Has anyone gone into Canada with a DUI recently?

[Mike!]

I think I'm missing something here. The last time I drove to Vancouver for a snowboarding trip I drove through no problem. All they asked if I had a criminal record, warrants, and purpose being there? They didn't do a whole background check. Is it different on the east coast side?

Border officers have a lot of flexibility in their line of questioning depending on the circumstances. Which direction you're going, which country your car is plated in, which country your passports are, whether you're alone or with your significant other or a group of people all change what they're going to ask you.

Some times I'll get "Any alcohol or tobacco? Any firearms, pepper spray, or mace? Have a nice day." Other days it's "What was the nature of your trip? Have a nice day." Other times they'll want to know what I had for breakfast last Tuesday and every penny I spent. Overall, male guards give you an easier time or are more joking/friendly. Female guards seem to have a chip on their shoulder, though not always.

I've gone from being an 18 year old kid visiting his Canadian girlfriend, to being on a student visa, to being a permanent resident, married to a Canadian, and now I have my citizenship application in. I've gone both ways with any combination of US and Canadian citizens in the car, and with Ohio and Ontario plates. If you're young and alone, you're going to get a lot harder time than if you're a married couple. If you're just dating someone or with a group of friends, the questions will be more prying too with the "how do you know each other?" and "how did you meet?"

I've never had a criminal record, so I've never had that complication at least. From what I know though, prepare to be profiled. If you contact the border ahead of time about that factor and have your Ts crossed and Is dotted on everything else, they won't throw the book at you. Even if it's legal to do so, not bringing any beer, tobacco, or firearms with you, and leaving the radar detector at home if you're going into Ontario, is going to give you an easier time, as the only point of contention will be the DUI. If you don't give them reason to give you a hard time, they won't give you a hard time. If you're unprepared or ignorant and walk in as a deer in headlights, they're going to ask you everything they can, and probably send you inside to straighten things out.

[SVTJayC]

Don't you just waive your passport and drive right through? We got hassled one time, but that was only because A) it was like 9/18/01 and B) one of the idiots we were with forgot her ID.

[PsyberVW]

It's likely just a precaution. I mean you Americans will let us in with DUI's but let's face it, your beer is like water and not nearly as strong as ours. We're seasoned hosers who know our limit. We could TRY to get drunk and likely still be under the legal limit in the U.S.

On the other hand you guys come up here and get all antsy in your pantsy with that REAL beer and it hits you like a freight train. So anyone who has a DUI is a menace to society because if he thinks he's good to drive after 2 or 3 Canadian beers he's flat out wrong, that's like 10 American beers to his system.

Are you talking Budweiser or fresh brew pub beer?

[karl_1052]

LOL... whoops! Well, it was the Rainbow Bridge over to the Canadian side of Niagra. Is that not the Toronto region? My Canadian geography is not very good beyond finding the nearest Casino or "massage" parlor.

Edit: Just looked at a map... I guess it is considered the Ontario region. Carry on....

Did you see any of these?


If not, you were not in Canada.

[03GTI4Me]

What I learned from this thread:

Wat. I didn't realize they built a bridge over Lake Ontario.

If it's considered "Ontario Region" then you crossed from the "New York State" region.

You crossed from Niagara Falls New York to Niagara Falls Ontario. Both two different cities.

Toronto is about 130kms away, or a little over an hour's drive.

It'd be like me saying "I crossed from Niagara Falls Ontario just over the bridge to Rochester by walking".

I'd say you crossed the bridge over to the city of Niagara Falls. Toronto is a different city that is almost 80 miles away.

Want to piss off a Canadian? Tell them Toronto is 'on' the US/Canadian border

[karl_1052]

Also, I'm not really sure what legal grounds they even have to ask.

When you travel to other countries, you have to abide by their laws. They have every legal ground to ask you.

[Cousin Eddie]

Are you talking Budweiser or fresh brew pub beer?

Doesn't matter, it's a conspiracy man!

What I learned from this thread:

Want to piss off a Canadian? Tell them Toronto is 'on' the US/Canadian border

No doobt aboot it eh.

