High price for taking an undeclared handgun to Canada

[Trackrig]

This happened last year. All told it cost them $18,940 and that didn't include their legal fees. I don't know why the barge cost so much but it apparently did?

And as a note, even if you don't have a gun in your vehicle, if the Canadians find something gun related in your vehicle such as ammo for the gun you shipped to Alaska, they're going to suspect you have a gun and look further for it. Read the article. If you ship a gun either north or south, don't leave the ammo, gun belt / case in your vehicle unless you want to sit there at the boarder while they search everything. Buy a new box of ammo when you leave Canada.

Canadian news article.

Bill

[Community Alumni]

Going around in circles now; time to close it.

Moderator

[2lazy4U]

Why would you want to take a weapon into the U.S. when you can just stop about anywhere and buy one? If it's from a private citizen, no background check, even some pawn shops will sell to you w/o even asking for ID, though I think it's illegal. I have a friend who's a gun collector in Wyoming who buys stuff w/o ever having a background check.

You can buy about anything you want just in the want ads. Of course, I realize this would be more expensive than bringing in your own gun, but you can always sell it before going back to Canada. YMMV depending on the part of the country, but in places like Montana and Idaho it's easy to buy guns.

[sue_t]

It also takes much longer to get approval to take a weapon into the USA.

An American can do the paperwork at the border to bring their weapon into Canada. Not so going the other way, need to plan a few months ahead.

[Wrong_Lane]

For those that think the rules and penalties for "forgetting" to declare a firearm when entering Canada are harsh please keep in mind that the laws governing the importation of undeclared firearms into the USA are about the same as Canada.

Penalties for Canadians who "forget" to declare weapons when entering the US include forfeiture of the vehicle they are in, jail time and steep financial penalties as well as a life time ban on future visits to the US.

The US Homeland Security do not look favorably on smuggling weapons into the US and rightly so! Canada takes the same position.

Given the **** taking place in our world today who can blame any country for treating undeclared weapons as a serious offence?

Even if I declare a weapon when entering the US there are very limited circumstances when I would be allowed to bring it with me.

I would need to be on a pre-booked hunting trip (with proof), travelling to a recognized shooting competition or a law enforcement officer on duty. If I say the weapon is for personal protection I will be asked to return to Canada and leave it home. Guess what?? Those are the same circumstances that apply to US citizens when entering Canada with a declared weapon.

Rant over - just thought I should point out the laws for both countries are close to mirror images of each other.

[garyhaupt]

Just to add fuel to an already hot fire...Canada and the US also exchange huge amounts of financial information on we, the citizens. The idea of being 'free' is very much in our minds..it is not 'in fact'. From the plethora of electronic tracking methods and data sharing....we, the squeaky good ones, are easily accounted for.


Gary Haupt

[wilber1]

DrewE wrote:

Walaby wrote:

PS. I can't wait until I make my first trip to Canada since I was 18. I know I won't have any guns, but sure will be interesting to see how much scrutiny I get. I really do long for the "old days", that will never return. When I graduated out of high school, we went to Vancouver for a long weekend. Didn't even have to have a passport, just my US drivers license. Those days will never return unfortunately.

Mike

If you are from one of the few states that offers an enhanced driver's license, you very much can go to Canada for a day or a weekend with only a driver's license and usually minimal drama. The "old days" are thankfully not quite so far off as you may be imagining. (The Haskell Free Library and Opera House still simultaneously serves both Derby Line, Vermont and Stanstead, Quebec, for instance.)

NEXUS. Even better.

[DrewE]

Walaby wrote:

PS. I can't wait until I make my first trip to Canada since I was 18. I know I won't have any guns, but sure will be interesting to see how much scrutiny I get. I really do long for the "old days", that will never return. When I graduated out of high school, we went to Vancouver for a long weekend. Didn't even have to have a passport, just my US drivers license. Those days will never return unfortunately.

Mike

If you are from one of the few states that offers an enhanced driver's license, you very much can go to Canada for a day or a weekend with only a driver's license and usually minimal drama. The "old days" are thankfully not quite so far off as you may be imagining. (The Haskell Free Library and Opera House still simultaneously serves both Derby Line, Vermont and Stanstead, Quebec, for instance.)

