Canadian Immigration sends American Race fan home......

[Ken]

Unfreakinbelievable

I know this a bit off topic......really a personal topic.......but since your the race friends I post with the most i need to vent a bit...

I headed for the race in Montreal yesterday......

upon my arrival in Canada as Iwas passing thru customs I was taken into the immigration office.........why I have no idea.......random check I suppose......

anyhow after questioning me about the who, what and where of travels they asked if had ever been arrested......not wanting to lie I answered truthfully I had.......the immigration official at this time is typing away on a computer and I cant see the screen.......I explianed a minor indescretion from my youth in 1993......13 friggin years ago.....result:Misdomeanor!

anyhow he tells to sit down.....after about 20 minutes he takes me into a back room and searches my bag......of coarse he found what you would expect.....jeans, race t-shirtssocks.....shampoo, shaving cream etc.....

again....another 20 minute sit down....

finnally he calls me back up and explains it's against Canadian Law to enter the country with a criminal record.......that's right a 13 year old misdomeanor...

being that there is no flight out that evening I am being booked on a flight at 11 the next morning......they take my Birth Certificate, my drivers license and my ID card and allow me exit the airport......informing me that if i fail to return at 11 the next morning they will issue a warrant for my arrest.......I have buddy who was picking me from the airport (race fan that i met right here on the forums and become good friends with, but that is another story)....

so at this point Iam frankly just floored......the thing is I have been to Canada twice in the past 3 years....no problem.....

So we wake up this moring and lacking any better idea decide to head to the american embassy to see if theres anything we can do.......

American Embassy.....No help

so we head to the Canadien immigration office in town......no help

at this point I'm thinkin....F'it...i'm going to the race....what are they going to do on Monday when I show up arrest me and what...send me home....

but my better judegement says the last thing I need in this day and age is an immigration red flag when I travel....

so i head to the airport......

I check in with Immigration and they lead me thru some back doors and again sit me down in the immigration office.....30 or so minutes go by and they call me up to the counter and inform me i am booked on the next flight to Chicago.....

at this point they 'escort' me with two officers straight thru the middle of the airport to my gate......we wait a couple of minutes until it's time to board and the hike me all the way down the tunnel onto the plane and into my seat......

needless to say i got some cautionary looks from fellow passengers.......

[dubby99]

you know Ken you must be the most unluckiest person i know.

I too have a criminal record so that means no canadian races for me.

[indyracefan]

...unbelieveable.

Outrageously unappropriate conduct IMO. While not trying to 'dis' our good neighbors to the north I do feel that this is extreme.

[Cosworth]

At least they let you stay in a hotel for the night, a Buddie with a similar record tried to enter the US from Vancouver. When they ran his name and a 15 year old pot possession ($150 fine) conviction came up. Instead of denying admission they arrested him and transferred him to Seattle immigration detention center (2 hour drive). He was in custody for 7 days until court where he was ordered deported and drove back to the boarder, thanx for coming!!!

[tbyars]

I have it on good authority that Keske wrote the Canadian immigration agency and told 'em you were coming........

Seriously, when I saw the thread title, I wouldn't have guessed in a million years it was a thread about YOU! I don't even know what to say about that. Absurd doesn't even seem to scratch the surface.

Suggest you NOT plan on China next year.......

[fatusone]

Amazing story. Just repeat the mantra: The world is safer now....the world is safer now....the world is safer now...

[elio]

Unfortunately the end result of this fight on terrorism is an absurd overreaction that inconveniences a lot of people. Like getting a military escort if you have claustrophobia.
btw this is not just a Canada customs problem, it's the same if you're going the other direction.

[VtOpenWheel]

Come on Ken, we all know that's an excuse to get out of posting pics for the attendance thread.

Seriously, sorry to hear about your troubles, you obviously love racing and this bites the big one. Living close to Canada it always seems like a crap shoot. The one big No-No w/ Canada is DUI (not implying anything about Ken, just commenting on Canada's policies). I believe it is considered a felony up there and they take it pretty serious. Luckily I've got a clean record (meaning I was lucky enough to never get caught when I was younger) so I don't usually worry too much. (Why do I think I'm going to regret making these comments when I try to cross the border tomorrow to go to the race?) But I always caution people who come up for the race that the border can be an issue.

Another one is if you admit you are going into Canada for business/work purposes. They can get kind of funny about that as well because they don't seem to like 'outsourcing' work.

I won't get into the political discussion of the claustraphobia (sp?) comments other than to say that lady had more issues than claustraphobia and before anyone comments check where she lives.

[fullmetal]

Should have had a NASCAR bush series Tee-Shirt in your bag instead of that CC Tee-Shirt. Didn't anyone tell you they were throwing CC out.

[aportinga]

You should have lied about your arrest record.

Lame none the less - obviously this is all a result of Norman Legault trying to keep the attendance down at the race this weekend.

























Actually I know SOME people who would seriously use that excuse had the tables been turned.

[bkeske]

I have it on good authority that Keske wrote the Canadian immigration agency and told 'em you were coming........

Oh....thanks for that one Byars

Ken, I'm sitting here a bit stunned by your post, but unfortunately not surprised.

My drinkin years caused me some trouble, so I have to wonder if if I would get the same treatment as well....I've been to Canada quite a few times without issue, albeit crossing the border via car....the last time about 4-5 years ago.

With the amount of folks that have some type of misdemeanor on their records, I'm surprised this does not happen much more often & we have been made aware of it.

