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

[NRALIFR]

SideHillSoup wrote:
..............
So why do the Americans make such a big deal about Kinder Surprise?
Kinder Suprise

(grin)
Soup

Must be that "children choking" thing. Meh.

(grinnin' right back at ya)

:):)

[SideHillSoup]

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?

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

(grin)
Soup

[okhmbldr]

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?

[vic46]

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.

[Escargot]

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!

[Walaby]

cruiserjs wrote:
Mike - simple answer - don't go. Stay home and barricade yourself against ?? or leave the gun(s) at home!

Think you're missing the point. Im not saying that I should be allowed to violate Canadian law, and take my gun there, nor am I saying that if Im stupid enough to try it, that I shouldn't pay the consequences.

Several people have pointed out that the fact that I am (or may be) a firearm owner is likely shared between the countries. My whole point is, if the border guard/customs guys suspect I might have a gun, because they have information from the US that says Im a gun owner, and they use that info to target me for increased scrutiny, that is wrong. It's wrong that my government released that information to them, because it's none of their business. I did not violate any US law, nor did I violate any Canadian law, by owning a firearm in the US. But yet, my own government chose to tell Canada that I might own a firearm and that Canada might want to spend more time looking at me. If that's true, then my government violated my rights.

Now, back to the article... the fact that the idiot who got in trouble forgot he had a weapon in his RV, he deserves what he got (my opinion).

Mike

[wilber1]

Walaby wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Majority of US Sates are 'IF Asked' about CCW then you must inform law enforcement
Several US Sates are 'MUST INFORM' as a condition of holding CCW
Georgia and Vermont 'NO DUTY' to inform..........within the state BUT other states?????

Same with whether or not a check of DL or Vehicle Registration will show CCW.
Some states YES....some states NO

But this is WITHIN the US. Im talking crossing into other countries. Although there's some states that I wish would drop out of the Union, that's a different discussion.

Mike

I also agree that unless someone has been convicted of criminal offence, information should not be shared. What constitutes a criminal offence differs with each country. DUI is an example. It's pretty clear though that if you are an American entering Canada or a Canadian entering the US with a firearm, you MUST INFORM or suffer the consequences.

[cruiserjs]

Mike - simple answer - don't go. Stay home and barricade yourself against ?? or leave the gun(s) at home!

[Tom_Barb]

Orion wrote:

It's the 6.35 CDN overage for the extra feet that kills ya.
Had the Black Ball ferry from Port Angles to Victoria with our M/H plus a 22 foot trailer for half what it would have cost on the Tasswesen ferry.

I thought I'd check this, as we've done both these trips a few times, I've seen that the Washdot Anacortes-Sidney has some really good RV prices at times, but not the Black Ball. With a total length of 60' I got $340 Cdn vs $291 US. Again, with the exchange, the BC Ferry is less.

I doubted your numbers, I also checked, and found the new 2016 rates are way up. Black ball for our coach, trailer and 1 extra passenger would have been $312USD each way.
So You are right the BC ferries are less expensive. we paid 189.30 CD, each way on the Tsawwassen to dukes point crossing.

[Walaby]

Im not saying that I don't believe it's not already shared. Im saying I don't agree with it.

I have a Georgia permit. Have been stopped in Ga, and the officers have not asked me about my weapon. Our permit and license aren't linked here, but I'll not go so far as to say they don't know.

Mike

[W4RLR]

Walaby wrote:
Only problem I have with this whole situation, and the responses, is the potential that my name, as a gun owner (or potential gun owner, because I've gone through background checks), is shared with a foreign country.

The background check database is not supposed to be maintained, but Im not kidding myself that the US govt doesn't already have (and use) that information. Even here in Ga, the fact that I have a concealed carry permit, is not supposed to be shared, but Im not holding my breath.

But, I don't agree with that data being shared with foreign countries, no matter what our relationship with them is like.