[Walaby]

Ain't that the truth. Just ask our Marine who made a wrong turn.

Mike

[Tom_Barb]

If you believe the Canadians are strict with their gun laws and the punishment is harsh, try seeking a gun into Mexico.

[Walaby]

2lazy4U wrote:
Mike, I agree in principle. If I do something legal in my country and then go to another country where the same thing is illegal, it's on ME to not do it (or face the consequences) and on THAT COUNTRY to enforce their own rules. It's NOT the job of my own government to alert them to the fact that I'm doing something that would be illegal in their jurisdiction but is legal in mine. It's a waste of government resources and goes against the grain of having privacy.

Now, if I'm doing something that's illegal in both countries, that's a different matter entirely and the info should be shared (for ex., a murderer trying to hide across the border, etc.).

100 percent in agreement.

Mike

[2lazy4U]

Mike, I agree in principle. If I do something legal in my country and then go to another country where the same thing is illegal, it's on ME to not do it (or face the consequences) and on THAT COUNTRY to enforce their own rules. It's NOT the job of my own government to alert them to the fact that I'm doing something that would be illegal in their jurisdiction but is legal in mine. It's a waste of government resources and goes against the grain of having privacy.

Now, if I'm doing something that's illegal in both countries, that's a different matter entirely and the info should be shared (for ex., a murderer trying to hide across the border, etc.).

[Walaby]

vic46 wrote:

Escargot wrote:

DutchmenSport wrote:
All I can say is, "WOW!" Makes me glad I don't visit Canada!
We've talked about going to Alaska .... via a Cruise Ship.

Last year was my first visit to Canada. I was there 3 or 4 weeks and I LOVED it! The people were extremely friendly, helpful, and seemingly civilized; the geography was to die for.
Thank you, Canada!

How would you feel about everybody going to secondary for further investigation! The information sharing provides a tool for border enforcement to be far more efficient and therefore using less of their time and that of the traveler. The termination of the communications between the border enforcement agencies is not likely to change any time soon, if ever.

I would rather everyone was treated fairly and equally, and if Canada is really worried about a mass influx of guns coming in, then search everyone. But, I don't believe they are that worried about it overall.

Using information on what I legally do as a citizen of the US, and my country providing that info to Canada, under the guise of making it more efficient is total BS.. Total total BS. What happens if Canada (or the US) decides to ban cigarette smoking altogether. And what if the US decides to track who smokes cigarettes and provide that info to Canada. Is Canada going to target smokers and search their vehicles for cigarettes? Now, Im quite sure everyone is gonna jump up and say it's not same. But, it is. A citizen of a country is legally performing an act, or legally owns something, and he or she is potentially targeted as a "problem", or someone who requires increased scrutiny, because the other country decides they don't like what that person is doing legally in his country of citizenship.

PS. I can't wait until I make my first trip to Canada since I was 18. I know I won't have any guns, but sure will be interesting to see how much scrutiny I get. I really do long for the "old days", that will never return. When I graduated out of high school, we went to Vancouver for a long weekend. Didn't even have to have a passport, just my US drivers license. Those days will never return unfortunately.

Mike

[wilber1]

okhmbldr wrote:
I agree that the "elderly" guy should have know about the firearm and never tried to enter Canada with a gun.
What I don't understand is why Canada makes this offense such a huge deal and costly ordeal for the idiot.
I'm probably a choir of one, but why not just confiscate the firearm, turn the guy around, and tell him he cannot enter Canada for five years!
Didn't someone say the border guards confiscated a bag of oranges at the boarder.....illegal item....what's the difference?

The difference is a completely different attitude toward firearms, in particular hand guns. A Canadian trying to bring a prohibited weapon into the country would also be harshly treated. I think many Americans don't understand how seriously Canadians take this issue.

[Trackrig]

SideHillSoup wrote:


So why do the Americans make such a big deal about Kinder Surprise?
Kinder Suprise

(grin)
Soup

Actually it was the Canadians that got the US to ban the Kinder eggs therefore requiring you to travel to Canada to buy them. The old saying of "Build it and they will come"???

Bill