But I really wonder why 'our' misdemeanor record is worse than those of Canadian citizens with similar records, living freely, and heck, even attending races. Do 'we' do the same to visitors of this country?

My mind starts churning to our illeagal immigration issue....so I better stop here.

[chicane]

Man, hope you never try to go to the IRL Japan race with your luck.

[Whosyer-Sparkplug]

Unfortunately the end result of this fight on terrorism is an absurd overreaction that inconveniences a lot of people. Like getting a military escort if you have claustrophobia.
btw this is not just a Canada customs problem, it's the same if you're going the other direction.

A 60 year old clastrophobic woman has a panic attack and she gets gang tackled in the asile...

Hey Ken they didn't rough you any up did they?

[Domingos]

It >>may<< be a case of reciprocity law, that is, since the US won't accept canadian citizens with a criminal record, Canada does the same thing to US citizens. Accordingly to Cosworth's post, you've been actually treated well by the canadian customs, unlike his canadian friend in the same situation as yours.

About reciprocity law, brazilian citizens are required a visa to enter the US; for this reason Brazil is forced to require a visa from US citizens, while european citizens don't need it.

[cheeseczar]

Not knowing your situation with travel plans, but my question is this:

Would it have happened if you drove in as opposed to flying in?

doesn't really matter at this point, however. A race fan is missing an effin' race.

[bkeske]

since the US won't accept canadian citizens with a criminal record

Is that a fact? And does it include 'misdemeanor' type offenses?

....in terms of the other posts about the 'terrorist age' we live in. Seems you can't win for losing right now. You get 'beat up' for being over cautious, and when you are not being cautious enough, you get 'beat up' for that too.

Does not seem you can win here....the world has certainly changed.

[Gerr]

http://www.amcits.com/enter_canada.asp

[bkeske]

http://www.amcits.com/enter_canada.asp

Thanks for that.

At least they offer a way to get 'cleared' first.

I probably ought to do this, as I have been tempted to just get in the car and drive up for the Mosport ALMS race the last couple years.

Pain in the rear, but less of a pain than what Ken had to go through.

BTW, I went to London a couple years back, and could not believe how easy it was to enter England. I wonder if that has changed as well?

[Lunatic Fringe]

Thanks for that.

At least they offer a way to get 'cleared' first.

I probably ought to do this, as I have been tempted to just get in the car and drive up for the Mosport ALMS race the last couple years.

Pain in the rear, but less of a pain than what Ken had to go through.

BTW, I went to London a couple years back, and could not believe how easy it was to enter England. I wonder if that has changed as well?

When we arrived in Paris in June, immigration at CDG was a joke.

[Ken]

so ive had a few hours of sleep and a long crappy trip to mull this all over......

My Moral, or at least whats true for me is.....and listen up youngsters is....... that even 13 years later....even after drug rehab......even after 11 years of sobriety.......even after marriage, kids and business succes........you still have to live with the consequences of the choices you make awhen your young and dumb......

is just royaly sucks when it happens on the way to the race track!

[Ken]

http://www.amcits.com/enter_canada.asp

thanks...wish I had know a month ago.......

[bkeske]

........you still have to live with the consequences of the choices you make awhen your young and dumb......

Seems I've heard this numerous times over the span my own sobriety

[irnlsfan]

my neighbor worked for PVK last year driving the hauler, he was not allowed to enter because he had something on his record. He stayed in a hotel room until the team came back to pick him up. He was "let go" at the end of the season. It cost him his job.

[Chitownfan]

so ive had a few hours of sleep and a long crappy trip to mull this all over......

My Moral, or at least whats true for me is.....and listen up youngsters is....... that even 13 years later....even after drug rehab......even after 11 years of sobriety.......even after marriage, kids and business succes........you still have to live with the consequences of the choices you make awhen your young and dumb......

is just royaly sucks when it happens on the way to the race track!

Wow, that's unreal. Sorry you're going to miss the race.

[kikigirl]

And Canada is supposedly a FREE COUNTRY
shame on Canada, IMO. I'm sorry, but that is really going to the extreme and will do nothing but discourage people from traveling to Canada.

Ken, have you thought about contacting your congressman or Senator. At least, they should be aware of the situation.
Sorry this had to happen to you.

ps...I've had ONE speeding ticket and ONE parking ticket, both 20+ years ago....would that make me a "political undesireable"!

[Powercat]

Wow, if they are turning away CC fans, they are really going to be in for a surprise when NASCAR comes to town next year.

Seriously, that really sucks. Sorry to hear you had to miss the race.

[bkeske]

A bit of a stereotype mindset there heh?

Good for you....and yea, I saw the 'smilies'....

You might want to check-out that 'drunkest cities in the US' thread, it does not seem to fit the demographic you are implying.

[kikigirl]

Wow, if they are turning away CC fans, they are really going to be in for a surprise when NASCAR comes to town next year.

I just thought of that, also. They might have a riot on their hands at the border, if they try that!
(just remember, I'm a NASCAR fan, too so don't jump down my throat about stereotypes )

[Ken]

Seems I've heard this numerous times over the span my own sobriety

B...I'm far from a AA 'Big Book" bible thumper.....works for millions just was never my thing.....

but a few things simply ring true and that statement is certainly one of them........

[Racewriter]

I just thought of that, also. They might have a riot on their hands at the border, if they try that!
(just remember, I'm a NASCAR fan, too so don't jump down my throat about stereotypes )

Well, at least with NASCAR fans, there would be enough of them to HAVE a riot.