Canadian shooters being harased at boarder

G

GerryM

Active member
I'm ashamed at our policy at the boarder. American boarder agents are giveing Canadian shooters a very hard time entering the US,
Heres the Email I received from Paul Burns

You may recall that I had some issues crossing the boarder last year.
Well it continued this year too. The paranoid boarder bullies seem to like keeping me confined
for a couple of hours, and treat me with rudeness and disrespect. My paperwork is always in
complete orderbut it seems to not matter at all.
Well its OVER" I will no longer tolerate thhis bad behaviour. My competeing days in the USA
Are ended. So, I will not be at this years match at Camillus.
I have been competeing in your country for over 35 years, and my first benchrest match
was at Camillus, so it's with great sadness thats its over''
I want to thank you and {all of the volunteers} for putting on the matchs .
It's a ton of work and very much appreciated.
Many Many thanks PAUL BURNS.
Needless to say I'm Pissed Paul Is a Great guy'''
 
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This is an incredibly sad story. The Canadians are great people. Always fun to chat with at the Super Shoot.
 
We have several Canadian shooters from Quebec and Ontario that shoot at our matches in St. Johnsbury. Two years ago, a Quebec shooter asked for and got a letter from me listing our schedule and "inviting" him to come and participate. He then crossed the border without a problem. This year, he told me he didn't need the letters because crossing wasn't a problem.

It's hard for me to discern any good from the "Patriot Act" and the whole "Homeland Security" debacle that can outweigh the idiocy that seems to prevail.
 
Reed

Amen on the homeland security comment. I'm still having trouble understanding why they have to pat down a 7-year-old girl at an airport. Or think of the 80 plus years old lady they did a strip search on!

Jerry
 
And leave us not forget the final stupidity to the whole ordeal being they can search someone because they are middle eastern decent because thats racial profiling......????????
 
Last year they strip searched Paul"' Needless to say he was a bit UPSET, not to mention the humiliation and rudeness he received' Time for some letters''
Paul is white man Of English decent''' He's also in his 70,s Why????
 
GerryM,
I can synpathize with anyone that has to cross the border, and the sword cuts both ways! I had to deliver a truckload of eqipment to a gent in Trail B.C., i had a uhaul full of sewing machines,patterns and automotive carpet, The RCMP held me all day at the border removed everything off of the truck, then at the end of the day they called the franchise owner and had him come to the border, they handed him a sheet accounting for everything on the truck,it was a tax bill for $37,000.00 before they would let me and the truck into Canada!!! I commented to him while we were standing at the counter, No wonder they don't let you have guns up here! I was told by the RCMP to be quite or they would arrest me! Thats why I refuse to Hunt ,Fish or Shoot in Canada! My wife wants to visit as we have a timeshare option up there but I absolutely refuse to go.
 
I can understand some thing about security but Really I don't feel any safer ''
Whats happened is some anti gun nuts useing jack boot tactics to harass
good law abiding citizens who are doing the right things.
As you will note in Pauls Email all of his paper work was in order.
That means he had his rifle and supplies looked at and approved before he even tried to cross the boarder .
Really after 35 years of crossing don't you think they know who he is'?''
 
I loaded next to paul last year and was aware how much difficulty he had crossing. One of the pleasures of the Camillus matches over the years was visiting with Paul, one of the true gentlemen of the sport. I truly hope his mind can be changed.
 
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As a fellow Canadian it bothers me to read this post or any post that has to do with our border issues. I have only been to 2 shoots in the US in my short time in this game. Both times crosing the border for me was a non issue. The first time easier than the second.

The first time I approached the crossing I was asked the usual questions. Where from, food etc. and where going. I told him I hope to attend the NBRSA Nationals in Kansas. He said what you mean you hope to. I said well you still have to let me into your Country. If you let me in I go if not I turn around disappointed and go home. The guard looked like a deer in the headlights as I passed him my approved form 6, Invitation, copy of my hotel reservations, my Possesion Acqisiton license, and my registration certificates for my rifles and my NBRSA membership. There was a senior guard there who said he would handle this. I was informed to park in the garage and new the search would be on. It went better than I had hoped. A quick search and verification of my rifles, and a short chat with the one time Military armourer and I was away.

