Remember, its up to the judgement of the Customs Officer to allow you to enter the country, both sides. You are a guest in that country and should abide by the rules of that respective country.
Just my 2 cents.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rossibandit
Rossi...been wondering where your hanging out these days. Glad Baker is treating you well. Skiing here has been really good too, the last week or so.
We were laying down some pretty sweet lines in Fish Bowl on Friday (I was even on alpine skis:eek: )
I'm trying to decide right now if I should go touring with the boys in Tunnel creek or go to the hill. You going to be back here to ski this year anymore?
Glad to see your alive and well.
I found this:
Criminal Inadmissibility
Whether you are planning to visit, work, study or immigrate, if you have committed or been convicted of a criminal offence, including driving while impaired, you may be prohibited from entering Canada.
However, you may be permitted to come to Canada if
* you have applied for rehabilitation and your application has been approved; or
* you are able to satisfy an immigration officer that you meet the legal requirement to be deemed rehabilitated; or
* you have obtained a temporary resident permit; or
* you have obtained a pardon from the National Parole Board of Canada if the criminal offence was committed in Canada; or
* you have obtained a foreign pardon recognized in Canada.
Overcoming Criminal Inadmissibility
This information is intended for general guidance and reference only. A legal decision on your inadmissibility can only be made at the time you seek entry to Canada either through an application or at a port of entry.
There are a number of ways to overcome a past conviction. For each of them, you must provide the documentation and information concerning the details of these convictions, including
* information on the sentences you received for your convictions;
* any pardons or discharges granted; and
* information on the laws under which you were convicted or pardoned or discharged.
If you are applying for a temporary resident visa or a permanent resident visa, you will have to provide details of your criminal history in your visa application. If you do not require a visa to come to Canada, please read on.
Individual Rehabilitation
You can apply for individual rehabilitation if at least five years have passed since you have completed all your criminal sentences.
To apply for individual rehabilitation, you must submit an application, and pay a processing fee.
Applications for rehabilitation can take over a year to process, so make sure you plan for your visit far enough in advance.
[b]Deemed Rehabilitation
You may be deemed rehabilitated if at least 10 years have passed since you completed the sentence imposed for your crime. Some requirements for deemed rehabilitation include:
* You have only been convicted of one offence; and
* The offence would be punishable in Canada by a maximum term of imprisonment of less than 10 years.[b]
You are not required to submit an application to be deemed rehabilitated.
Pardon or Discharge
If you received a Canadian pardon for your conviction, you may be allowed to enter Canada. If you have been convicted in Canada and wish to apply for a pardon, see the National Parole Board Web site.
If you received a pardon or discharge for your conviction in a country other than Canada, check with the CIC office closest to you for more information.
There was a story on the CBC just his morning about a Canadian church group that was driving a convoy of school buses full of toys and equipment to donate to a school in Mexico. The group was turned back due to one of the organizers having a pot bust from the 70s.
Here's another one- my brother in law was sixteen when he and some buddies went to Buffalo NY and had a few too many. They decided it would be funny to take the bell from a taco bell sign back as a souvenir. They were caught and he was charged with public mischief. Move forward 30 years, he is a cameraman who travels around the world and has been in the states literally hundreds of times since, but he arbitrarily gets denied entry on a routine trip. He suffered professional embarrasment and partial loss of income for 6 months until he got it removed from his record.
Most likely the Canadian border stupidity is a response to the US actions. The US border stickiness seemed to come as a reaction to Canada refusing to participate in the debacle in Iraq (there was a noticeable increase in these type of stories in the media afterwards). If in fact we lose some tourist dollars because of a principled stand on that bogus war, then in my opinion it is completely worth it.
Baker has treated me very well this year. Tunnel creek sounds pretty good to me, as the hill must be getting tracked out this weekend. Figures the year that I leave Fernie, its one of the best seasons in years. I would like to get back for a couple of days, but I don't know if its going to happen.Quote:
Ferniefreeheels Quote:
Rossi...been wondering where your hanging out these days. Glad Baker is treating you well. Skiing here has been really good too, the last week or so.
We were laying down some pretty sweet lines in Fish Bowl on Friday (I was even on alpine skis )
I'm trying to decide right now if I should go touring with the boys in Tunnel creek or go to the hill. You going to be back here to ski this year anymore?
Glad to see your alive and well.
[QUOTE=tahoepa;1148980
It's ironic that they won't let us in to spend money and promote tourism, yet we let tons of people in from the south to milk our system for all its worth. Ridiculous to have to sweat this.[/QUOTE]
this is ignorant in so many ways it would almost be comical if it weren't so typical. almost.
I just want to make one "hudge" correction to your statistics...
^^ That is correct.Quote:
Originally Posted by mr_gyptian
^^ No. Canadian skier visits rose 2.1 million to a total of 16 million per season. The vast majority of skier visits in Canada are Canadians.Quote:
Originally Posted by mr_gyptian
It's a shame you can't come skiing to Canada, we sure love that kind of attitude from visitors. :pQuote:
Originally Posted by mr_gyptian
I'd heard weed smokers were fast-tracked through Canadian customs...something about helping the economy.
You guys are always acting like you have your own real country or something. Can't you take a lesson from the Brits.Quote:
Originally Posted by Eldo
I don't see it as being either ridiculous or ironic. Canada is not the U.S. How we (U.S.) handle incoming traffic along our borders is our business, not theirs.Quote:
Originally Posted by tahoepa
It's not always about money in other countries. Just because having coin in the U.S. buys the way out of certain situations does not mean other countries should have the same attitude.
Nor do they get the potential risk of you driving under the influence and harming others. Not saying that is how you roll these days, but, still...that is their right.Quote:
Originally Posted by mr_gyptian
Alaska is great. You'll enjoy it there...cool place, cool people.
Canada is also great, for the same reasons. They just have different standards than the U.S. (which I happen to applaud). Canada apparently has the luxury of cherry-picking their tourists, including reviewing criminal records, per their standards. That is their right.
Fuck, that makes me laugh. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by cascadianwarrior