So therefore there is no conceivable reason why you would want to enter the US - and surely there is no conceivable reason why you would want Americans to enter Canada. Therefore your complaints about US passport rules are irrelevant and absurd.

__________________
"Our fears in Banquo
Stick deep; in his royalty of nature
Reigns that which would be fear'd: 'tis much he dares;
And, to that dauntless temper of his mind,
He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valour
To act in safety."

Macbeth 3:1

And you feel this way because you know if there is an economic loss, and that is a big if, it will affect Canada much more than it does the US. Moreover yu can say all you want, but in the end it will be up to Americans. If more of us feel this is important the feel it is a waste there is nothing you can do.

__________________

The universe grows smaller every day and the threat of aggression by any group anywhere can no longer be tolerated. There must be security for all or no one is secure... - Klaatu

Well when Islamic Terrorists highjack planes, crash them into buildings and kill 3000 people in one day, national security becomes hightened.

I apologize for any inconvenience these security issues have caused for you when you want to enter into my country.

And you come across as such a friendly guy. Again, I am sorry.

__________________
One day, I will sneak across the border into Canada and be an illegal alien. It will be fun.

Likewise, I might regard you as a prick but that's no reason for me to hassle you when you legitimately cross the border and that's the issue here. This absurd US policy will do absolutely NOTHING to stop terrorists - but it will hassle millions of innocent people who are the ones who are supposed to be protected from terrorists. Ass-backwards.

Sometimes you have to translate his words. WHat he is saying here is that is will hassle millions of supposedly innocent Canadians when they cross the border. WHat he just doesn't get is that it is our decision, not his or Canada's

__________________

The universe grows smaller every day and the threat of aggression by any group anywhere can no longer be tolerated. There must be security for all or no one is secure... - Klaatu

Seems that the date for the new procedures has been bumped back about 17 months at the request of all the border states. This was done mainly to allow time for a 'card' to be developed that would be good for a lifetime (vs. a passport which I think is 5 years) at a lower cost to make it more affordable.

__________________
Two-thirds of the world's lawyers practice in the US

I've been around since "Buy American" meant "Made in the USA".

The border is SHARED you moron. It's as much our decision as yours.

Yes Zed but we have had this debate in the US before. What you, and they, are essentially talking about is a national ID card. For wahtever reason AMericans have resisted this for as long as I have been alive anyway. It has cme up and quickly been dispatched a number of times. Now since 911 the feeling may have changed a little, but I doubt it. Moreover we already have a national ID card of sorts, its is called the social security card. A passport in the US is good for 10 years not five, and costs less than $100. I do not see us backing away fro a requirement that it will take more than a drivers license to cross the border in the future, regardless of what border state governors say. What is happeneing now is an attempt to try and find a way to expedite the flow of goods accross the border in a more secure manner. Once that is accomplished the passport issue will return.

__________________

The universe grows smaller every day and the threat of aggression by any group anywhere can no longer be tolerated. There must be security for all or no one is secure... - Klaatu

Just as Americans have resisted getting passports, hence the stupidity of the proposed law. Do American government officials actually do ANY background research before they issue their bone-headed edicts? Evidently not.

What an absolutely juvenile comment on your part.

Temper temper temper bailey. Perhaps it is time for you to actually put me back pon ignore instead of merely saying you are going to do that. What you decide to do on your side of the border is your decision. What we decide to do on ours is our decision. WHy is that so difficult for you to understand and proccess. How we adress it inside the US, on our side of the border, is in no way shape or form your decision unless the government decides to capitulate and do whatever Canada tells it to, like it has done pretty much on the southern border. However I would not push this too far were I you. We have pretty much had border insecurity up to our eyeballs and are ready to do something about any politician that doesn't take it as seriously as we think they should. Just look at what has already happened in some local primaries where those that have been for lax immigration rules have been told thans but we no longer need your services.