The next shoot a year later, at a differnet border crossing due to the Floods in North Dakota a full search that took about 1 hour. Was I disappointed? Slightly. I did know that I had nothing I was not supposed to so I was not to worried.

The bottom line is as much as we may hate the crossings, the US has put measures in place which they feel are required to keep there country safe. What I worry more is I can get a Form 6 approved allowing to bring my firearms to the US but the Border guard may not like what he sees on the form and maybe one day choose to not let me in. That is my biggest fear. 2 different departments possibly not on the same page.

This year I am going to the Montana State (if the border lets me in). I have all my paperwork in order. Then in October I plan on going to the Nationals in Phoenix ( again if the border lets me in) Again almost all paperwork in order except for my invite from the NBRSA to attend the shoot.

Bottom line I love this sport to much to let the hassle at the border stop me from shooting with the people I have met in the US. I learned SO MUCH MORE in 2 shoots in the US than I would in YEARS here in Canada. Maybe it is because I am still young enough that I do not let the border issues bother me??????

Just my thoughts

Calvin
 
I think this is what happens when mentally challenged people are put in positions of authority. The same stupid circumstances happen at airports in the security lines as well.

Virg
 
I've said it before but this crap happens - everywhere - because our elected representatives can't or won't develop procedures to achieve the desirable results of neutralizing terrorist risks. Instead, they put in place procedures that will inconvenience the average person "so we'll all know that they're doing something worthwhile".
 
I've been in and out of the USA a few times, a couple of European countries, South Africa and Aussie with firearms.........I've never had any problems except for Aussie and the problem isn't getting into Aussie its getting out with the firearm you took in........it's like they want to keep the firearms in Aussie and let the shooter leave......can't figure that one except if the Aussie government has a roaring trade in confiscated firearms.

LAWS
All laws made are only there for the honest citizen to obey..........terrorists and criminals have no intention of obeying them...........Ian
 
You know whats more freighting than reading these post's, is the fact that both countries are such tight ass's about our nothern border(the one they should least worry about) and the Southern border is leaking like sieve!
 
Thats the problem "' Let George do it "" Every ones asleep'''
We know who they are , The government knows who they are , heck even francis knows who they are'
Racial profileing my Asp '' Pick them up, deport them, jail them, do what needs to be done and lets get back to some sort of normality' This is insane'' Breaking relations with one of our best friends . Thru the last century and into this one Canadians have stood steadfast with the US to protect Freedom. This is just another way of certain people thumbing their nose at the good people in Canada' It stinks'''
 
Gerry I'm sure we all agree with you on this, if you would have had your Burka on they would have been afraid to lay a hand on you, and you would have been through in a matter of minutes! Free Country MY ASS.
Years ago all they asked was where you're going and how long were you going to stay. All our laws are for is to protect the criminals.


Joe Salt
 
Saw a news story last week.
70% of the FBI cases, since 9/11, have been initiated by the FBI(entrapment) or had a Mole inside.
kinda like, "let's scare everyone". And get a bigger budget.
When was the last time the FBI won a case.......??????????
 
I must admit I am always a bit scared this will happen to me; I live close to the NY border and, whenever possible I try and cross there. My experience has been that in general most of the guys have been more interested in the rifles than the paper work.

Ken
 
Steelhead1 said:
You know whats more freighting than reading these post's, is the fact that both countries are such tight ass's about our nothern border(the one they should least worry about) and the Southern border is leaking like sieve!
Click to expand...

In spite of Pauls very unfortunate experience, you might want to do a little homework after a statement like this. The northern boarder, particularly the northeastern one is a huge problem with illegals and drugs.
 
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