Nightmare in Canada

Thinking of taking a trip through Canada?  You might want to think again!

(A letter recently received by John Taffin from a friend)

John,

NEVER, and I mean N-E-V-E-R have I been so deeply and personally humiliated in my entire life, and I'm sure Mary and little Jaclyn feel the same way.

We were "ambushed" at the Canadian Border, no other words can aptly define what happened to us.  As you know, we have been planning our Alaska trip for several years. We had researched everything there was to know about Alaska. We got brochures, maps, etc. We even took our time finding just the "right" piece of property (in Delta Junction) before making any purchases.

We made sure we had all the information a traveler needed to enter Canada - without any problems. Mary called the Customs Service (in Canada) about a week ago and inquired about bringing a shotgun into Canada. They said "no problem, just make sure you declare it at the border." I had also heard that if you have the gun's serial number, make, model number, etc. on a piece of paper, it makes things easier - which I did have and I presented to the custom's agent.

When Mary called Canadian Customs, she even asked about bringing handgun ammunition into Canada. Again, they said "no problem." We were even transferred to the Border crossing station (that we were going to cross at) and again, they said "no problem."

Of course, once we hit the border crossing and I told the custom's agent that I had a shotgun and I gave him the information on the gun, all H-E-L-L broke loose! He asked for our ID (driver's licenses) and then told us that it's "policy to examine the gun to make sure it's 'not' on their 'prohibited' list." We were NEVER told there was any sort of "policy" that the gun had to be "examined."

This custom agent (Barney Fife with glasses) asked how much ammo and what kind I had with me. I told him about 50 rounds for the shotgun and one box of .45 acp and one box of .357 mag "for my friends in Tok, Alaska."  Then, this idiot wanted to know where I had the "handgun ammo hid?" I told him that the ammo wasn't "hid" that it was in the ammo can with the 12 ga.
>>>rounds. No less than 5 custom's agents desended upon our car and started carelessly tossing all our belongings on the ground looking for the handgun ammo AND the handguns that went with the ammo.  I was questioned at least 5-6 times as to where I had "hid the two handguns that goes with the handgun ammo."

Right there, on the border, in the open, for everyone passing by to see, I was forced to spread-eagle and was serached for the the "two handguns" (that didn't exist). Never, have I been so embarrassed, and for no reason. A reasonable person would have taken me in their building for a body search!

We were then told that we were being "detained" and that we were "NOT free to leave." During this time, two of the younger custom's agents were busy playing with some of the folding knives I brought with me, and I did had a lot of new cutlery that I was going to T&E while in Alaska. I was questioned about the knives, too. Plus, the 3 Bowie Knives that I was also going to T&E.  I explained to this chief idiot that I was a writer and that I wrote for gun, knife, survival, etc. magazines and that this was a part of my job. This idiot must have read my works someplace, because he asked right off  if I wrote for GUNS & AMMO magazine (which I have).

We were then taken to the custom's office and told to wait there and we were asked if we wanted an attorney because of the fact that we were "detained." Little did this little "prick" (excuse my language) know that I was "free" to leave any time I wanted. They didn't have enough manpower to keep me there. Adrenaline was pumping through my body like you wouldn't believe. And, it still is, after three days!!!!

We were then told that they were bringing in a K-9 to search for the guns AND the illegal drugs that this idiot was sure we were smuggling. Isn't it amazing how things shifted to "drugs" when they couldn't find the handguns >that didn't exist?

We had to wait 30 minutes for this guy to arrive from Vancouver with his dog. He questioned me about the guns that didn't exist and the drugs. He told me that his dog was "reactive" and would attack and destroy anything or place where drugs and guns are hidden. I told him to "go for it." After about 5 minutes this K-9 handler came in with the chief idiot at his side and told us that we would be "happy to know that we didn't find any guns and drugs." NO KIDDING!!!!

We were "free" to go at that point and these guys who had trashed our belongs asked if we wanted them to put everything back or if we wanted to do it. I told them it took me a full day to pack everything into the car.  Mary and I attempted to put everything back (just tossing it all in at this point). But, these guys were feeling "bad" I believe and tried to help us. ASSHOLES!!!!!

The K-9 guy tried to explain why they did what they did. I told him that I used to be in law enforcement and that I would NEVER treat anyone the way they treated us - for no good cause. They asked me if I wanted a receipt for the "prohibited" hollow point handgun ammounition. I told 'em to just keep it and do what they wanted with it that we were turning around and
going back to the US. They told us to turn around at the "yellow light" and stop and they would return the ammo on my way out of Canada. I told 'em that I wasn't going to put up with their Bull Shit on the return trip from Alaska. As you're probably aware, they put your car's license plate into the computer as soon as you pull up to the border to see if it's stolen car. You can be damn well sure that our car was "red flagged" for another search if we had contiuned on.

Jaclyn was crying at this point and Mary was almost as mad as I was about this whole thing. That's what happens when you "play by the rules." We went through all the hoops to make sure we were doing things legally. I told this chief idiot that we had even called and talked to someone at this particular border crossing station about the shotgun and handgun ammo. He told me that "all Americans tell me that they called before they came." So, I said, "you must believe that all Americans are liars and crooks?" I was in the worse mood of my entire life, I almost decided to take-on the entire bunch of custom agents - right then!

I drove for 5 hours before stopping to rest. I didn't sleep, but Mary and Jaclyn got a couple of hours rest. I could have drove all the way across the country I was so hyped-up with adrenaline - really!

Believe me when I tell you this, I have NEVER been more enraged in my entire life. And, I've been through 3 divorces! I didn't think I was capable of getting this enraged over anything. I guess you learn something new about yourself all the time.

All our dreams, wishes and aspirations about moving to Alaska were destroyed by some over-earger Barney Fife in Canada. You know how much this trip meant to us. But, I will NEVER submit myself or my family to that sort of indignation again. Alaksa will remain but a dream.

Know what I did as soon as we got back into Oregon? We stopped at a gun shop and I bought a handgun! No, I didn't "need" it! But, the simple act of buying something that those Canadians couldn't buy, made me feel a whole lot better. I told Mary that I was buying the gun "because I 'could' and they couldn't."

Ok, I'd better run, I'm going to be writing a load of letters to the Canadian officials and US officials about what happened to us. Plus, the fact, that in the 2 1/2 hours we were "detained" at the Canadian Border, it was painfully obvious that they were involved in "racial profiling" of folks. If you had any "dark skin" or were of Middle-east origin, you were asked to pull your car over and they searched it.

We'll be in touch. I remain,
Your Compadre,