do0odo0o

Hi everyone, me and a couple friends are planning a trans Canada trip from east to west. We will be flying to Portland, Maine and then biking up into Canada from there.

I have a question regarding crossing the Canadian border. I have a wet and reckless on my record from 6 years ago and I know Canada has pretty strict rules when it comes to getting into there country when you have driving convictions. I've already researched the internet and found that you can apply for rehabilitation. The problem is that would take to long as we are leaving in mid June.

I'm just wondering if anyone here has experienced crossing the border who has a dui/dwi/wet reckless. Basically, I'm just hoping they let me through. I don't know what else to do.

tmac100

Why not find the telephone number of the Canadian port of entry by using canada411.com and telephoning them.They are listed by the local town. If you get a toll free number that is not accessable via the USA, telephone the local Post Office (Canada Post) and ask them for the local Canada Customs telephone number - in small toiwns folks are happy to help "outsiders".....

Ask the superintendent/supervisor YOUR questions, after stating truthfully your situation. Get names as well as date and time of the conversation. They are obligated to give you the Canadian immigration response but it is based on the information presented by you.

Good luck with your efforts.

Chris_W

I assume that you're aware that most people do this trip in the opposite direction due to prevailing winds (which can be significant in the prairies).

tmac100

In my other life I always state: "Answer the questionasked, NOT your question!!"

The OP asked about crossing the border INTO Canada. I answered THAT question. Your statement is totally irrelevant to the initial issue raised in this thread.

Please re-read (for understanding) the OP's question. Just a comment, not a flame.

John Bailey

Living in Michigan, I've crossed the border hundreds of times and have never heard of that type of background keeping one from getting in Canada. In Michigan, and some other states, we can get an "enhanced drivers license" that makes the crossing easier. If you have a passport, you should use that. You'll probably have more trouble getting back into the states.

John

tmac100

Hi John,

At Emerson (Manitoba) one afternoon I saw 3 men with a couple of beaut trucks pulling really equipped boats. They were going fishing for catfish at Lockport, but were waiting to hear what would happen with a buddy who was stuck at the Canadian border post (Emerson, actually West Lynn) because of something in his past in Minnesota. Something to do with DUI a number of years ago when he was younger and foolish(er).

It turned out that one of the fellows went back and took the "buddy" back to Grand Forks, ND to catch a Greyhound back to the Twin Cities..

Canadian laws are not USA laws, and vice-versa. That is rule number 1.

I stand by my advice to telephone the Canada border crossing post and be honest. The Canadians will give you an answer. Govern yourself accordingly. I don't know about you, but I do not assume, because when crossing the border, I do not want any official to make an ass of ME ;-)

I do understand my rights as a Canadian coming into Canada, and have called the Canadians (the Customs and Immigration types) on several technicalities involviong imports and notices of detention when crossing into Canada. I refuse to be intimidated by Canadian bureaucrats....OTOH, I stand by the advice I gave earlier.

Thulsadoom

If the border cops find out about the conviction, they probably won't let you in. It used to be that if there happened to be a supervisor at your particular port of entry you could apply for some kind of special permit (and pay another $140 US) and they would let you in, but I wouldn't take the chance if I were you.

If you have a passport, they might let you in without running your background, but it's a gamble. I'd suggest making some calls and finding out as much as possible. Lots of people have been turned back at the border for this sort of thing.

P.S. The "prevailing winds" thing is not true. Surface winds can be blowing any direction at any time.

tmac100

I doubt that anyone here (myself included) is any sort of an expert in Canadian border crossing regulations.

Phone the border crossing port and ask them. The information given by well meaning contributors to this thread will NOT stand up to the scrutiny of the Canadian officials who are gatekeepers as to who comes into Canada. Unless you have a Canadian passport, no one has "right of abode", and can be turned away.

For the last time, do yourself a favour and ask the Canadians at the port you will cross at, but get their names and make a note of the date and time...

jdon

As stated above (several times) call and verify. I cross the border several times a week as a pilot and have never had a passenger turned away for a DUI. There are always extra questions and there may be extra requirements like a pardon. Call 1-888-CANPASS and ask them. There is no requirement for the officer to give their name (and they won't). They will give you a badge number if you ask so do keep that.

