The CBSA are dogs trained by dogs.

[Danke]

Regardless of who you are no one has the right to enter another country.

That's what America is, another country. You're not crossing from Saskatchewan to Alberta here.

The border guards both ways have seconds to profile you and decide if you pass, or if you get searched or just turned away. They use a very quick and crude method to decide what happens next.

Unfortunately for some people the term shit magnet is the only fair description. I have friends that I would not cross a border with in any circumstances. Something about them just begs for quiet time in the little room. For other people who may have lead a more sheltered or privileged life suddenly have a large unpleasant person prying into your life seems like a horrible injustice. It's not going to change.

[Danke]

Originally Posted by cav.

pedobear sticker.

Irony is very often lost on authority figures. A lesson learned late is still a valuable lesson.

[cav.]

Originally Posted by Danke

Irony is very often lost on authority figures. A lesson learned late is still a valuable lesson.

I agree :C

[ShelledPants]

Originally Posted by Danke

Farce: Comedy that aims at entertaining the audience through situations that are highly exaggerated, extravagant, and thus improbable.

Satire: Vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, corporations, and society itself, into improvement

Thank you for the definition?

I stand by my claim, I want to believe that it's farce, that the interview is untrue and exaggerated.

[SDrodge]

"This is That" is a satirical CBC Radio show. It's all a joke!

[wildcard]

Originally Posted by BloodSport

I went to the USA last fall with a bunch of buds for a Cherry Coke run, we literally came back with about 40 cases of pop, the border guards couldn't believe that was our primary reason for the drive, and spent an hour searching my truck trying to find something else..... Never did, gave me the speech that "I should make sure I'm not trying to hide anything" about 10 times, and kept asking what else I bought besides a meal and gas to get back home. Longest attempt to get back into Canada ever.

Going down the US border guard was great, asked what we were doing told him he laughed, asked him what the best route to the town we were heading to, he pulled out a map and drew a short cut onto it for us that knocked 45mins of driving time out, and even gave us a better border crossing to use on the way back since his would be closed by the time we did.

Same thing on previous trips, the USA guys are great every time I've cross, the Canadian ones ask a million questions and make one feel like a criminal hopeing to make you make a slip of the tongue in frustration so they can waste more of your time. All you have to do is change how you word the same thing to them 5 times already and there goes another 1/2hr of your life you will never get back again. I try to keep my responses to 5 words or less to them now.

pfft at least they didn't detain you because they suspect that I'm not who I say I am and claim that my last name does not match my ethnicity, even if I have 6 government ID with my name, pictures and address.

[Sequential]

Originally Posted by SDrodge

"This is That" is a satirical CBC Radio show. It's all a joke!

Regardless if a joke or not the CBSA are animals still.

[Danke]

Originally Posted by ShelledPants

Thank you for the definition?

I stand by my claim, I want to believe that it's farce, that the interview is untrue and exaggerated.

This baby's off the charts!

[Jbone 11 11]

+1000 LOL! It kills me every time This is That gets people ...I've come across a few people who've mistaken the show as a factual news program heheheh.

As for the CBSA.... its a complicated mess. Immigration and border services used to be one...then the border services were separated and re-dubbed CBSA. The reasons for this are many, but a large part of it was a difference in opinion on whether Border guards should be involved in administering Canada's immigration policies (read: dealing with the paperwork i.e. processing visa and citizenship claims) or not. Not was the consensus and CBSA was created. Simply enforcing the rules is much more fun!!

I've worked closely with many CBSA officers and most if not all I had nothing but the utmost respect for. But there is a difference between those on the line at the borders and those on postings (There are many facets to CBSA besides being a border guard)...mainly its experience. Border duty is a posting, just like an embassy for diplomats and Afghanistan for the military. But it is one where you will cut your teeth as a junior officer, so there are a lot of people with something to prove on the border….thankfully they are generally managed by seasoned officers.
Having said that I personally think that CBSA could do a better job training their officers in dealing with the public. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had very pleasant experiences dealing with our own border services, but when they were not pleasant they were some of the most belligerent experiences I’ve ever had on a border crossing...anywhere!
As many have said before it is hit and miss…..there are many factors as to why/if the officer you’re dealing with is giving you a hard time. These factors could include: Having a bad day, the built up stress of having to deal with a never ending flow of people trying to get into your country and the megalithic proportions of the BS you have to hear EVERY SINGLE DAY!, the way you're dressed, what you say, what you’re driving….the list is long and varied.

I will share an experience I had a while back to illustrate the contrast in different officers on the line at any given time to prove that it is indeed a mixed bag.

A few years ago I bought a motorcycle from a collector in Chicago. We agreed to meet halfway between Detroit and the windy city to make the exchange. I called the guy to ask if we could move up the exchange date as I was leaving the country for a few weeks and wanted to get things sorted before I left. He said sure, but there was an issue with his ownership papers…DMV Chicago miss spelled his last name and a correction was being issued. I asked if he had documentation of this. He did. I asked if he still had the ownership, he had a certified copy of, as DMV Chicago took the original.

I called the CBSA office in windsor in advance to verify if I could cross with that documentation. I was told I could but that I would not be able to register or insure it until I had the proper paperwork back…I did not get the officers name…mistake #1.

