Some Odd questions from Canadian Customs
So as some of you may know I just completed the drive from Tucson to Fairbanks and you can see some pics and the details on my other post. But here I thought I would highlight some very ODD questions ...
Forum Discussion
I started logging the more odd type questions asked upon me from both Canada and US Customs since the US Passport requirement or equivalent mandate for land crossings in 2009...
Other than the standard usual and more detailed type questions pertaining to a visit or passing thru Canada, only once was I asked to submit proof of vehicle insurance to a CBSA officer back in 1991 (male officer at the Beaver Creek station), which I had and also submitted a non resident Canadian insurance card with it, then he asked if my vehicle was mechanically sound enough and stated yes as I do extensive maintenance on it....which I thought that was an odd couple of questions by the Canadian authorities at that time.
Upon entering Canada - these were the first time I was asked these other odd or out of the normal protocol questions :
In 2009 at the Beaver Creek station, I was asked by a female customs officer when was the last time I crossed into Canada..I stated August 2008 - Poker Creek Boundary station
In 2010 at the Poker Creek station (Boundary), after initial screening and scanning the passport, the female customs officer asked me if I had any friends in Canada that I planned on visiting along the way..I stated yes
It continued to how many friends..I stated two
It continued onto where in Canada are your two friends located..I stated one in Whitehorse and one in Dawson City
It continued onto what is the name of your friend in Whitehorse..I stated the first name
It continued onto what is the name of your friend in Dawson City..I stated the first name
It continued onto what is the last name of your friend..I stated the last name
It continued onto what does your friend do for work..I stated the type of work my friend does
Immediately she hands me back my passport and says have a nice trip in Canada, as I reply back 'I already have' and asked her if she knew of my friend in Dawson....she tells me, well kinda as I only see him during the community fire station meetings.
In 2011 at the Beaver Creek station, after all the usual standard questions by a female customs officer which clearly covered destinations and length of timeframe in Canada, returns back after screening and I was asked where my cat and I will be staying during my planned three weeks in Canada..as I point directly behind my shoulder and stated 'in my camper'
In 2012 at the Poker Creek station (Boundary), after initial screening and scanning the passport, the female customs officer asked me if I were ever denied entry into Canada or ever been told to leave Canada..I stated 'Never' !...I was immediately cleared.
In 2013 at the Beaver Creek station, a male customs officer asked me what the license plate of my vehicle was..as I stated the numbers and the letters (in phonetic) 'Alaska issued plate'....immediately hands me back my passport and says have a great trip and was cleared.
I thought, they already ran the license plate knowing who I was with the vehicle registration with all kinds of cameras positioned throughout the port, as they held up the vehicle in front of me for 20 minutes prior before I was green lighted to approach, with no other traffic to clear, looked like the vehicle in front of me (Yukon plate) was more like socializing with the customs officer next to it as I knew darn well that they ran my plate and were gearing up on all my potential officer safety advisements listed, an incident on record with the US Army officials while I was employed under contracting back in 2005, and firearms ownership listed on the database wondering on how to approach and deal with me as I do get that from time to time as officials seeing all that on a database they have to be cautious, even with me having no criminal history.
In 2014 at the Poker Creek station (Boundary), two male customs officers approached my camper truck as the one I spoke with after screening asked me if this was the only vehicle I ever crossed into Canada with..as I stated no - this is one of only two vehicles out of the eight I own I have ever crossed into Canada with, however this vehicle I have only crossed into Canada with since July 1998.
I seen their reaction as both customs officers looked at each other after my answer and the one handed me back my passport and cleared me - all in three minutes time.
Officials upon asking the odd questions will pertain the majority of the time they already know the answer as they look for demeanor and any inconsistencies a person or subject might react upon an answer or what have ya.....we all know they have full disclosure on tons of information, pretty much everything a person is associated with upon their daily lives that is recorded, both US and Canada officials will have it on a database to see when crossing their border to or from at a port of call.
August 2016 was my 30th time cleared by Canada Customs officials to visit Canada or pass thru.
Other than the standard usual and more detailed type questions pertaining to a visit or passing thru Canada, only once was I asked to submit proof of vehicle insurance to a CBSA officer back in 1991 (male officer at the Beaver Creek station), which I had and also submitted a non resident Canadian insurance card with it, then he asked if my vehicle was mechanically sound enough and stated yes as I do extensive maintenance on it....which I thought that was an odd couple of questions by the Canadian authorities at that time.
Upon entering Canada - these were the first time I was asked these other odd or out of the normal protocol questions :
In 2009 at the Beaver Creek station, I was asked by a female customs officer when was the last time I crossed into Canada..I stated August 2008 - Poker Creek Boundary station
In 2010 at the Poker Creek station (Boundary), after initial screening and scanning the passport, the female customs officer asked me if I had any friends in Canada that I planned on visiting along the way..I stated yes
It continued to how many friends..I stated two
It continued onto where in Canada are your two friends located..I stated one in Whitehorse and one in Dawson City
It continued onto what is the name of your friend in Whitehorse..I stated the first name
It continued onto what is the name of your friend in Dawson City..I stated the first name
It continued onto what is the last name of your friend..I stated the last name
It continued onto what does your friend do for work..I stated the type of work my friend does
Immediately she hands me back my passport and says have a nice trip in Canada, as I reply back 'I already have' and asked her if she knew of my friend in Dawson....she tells me, well kinda as I only see him during the community fire station meetings.
In 2011 at the Beaver Creek station, after all the usual standard questions by a female customs officer which clearly covered destinations and length of timeframe in Canada, returns back after screening and I was asked where my cat and I will be staying during my planned three weeks in Canada..as I point directly behind my shoulder and stated 'in my camper'
In 2012 at the Poker Creek station (Boundary), after initial screening and scanning the passport, the female customs officer asked me if I were ever denied entry into Canada or ever been told to leave Canada..I stated 'Never' !...I was immediately cleared.
In 2013 at the Beaver Creek station, a male customs officer asked me what the license plate of my vehicle was..as I stated the numbers and the letters (in phonetic) 'Alaska issued plate'....immediately hands me back my passport and says have a great trip and was cleared.
I thought, they already ran the license plate knowing who I was with the vehicle registration with all kinds of cameras positioned throughout the port, as they held up the vehicle in front of me for 20 minutes prior before I was green lighted to approach, with no other traffic to clear, looked like the vehicle in front of me (Yukon plate) was more like socializing with the customs officer next to it as I knew darn well that they ran my plate and were gearing up on all my potential officer safety advisements listed, an incident on record with the US Army officials while I was employed under contracting back in 2005, and firearms ownership listed on the database wondering on how to approach and deal with me as I do get that from time to time as officials seeing all that on a database they have to be cautious, even with me having no criminal history.
In 2014 at the Poker Creek station (Boundary), two male customs officers approached my camper truck as the one I spoke with after screening asked me if this was the only vehicle I ever crossed into Canada with..as I stated no - this is one of only two vehicles out of the eight I own I have ever crossed into Canada with, however this vehicle I have only crossed into Canada with since July 1998.
I seen their reaction as both customs officers looked at each other after my answer and the one handed me back my passport and cleared me - all in three minutes time.
Officials upon asking the odd questions will pertain the majority of the time they already know the answer as they look for demeanor and any inconsistencies a person or subject might react upon an answer or what have ya.....we all know they have full disclosure on tons of information, pretty much everything a person is associated with upon their daily lives that is recorded, both US and Canada officials will have it on a database to see when crossing their border to or from at a port of call.
August 2016 was my 30th time cleared by Canada Customs officials to visit Canada or pass thru.