[BostonB6]

Call a Canadian Consulate. There's one in Boston and one in NYC. See what they can offer you. It may be as simple as getting a visa-like document....or maybe not.

[BigSkyGLI]

no idea why he's still blacklisted

IIRC, DUI is considered a felony in Canada, so they don't let felons cross their borders.

[gambit420s]

The key word here seems to be "conviction". Here in Mass you can often admit guilt without receiving a guilty finding (hence no "conviction") as part of the plea bargaining process. You receive probation and, if you complete it, a dismissal of the charge. The question would be whether Canadian law interprets the admission of guilt in such a scenario as the equivalent of a "conviction". I believe US immigration law considers it the same as a "conviction" for deportation purposes, for example, even though you're not formally found to be "guilty".


Edit: Just wanted to use some more "quotation marks".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nolo_contendere

[patrikman]

It's likely just a precaution. I mean you Americans will let us in with DUI's but let's face it, your beer is like water and not nearly as strong as ours. We're seasoned hosers who know our limit. We could TRY to get drunk and likely still be under the legal limit in the U.S.

On the other hand you guys come up here and get all antsy in your pantsy with that REAL beer and it hits you like a freight train. So anyone who has a DUI is a menace to society because if he thinks he's good to drive after 2 or 3 Canadian beers he's flat out wrong, that's like 10 American beers to his system.

[SlowMotion]

I didn't know Canada was so picky with Americans crossing the borders .

[pcp999]

What I learned from this thread:

Want to piss off a Canadian? Tell them Toronto is 'on' the US/Canadian border

Geography can be confusing, the Mayor of Toronto thinks the bridge from Detroit goes to Manitoba.

[Mike!]

Geography can be confusing, the Mayor of Toronto thinks the bridge from Detroit goes to Manitoba.

Toronto's the centre of the universe. Why would he need to know the names of any other Ontario cities?

[2.0T_Convert]

It's likely just a precaution. I mean you Americans will let us in with DUI's but let's face it, your beer is like water and not nearly as strong as ours. We're seasoned hosers who know our limit. We could TRY to get drunk and likely still be under the legal limit in the U.S.

On the other hand you guys come up here and get all antsy in your pantsy with that REAL beer and it hits you like a freight train. So anyone who has a DUI is a menace to society because if he thinks he's good to drive after 2 or 3 Canadian beers he's flat out wrong, that's like 10 American beers to his system.

Your country is the complete opposite with hard stuff.

Drinks are cheap... but you use 90% ice and then 9% sugary mixers. And it was in Montreal I saw my first drink meters... little caps that prevent the bartender from giving too much sweet stuff to a customer. Seriously not even NYC or at least the clubs I frequent use that.

[warren_s]

Don't you just waive your passport and drive right through?

Hahahaha oh man, that's a good one.

[patrickvr6]

I didn't know Canada was so picky with Americans crossing the borders .

F**king stupid fits better than picky.

They are screwing themselves out of massive amounts of commerce, it comes up often with musicians and athletes but they still hold onto their ignorant policies. All they are protecting is Canada. Who cares?

[Village Idiot™]

It's likely just a precaution. I mean you Americans will let us in with DUI's but let's face it, your beer is like water and not nearly as strong as ours. We're seasoned hosers who know our limit. We could TRY to get drunk and likely still be under the legal limit in the U.S.

On the other hand you guys come up here and get all antsy in your pantsy with that REAL beer and it hits you like a freight train. So anyone who has a DUI is a menace to society because if he thinks he's good to drive after 2 or 3 Canadian beers he's flat out wrong, that's like 10 American beers to his system.

I'd like to see you drink 10 Dogfish Head 120 minute IPAs and then stand up to go get 6 more.

It only averages 20%.

[Cousin Eddie]

Your country is the complete opposite with hard stuff.

Drinks are cheap... but you use 90% ice and then 9% sugary mixers. And it was in Montreal I saw my first drink meters... little caps that prevent the bartender from giving too much sweet stuff to a customer. Seriously not even NYC or at least the clubs I frequent use that.

I think that's a profit margin thing mostly. Maybe it's to avoid stomach pumping, who knows.

I'd like to see you drink 10 Dogfish Head 120 minute IPAs and then stand up to go get 6 more.