Day of exchange. We do the exchange, I have the receipt from the State of Illinois DMV stating the re-printing of the ownership and reason for, certified copies of ownership to be corrected as well as all of the other documentation I needed. I get to the crossing in Windsor….the wrong one, as there are two…the US guards were very friendly, complimented me on the bike and gave me directions and what to do once I got there. Next crossing point….US guards tell me you can cross, but you will not get an export stamp until you come back with the re-print…cool.

I get to our side and am asked for the documentation on the spot…not really how it works but I play ball. I’m told I cannot entre and need to park “over there” and go inside to speak with an officer….uh..huh. fine.
I park, and go inside….I am immediately accosted by the officer at the desk: “ WHAT is it?!?” Not a good start…. I produce my documentation only to be accused of basically forging State Documentation and trying to import a “possibly Stolen” vehicle.
In my mind I’m thinking “WHAT….THE…..FUCK???”I try to reason with her but am constantly cut off and told NO! Supremely frustrated, I say, “Fine, would you mind if I have a word with your supervisor?” Mistake #2
She goes into her supervisors office and I can hear her word for word. In short, I’d have thrown me in jail the way she explained things to her supervisor! So out comes the supervisor…who for the record was very professional and very calm and very understanding (all of the characteristics the other officer was NOT demonstrating)….BUT her decision was already made based on what her officer had told her and that was that…me and the bike were going back to the states.
On the way out to the truck another guard came over to me and said, and I quote” Buddy…I’ve been watching you go in and out of the office…what’s going on?” I tell him and he says, ok….lets look and the VIN on the bike….after a quick look he agrees that the bike “should” be admissible. He goes to bat for me, but the supervisor had made her decision and there was nothing for it. I drive the drive of shame along the side of the bridge reserved for those rejected by Canada and sent back to the States….these guys must see a lot of crazy shit. The American Officer says” Ok…whats going on Dude?” (That’s a direct quote by the way!) I tell him and he is floored that my own country would not let me in with the bike….he asks what Im going to do now? I said I wasn’t sure but would try to find somewhere to stash the bike until the official papers from the DMV come back. I asked if he knew of any storage places, but he didn’t know any other than the Federal impound “and you don’t want us to hold your bike hahaha” But he did tell me which areas to avoid at night…..nice!

Fast forward 3 weeks later….after having to scramble at 9PM on a Friday night in Detroit to find an open storage facility to stash the bike until the papers came through…I returned to the same office and crossed without incident and dealt with one of the most pleasant (and cute) border officers ever!

So…a long and convoluted story to show that it depends on who you get….the officer on the right will be the nicest guy/gal in the world and the one of the left will spit in your face….Personally I think you are a product of your environment…. And that job is a shit one…or at least can be. But I also know the archetype CBSA is after from working with them and I can say for a fact….shit job aside, there is a reason there are some big time douchebags in the service right now!

[Jbone 11 11]

Originally Posted by Ricochet

CBSA: "Excuse me sir, but we need to go through your suitcase."

Some guy: "No, I don't want you to go through my stuff."

CBSA: "Sir please put your hands behind your back. We are going to put you in a little room, while we go through your stuff anyways. We promise to get you out of here as quick as reasonably possible."

They can smile the whole time. It'll be pleasant and quick, and there will be no more arguments, or other crap. I will admit though, the officer in the audio wasn't helping either side.

Sounds like someone hasn't had the pleasure yet....edit "No, I don't want you to go through my stuff." for " Sure...may I ask why?" but keep your ending and thats more realistic...OR...more realistic still...they wont even ask you.

[ViR]

I would agree with most of the people, US customs are a lot friendlier than Canadians.. But.. No one brings guns or drugs from Canada into the US.. I havent been but Im sure border guards at US/Mexico border are a lot less friendly than Canada/US.
Canadians have to worry about all the drugs and guns coming from US, so right away they are more "on the edge".
I've never had issues with Canadian Customs in airports, but for some reason US customs in Pearson are all dicks..

So if you travel by car rule of thumb: dont be sketchy, bring your girl with you, put white people in the front, dont give customs attitude and you should be fine

[Danke]

Originally Posted by ViR

I would agree with most of the people, US customs are a lot friendlier than Canadians.. But.. No one brings guns or drugs from Canada into the US..

Are you posting from a 1950s time machine?

[lurkingknight]

I've never had a bad experience with US customs officers.

TSA yes.

CBSA yes.

The one time I do a package run to get MY package and only mine, they pull me aside to inspect my car... the guy dumps my gym bag all over the inside of my trunk and leaves it a fucking mess, gives me shit because I had my gym bag with my cause I left from work, and almost locks my keys in the trunk, in fact, he slammed the trunk lid onto my keys where he left them in the channel, not even saying sorry, just looking up at me with a 'MEH' look.

I've been hassled far more by CBSA officers trying to get back INTO my home country than the americans hassle me for visiting theirs.

Nothing is more demeaning than someone who automatically assumes you are a criminal, especially when their tone of voice and body language in addition to their rude, indifferent dialog.

[ViR]

Originally Posted by Danke

Are you posting from a 1950s time machine?

Im not talking about weed and BC.. Hard drugs!

[Jbone 11 11]

Originally Posted by lurkingknight

I've never had a bad experience with US customs officers.

TSA yes.

Hahahaha...who hasn't?? I think everyone who's ever gone through an airport has had the pleasure of being violated in some form or another by the T F'n SA...THE biggest bunch of self entitled, self righteous and completely useless bag of assholes in the industry! And thats not my opinion....it s fact!