Bailey what you are seeing is a seed change in the US about its borders. Most of it is aimed at the southern border, but the northern one will be affected also. You can fight it and loose, or go with the flow. The choice is yours.

__________________

The universe grows smaller every day and the threat of aggression by any group anywhere can no longer be tolerated. There must be security for all or no one is secure... - Klaatu

THose that want to travel to Canada will get passports. If they are not that serious about traveleing north they won't. It is as simple as that. The reason people holding passports is so low in the US is because there has never really been a need for one up to now. I would have thought, since you consider yourself such an expert on us, you would have recognized this. SO much for your supposed expertise on America and AMericans.

__________________

The universe grows smaller every day and the threat of aggression by any group anywhere can no longer be tolerated. There must be security for all or no one is secure... - Klaatu

How long time does it usually take for you to enter the U.S by car and how long the other way?

Do the border officials search all vehicles in both directions and which of them gives you the most trouble?

__________________

It all comes down to this on election day: Are you a racist, or do you look down on spastics?

I will be interested in his response as well. Once he has respndd I will tell you how long it takes me to tneter Canada and whether there is an inspection or not.

__________________

The universe grows smaller every day and the threat of aggression by any group anywhere can no longer be tolerated. There must be security for all or no one is secure... - Klaatu

Here is the latest poll which absolutely backs up what I've been posting here - namely that the proposed US border policies are damaging to trade, tourism and friendship between the US and Canada and a majority of the population WON'T buy passports and a huge number of people will NOT cross the border. A majority also believe this will do absolutely NOTHING to address security concerns, the whole rationale for this bone-headed US policy in the first place. I rest my case.....

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Features...602419-cp.html

By PETER RAKOBOWCHUK

MONTREAL (CP) - One-half of Canadians would either travel less to the United States or never go again if the Americans made it mandatory to show a passport or other identification at the border, a new poll suggests.

The Leger Marketing survey indicated 33 per cent of Canadians would go south less often, while 17 per cent would no longer go at all and 39 per cent would go just as often.

The poll of 1,500 Canadians was conducted May 16-21 and distributed to The Canadian Press. It is considered accurate within 2.6 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

The U.S. government originally planned to require all travellers by sea or air to provide a passport or new high-tech identification cards at the end of this year, and for land crossings by the end of 2007.

But on May 17, the U.S. Senate voted to push back the Jan. 1, 2008, deadline. Under an amendment that still has to pass the House of Representatives and receive presidential approval to become law, the deadline would be extended to June 1, 2009.

Ken Oplinger, president of the Bellingham Chamber of Commerce in the state of Washington, says the tougher measures would hurt not only tourism, but also trade, especially at major crossings in Buffalo and Detroit.

"In both places, when cars back up for a significant period of time at those bridges across the border, the trucks get caught as well," Oplinger said in an interview.

"If we have cars backed up because there are delays at the border with people who don't have proper ID, trade is going to take a hit as well."

Oplinger said he wasn't surprised by the poll's finding that 50 per cent of Canadians would either travel less to the United States or no longer go at all.

"I think this just solidifies in my mind the fact that if we don't come up with a more acceptable way to address these border security concerns . . we're going to have significant problems with the economies on both sides of the border," he said.

Gordon Orr, managing director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Windsor, Essex County and Pelee Island, believes the ID scheme would result in fewer tourists crossing on both sides of the border.

"We would hope to capture some part of that domestic market to compensate. .for what we will lose once this (American) legislation is enacted and passed," he said in an interview.

The Leger survey also found that 75 per cent of respondents wanted Canada to impose the same ID restrictions on U.S. visitors, while 23 per cent did not.

Fifty-two per cent of respondents also said the new measures would not improve security in either country, while 43 per cent believed it would in Canada and 42 per cent said it would in the United States.

Another question revealed that 52 per cent of respondents would not be willing to pay to obtain identification papers recognized by the United States, compared with 42 per cent who would be willing.