Canada/US Border Kerfuffle...

[G.Mech]

Well us Canadians are once again made to look foolish by our government. A Canada Border Service agent arrested an American boater for fishing in Canadian Waters in the St. Lawrence. This one is blowing up BIG TIME, the Amercians are pissed and we look stupid!!!

Read on:

http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20110617/NEWS03/306179983
[url=http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20110625/NEWS02/306259919/-1/news]http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20110625/NEWS02/306259919/-1/news

 

[Lucky Eddy]

G.Mech : I am an American. For starters you don't look stupid, and your not stupid. We are just simple fishermen trying to enjoy ourselves. I have been following this nonsense for the last week. It has really stirred the pot to say the least on this side of the boarder. Maybe it was some hot shot rookie trying to make a name for himself and now his superiors have to back him up. Today bass season opened and I like to fish the West River. But with the border being so close to Grand Island and not having money to buy my boat back or pay a fine, I will fish someplace else. This boarder thing has got to stop. They want to call it "Homeland Security" as another control of the law abiding citizens. I hope some day we can fish the same waters again as we have done in the past. They now want us to call customs before fishing to meet with a customs officer at some landing spot before being able to fish. Can you imagine calling someone at four in the morning, to tell him you want to meet him so he can inspect your boat to go fishing.

 

[Mumph]

Some of this issue could be because of U.S. pressure on Canada to tighten up our "porous"border.Canada has been greatly criticized by U.S. politicians since 9/11 for our lax immigration laws and border security.This is just an example of enacting laws and then thinking about how they should force them and on whom.

 

[Goose Egg]

try going a little bit over the niagara river boundaries and see how fast a canadian gets a visit from american emforcement ....

 

[archer]

quote:
Originally posted by Goose Egg

try going a little bit over the niagara river boundaries and see how fast a canadian gets a visit from american emforcement ....




As a Canadian you wouldn't dare try the same thing on the St. Clair River. Canadians are watched very closely to ensure we don't travel into or fish in American waters.

Honestly, wouldn't it be nice to return to the simpler times of 30 years ago when both Canadians and Americans were proud that we had the longest undefended border in the world?

Paul

 

[G.Mech]

On the contrary Archer. The really stupid part of this (and the frustration for the Americans) is that we ARE allowed to move about and fish in US waters freely as long as we do not anchor or touch shore (and have a fishing license for the state of course). Hundred of boats do it every day on the Detroit, St Clair, and Niagara. Although the Canadian laws are different, they have always been enforced the same way the US laws are written and rarely was anyone ever challenged. Colchester is full of US boats every weekend too and never get bothered. Now the US boaters are very unsure whether to cross the line or not which really doesn't seem fair given that we are free to come and go.