I figured I'd get that in for my neighbors to the nearby north before they were completely overshadowed by our own 4th of July celebrations. I almost skipped it because I have been holding a grudge against Canada for quite some time since they are the only country in the world that has ever denied me entry, but I can't stay mad forever; besides I have Canadian roots quite recently on both sides of my family. My mother's entire family is French-Canadian and my Father's Father's side of the family is of Scottish Highlander extraction but spent a couple of generations in Canada before they came across the lake.
So, despite our differences, I am officially making up with Canada today. I am also going to remember all the things I love about Canada. CKWS out of Kingston, Ontario gave me Star Trek every day after school from the time I was in kindergarten until I graduated, hell, it might still be on at 4:00PM; I don't know. They also ran Space:1999 right after Star Trek for a number of years. CKWS continued to expose me to both British and Canadian TV that most Americans would never see, making me slightly more culturally aware of the outside world than most Americans. Molson. Labatt. OV Splits. Being close enough that I could feel more like a seasoned traveler for having been to a "foreign" country, unlike most Americans that weren't born to wealthy families.
How can you have been denied entry, with that sort of distinguished pedigree?
ReplyDeleteHappy Canada Day, and Independence Day!
It's a long story involving a youthful indiscretion of mine, the law in the US not matching Canadian law, and my buddy Darryl deciding that our real reason for entering Canada that evening was "too suspicious" and making up an easily disproven BS story for the guys at the border checkpoint.
ReplyDeleteHow old were when you made your "indiscretion"?
ReplyDeleteWere you convicted of your indiscretion?
Have you tried recently to cross the border? Being denied entry is not the same as being barred from entry.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/apply-who.asp
From what I have read, you were caught before you could get into any real trouble. I did not read "convicted" in your post.
I didn't read embarrassed either, however the implication is extremely strong.
If you're still comfortable holding a grudge, my suggestion is to focus on Darryl. It was another fine mess he got you into!
I was 19 when it happened, the charge that barred my entry was dropped but apparently still showed up on my record when they ran my license almost a decade later, resisting arrest is apparently a felony in Canada and merely a class A misdemeanor here in NY. Ultimately, it came down to local politics and bad neighbors and me deciding that being in the right was more important than backing down (my wife calls this "Paladin Syndrome"), older and wiser me would have just let the whole thing drop and left well enough alone, but 19 year old me jumped in and let the chips fall where they may- which ended up with me getting my ass handed to me by eleven police officers.
ReplyDeleteNow, Darryl gets the focus of my grudge on this particularly because the trip to Canada that night was an attempt to keep him out of trouble as his marriage was failing. I figured a run to Canada with our (then) superior currency and the plentiful strip-clubs near the border catering to our troops from Fort Drum, follow that up with some good Canadian beer and we're home without him pursuing the most destructive path he could have, which is what he wanted to do. Ten minutes from the border he decides that telling the border guards that we want their naked women and beer is a bad reason to enter Canada and concocts a "surprise visit" to a non-existent Canadian friend; of course we have nothing packed or anything and I am pretty sure they could tell he was lying. Of course, despite the fact that he had been a bona fide juvenile delinquent, all of his offenses were genuinely youthful and didn't show up on his license. I got a very thorough search from customs and was detained for several hours in a small room before they gave me a permission slip to re-enter the US (who were kind of dicks about taking me back) and a report about why I was denied entry and how I could appeal their decision at a consulate, the nearest of which was in Niagara Falls, I think.
I guess the moral of the story is don't go to Canada with Darryl. No- Don't lie to the border guards/customs guys; I didn't even do it and I got hosed. Also, when your neighbor is the recently retired local judge and his son has a problem with you and it gets out of hand and they threaten to shoot you, even if you are the one that calls the cops it will probably end badly for you. Particularly when their family is locally big with the locally more popular political party and your family is well known for being locally big with the other national political party.
For what it is worth, I think you should appeal.
ReplyDeleteIt is probably just a case of completing the paperwork. You probably generated a fair bit with your youthful adventure; so generate some more.
Do you know a knowledgeable Travel Agent? They may be able to tell if you would be turned back at the border.
I am assuming you had your issue with the Canadian officials.
If there is no conviction, you should not have that much of an issue clearing this up. I think all you will have to do is write to the Consulate.
For what it's worth, I've had my ass handed to a few times too because of beer, rye, scotch, rum, gin....
I should appeal. Cool stuff is constantly happening in Canada and I can't go right now. Star Trek conventions, Gaming conventions, the entire SCA kingdom of Ealdormere and I have family there. During the Bush years I even wanted to seek political asylum in Canada :)
ReplyDeleteI see you are a fellow Klingon fan, a member of KAG Kanada, I am a member of KAG myself. I command the IKV Fist of Kahless, although I haven't had the ridges and uniform on in over a year now.
I am thinking of attending Dragon Con this year. If I do, it will be my first con in the US.
ReplyDeleteI also blog, qeliv.blogspot.
Dragon Con! Wow, that's helluva trip from Canada, I know, because I am right near Canada and, while Georgia is technically in the same fleet as me, I have never been to Dragon Con. Too far away! Odd too because I actually have pretty good friends in Atlanta, I could probably get crash space and save a ton of cash on hotels. Hmm, maybe I should give Ted a call...
ReplyDeleteChecked out your blog, subscribed, glad to be there.
my memory is shit - what was I trying to do before this trip distracted me? I can't remember...love the reputation I've garnered btw...
ReplyDelete