On the winds, yes, surface winds vary from winds aloft but they are called "prevailing" for a reason. This is why the trees are swept in one direction and runways are aligned in a certain direction. You stand a much better chance of pushing a headwind travelling East to West but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it.

do0odo0o

Thanks everybody. From the advice given it seems pretty logical to call the Canadians and ask them. Although, I have a feeling I will just get the same run down the Canadian websites have given me, which is to apply for rehabilitation. Of course, it doesn't hurt to ask.

To those who said to bring a passport. Passports are required now, a post 9/11 thing.

I was under the impression that a common question at the border is something like "do have any past criminal convictions." To which I'd respond.. "yeah...6 years ago when I was 18 and dumb I got a wet reckless." If I were to lie and they found out, apparently you can be banned from entering for years!

Anyways, I'm going to figure out which border we will probably cross and give them a call and see what they say.

Regarding the wind comment: Yeah, we know about the prevailing winds. It will probably be bad at times, its just how we planned it. We are from central california and are going to bike across Canada and then down the west coast of the U.S. until we reach home. We may even take a train when we reach the "middle of Canada" to skip the more desolate areas.

indyfabz

1. Definitely call and see what information you can get. I know a person who was turned away because of a DUI. And crossing in '99 I saw two kids turned away for the same thing after they, their car, their possession and their persons had been searched.

2. I believe American citizens and now required to have a passport to get back into the U.S.

3. More trouble getting back into the states? I have crossed into Canada 3 times on a bike, last year being the most recent time. And I have come back into the U.S. on a bike 3 times. Again, the most recent being last year. Crossing into Canada required me answering far more questions than crossing back into the U.S., and I have never been convicted of anything. Last year, we got the nth degree about our employment status despite clearly being on a fully-loaded bike trip. The guard even fired off a question in an obvious attempt to test our stories about being employed. She then asked the two of us what we did for a living. All this with a accusative tone. in '99, a guard in Niagara Falls rolled her eyes through the top of her skull when I asked for a passport stamp and then reluctantly gave it to me with a sneer. Coming back into the U.S. has always been a pleasant experience. The first time, the guard asked us if we were American citizens and how long we had been in Canada. We answered and he said "Welcome home." He never asked for ID. That was before 9/11, but even last year we simply showed the two friendly guards at Chief Mountain our passports, they scanned them and handed them back, and that was that, except for the friendly conversation about how expensive booze and food was in Canada compared to Montana.

4. Yes about "prevailing." They can vary, but in certain areas (e.g., the High Line in Montana) you are far more likely to have W to E winds.

JeanM

The normal way to inquire about it is to contact the Canadian embassy or consulate nearest you, no other way. There an immigration officer will answer your question in no uncertain terms and you can even ask for a written version of his answer to present to the border guards. If necessary, you'll be informed if a waiver (Minister's permit) is available to you in spite of being a bad, bad man that we'd never admit on our soil, being the persons of high virtue that we are, all of us.

arctos

Even in the pre-9/11 good old days crossing into Canada by bicycle or vehicle was a crap shoot. In the mid 1980's at the remote Trail Creek Crossing (now closed permanently-unfortunately) just West of Glacier NP, the obviously "fresh from crossing guard school" person demanded to see how much cash that I had with me. It had to be at least $100 per day he said. He could not grasp the concept of credit cards as an indication of solvency. My route was dirt roads heading North towards Alaska where self contained i rarely needed or would be able to spend money. All this after showing the guy my law enforcement badge from work. Fortunately there was a seasoned officer to appeal to and he just waived me through.

Similar incidents happened far too often at regular western Montana and idaho crossings even when driving my camper van loaded with kayaks and bikes for trips to Alaska after I retired using the van as a base camp. Several times the agent just seemed bored and wanted to look around the van inside to ask about how a folding kayak worked or how I liked my roof vent! In each of these incidents I did politely but firmly state that I do not have to spend my retirement tourist dollars in Canada- there are other choices. These petty tyrants with a little power acting ineffectively and inappropriately under the color of authority were helping me decide if I want to do this again.

I did not return for five years and when I did so for a mere day bike ride across from Eastport, Idaho toward Kimberley BC, the behavior by agents was even worse than in the past. I wrote about it in the Selkirk Loop thread recently. It really is rather sad as I have lots of Canadian friends that I would like to visit but these unnecessary hassles provide little incentive to return across the Canadian border anytime soon.

Yan 

The two times Ive crossed the border by bike, the agents barely spent time looking at my passport. I'm a Canadian citizen. I crossed at Lewiston and cape Vincent, NY.