It only averages 20%.

I could do it. I might puke on the way to pick up the other 6 but i'm sure I could do it.

[hipster.]

So, two things...

1) Canada wont allow "felons" with DUI's into their country, but they'll turn a mostly blind eye to pounds and pounds of weed leaving their country for the US.

2) Adam144- You guys just don't get any good American small brew beer up there. We're sending you the cheap Budweiser crap to make sure you guys have a false sense of safety. Then BAM out of nowhere it's a bunch of hippies from Oregon, who've been drinking small batch double IPA's most of their adult life, charging in there with a BAL of 0.35 and the dexterity of an Olympic knitting champ. You'll never see it coming.

[Cousin Eddie]

2) Adam144- You guys just don't get any good American small brew beer up there. We're sending you the cheap Budweiser crap to make sure you guys have a false sense of safety. Then BAM out of nowhere it's a bunch of hippies from Oregon, who've been drinking small batch double IPA's most of their adult life, charging in there with a BAL of 0.35 and the dexterity of an Olympic knitting champ. You'll never see it coming.

Pffftt, we'll just warm their heads with toques and their hearts with job offers and free health care.

[hipster.]

Pffftt, we'll just warm their heads with toques and their hearts with job offers and free health care.

We'll stay for the BC-bud, but you can take your Michale Moore Helath Care system and sit on it!

[Cousin Eddie]

Michale Moore Helath Care

[hipster.]

[mhjett]

What I always thought was ironic is that they're so strict about letting Americans with DUIs in, but how do all the NHL players get up there for games....?

[BetterByDesign]

I didn't know Canada was so picky with Americans crossing the borders .

In my experience they are not, but they also dont want to been seen as the weak link in U.S. border patrol at the same time you also dont want to give anyone a "reason."

Seems like a lot of work to go see a fight.

[lilmoose21]

In my experience they are not, but they also dont want to been seen as the weak link in U.S. border patrol at the same time you also dont want to give anyone a "reason."

Seems like a lot of work to go see a fight.

Yea, I have informed my brother to look else where to use the ticket...I'm more mad I won't be able to go to Montreal for the F1 Race/Nascar Races for at least 8 more years if ever

[BetterByDesign]

Yea, I have informed my brother to look else where to use the ticket...I'm more mad I won't be able to go to Montreal for the F1 Race/Nascar Races for at least 8 more years if ever

And if you get detained you are guaranteed to miss the fight.

Try crossing when you have nothing a stake (FI race, UFC etc.) or just call and ask - 8 years or whatver is a long time.

[1320-20V]

There is NO WAY you will ever get into canada. My friend has a DUI and the scanned his passport (they scan ALL of them) and they told him to GTFO. His DUI is many many years old too. He drove 6 hours to get to the border, had a legitimate reason to be in canada, was not driving. No way hose.

[Cousin Eddie]

No way hoser.

Fixed.

[WhistlerYOW]

Some Canadian border guards are really sticklers for past criminal history. I've heard stories where people with a dui in the 80s can get into Canada for years and then one day get denied because the particular guard thinks they are a risk. I think the upper brass has advised officers on what is appropriate to deny entry for but who knows.

[jmj]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nolo_contendere

Yeah, but we don't have "nolo" in Mass. (no, no nolo). Our version is similar, but not exactly the same.

[WhistlerYOW]

Are you talking Budweiser or fresh brew pub beer?

Ironically, all the Budweiser I've ever seen for sale in Canada, was brewed in Canada.

[WhistlerYOW]

Did you get ARD? Or some other first offender's program? If so you might not be required to tell them.

Also, I'm not really sure what legal grounds they even have to ask.

Lol, and what "legal grounds" do you have to be allowed into our country? The border guards can ask whatever the hell they want, and rightly so. If it's a problem there is always the option to stay in the US. Your amendments and constitutions or whatever don't mean squat once you are over that line.

[Ef1Fitty]

Just arrive with a boat load of other felons and they will just wave you into the country...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Sun_Sea_incident

But yeah they are sticklers for single persons with criminal records, my friend had to get a job on a ship that never sailed into US ports for the same DUI reason as OP.