The Canadian government should not be able to find out, or know, if I am a licensed to carry a firearm, or if I potentially own firearms, in the US.

Mike

You can be sure that such information about having a concealed carry permit is shared. I hold such a permit from Tennessee. I have been stopped by law enforcement in Florida and Georgia. In both instances one of the first questions asked by the officer is where is my concealed weapon. How would he know that I have a concealed weapon? The weapons permit and drivers license number are one and the same. I don't always carry while driving, and my training taught me that I only have to declare that I am carrying a weapon when I am actually doing so.

The feds already share drivers information with the states and foreign governments. I would be surprised if information that links your concealed carry permit with your drivers license is not also shared with the Canadians and Mexicans.

[Walaby]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Majority of US Sates are 'IF Asked' about CCW then you must inform law enforcement
Several US Sates are 'MUST INFORM' as a condition of holding CCW
Georgia and Vermont 'NO DUTY' to inform..........within the state BUT other states?????

Same with whether or not a check of DL or Vehicle Registration will show CCW.
Some states YES....some states NO

But this is WITHIN the US. Im talking crossing into other countries. Although there's some states that I wish would drop out of the Union, that's a different discussion.

Mike

[Walaby]

vic46 wrote:

Walaby wrote:
Only problem I have with this whole situation, and the responses, is the potential that my name, as a gun owner (or potential gun owner, because I've gone through background checks), is shared with a foreign country.

The background check database is not supposed to be maintained, but Im not kidding myself that the US govt doesn't already have (and use) that information. Even here in Ga, the fact that I have a concealed carry permit, is not supposed to be shared, but Im not holding my breath.

But, I don't agree with that data being shared with foreign countries, no matter what our relationship with them is like.

The Canadian government should not be able to find out, or know, if I am a licensed to carry a firearm, or if I potentially own firearms, in the US.

Mike

But,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, it is just fine that the same information on a Canadian citizen is shared with the appropriate US authorities. That potential circumstance is truly odd in my opinion! Perhaps a rethink is in order Mike. Information sharing between the Canadian and US authorities is at the highest level it has ever been. Remember both agencies are in the same business with absolutely the same goals.

Vic

Im not okay this way either. If Im not breaking any laws (and likewise, if the Canadian citizen is not breaking any laws), then passing information that otherwise wouldn't be known, I disagree with.

EDIT: In other words, I am a law abiding citizen (of either country) but because I am executing a right in one country, if my info is shared with another country, and as a result of that, I am singled out for additional scrutiny, JUST BECAUSE I am exercising that right lawfully in my country of residence, that is just wrong.

Mike

[Old-Biscuit]

Majority of US Sates are 'IF Asked' about CCW then you must inform law enforcement
Several US Sates are 'MUST INFORM' as a condition of holding CCW
Georgia and Vermont 'NO DUTY' to inform..........within the state BUT other states?????

Same with whether or not a check of DL or Vehicle Registration will show CCW.
Some states YES....some states NO

[vic46]

Walaby wrote:
Only problem I have with this whole situation, and the responses, is the potential that my name, as a gun owner (or potential gun owner, because I've gone through background checks), is shared with a foreign country.

The background check database is not supposed to be maintained, but Im not kidding myself that the US govt doesn't already have (and use) that information. Even here in Ga, the fact that I have a concealed carry permit, is not supposed to be shared, but Im not holding my breath.

But, I don't agree with that data being shared with foreign countries, no matter what our relationship with them is like.

The Canadian government should not be able to find out, or know, if I am a licensed to carry a firearm, or if I potentially own firearms, in the US.

Mike

But,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, it is just fine that the same information on a Canadian citizen is shared with the appropriate US authorities. That potential circumstance is truly odd in my opinion! Perhaps a rethink is in order Mike. Information sharing between the Canadian and US authorities is at the highest level it has ever been. Remember both agencies are in the same business with absolutely the same goals.

Vic