Enjoying Canadian Independence. Starting tomorrow, the United States Government is going to bolster Canadian independence, by treating Canadians (and Mexicans and Bermudans) like every other foreigner. They will have to show a passport to enter the United States by air. Within a few months, they may also be required to show a passport to enter by car, bus, truck, or rail as well. Isn't having a border between us fun?!
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Canadians supposedly want the border there, so let them show their passport every time they cross. If that means that lines at the border are twice or three times as long as they have been, or that truckers lose an extra hour or two per trip, so what? Surely the splendor of Canadian independence is worth a little hassle and delay at the border. Americans will also have to show a passport. If you don't have one, don't worry. Just spend $97 and you can get one valid for ten years. Don't see why you should have to spend $97 just to see the other side of Niagara Falls? Well, then, just stay on the New York side. There's plenty to see in each country. Tourists don't have to cross the border. Shippers? Well, they do have to cross, but delay and searches are just part of the price of doing business internationally.
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Hey, while you're at it, Border Patrol, why don't you inspect every few Canadian vehicles for pot? Canadians are notoriously soft on marijuana. An attempt to completely decriminalize its growth, sale, and use, was defeated in 2003, but there is a powerful movement now to legalize, not just decriminalize, that drug, and there is a huge pot-growing industry in Canada, much of it directed to Americans.

Some 85% of marijuana grown in BC is estimated to be exported into the US[.]

14.1% of Canadians have used marijuana in the past year (as against 10.6% of Americans). So 14% of Canadians and 10% of Americans crossing the border should be searched for marijuana. That means every 7th car carrying a sole Canadian occupant; every 3rd carrying two; etc. Naturally, every single bus and railcar carrying 7 or more Canadians would have to be searched. Similarly, every 10th American coming back into the U.S. should be searched for marijuana, lest pot-tourists bring their stash back with them. What's the point of having a border if we can't use border-crossing procedures to intercept illegal drugs?
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Canadians often complain they don't get much attention from the U.S. They're about to get a lot more Governmental attention. How wonderful for them.
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You want a separate country? Pay the price. If it takes two hours to cross the border, and you're treated like a criminal for wanting to come into this country, so what? Be glad that the border is there to protect your proud nationalism. We'll make you feel very Canadian indeed.
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(The current U.S. military death toll in Iraq, according to the website "Iraq Coalition Casualties", is 3,056 — for Israel.)
- posted by L. Craig Schoonmaker @ 3:36 PM