Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
Canada	Attention all Shoppers	QUOTE (Krikit @ Sep 24 2007, 04:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Sep 24 2007, 05:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> How long has this discount been around for? My fiancee was here in the U.S. last month and we did shop briefly in Macy's, so we could've used this. I found out about it a couple of years ago. Not sure when it started though. Misa, I think you take your passport to customer service but I'll find out for sure. Maybe Kez or G&A will stop back in to answer, though. A couple of years ago? That's how long it's been around? Wow. That just goes to show you how often I go shopping in a department store. I hate to reinforce the "male stereotype of shopping," but my idea of going to the mall is heading to EB Games or The Sharper Image. It doesn't really matter, though. As it turns out, my fiancee told me that we bought stuff at JC Penny since they had what she was looking for and at better overall prices. I didn't even know we bought stuff at JC Penny! When did this happen?! I have some vague memory of shopping for clothing, but otherwise, it's all fuzzy. According to my fiancee, we actually looked in JC Penny, Macy's, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and a whole slew of smaller stores as well. What's really funny -- besides the fact that I don't seem to fully remember any of this -- is that even though this was the second time she had ever been to the Houston Galleria (which is a huge shopping mall; one of the largest in the entire U.S.), she knew her entire way around the place! I get lost every single time I go in there and this is my home city! I've been here my entire life, so I've definitely been to this mall more than twice! Just for the record, my fiancee is not a "shopping fanatic" nor does she ever spend "tons of money." However, I suppose none of that changes the fact that she has far more experience in the areas of "shopping and mall navigation." I suppose it's better than both of us getting lost; then we'd never find our way around when shopping! Edited by DeadPoolX, 30 September 2007 - 04:08 AM.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-09-30 04:07:00
Canada	Attention all Shoppers	How long has this discount been around for? My fiancee was here in the U.S. last month and we did shop briefly in Macy's, so we could've used this.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-09-24 16:15:00
Canada	Fall COlours have started!	I would suppose it would depend which part of Alberta is "gray and depressing and ugly" during the Fall. I can't imagine that all areas are affected the same way. Take my home state of Texas, for instance. Many people (both in and out of the U.S.) think it's "all the same." It's nothing of the sort. Probably the two most famous cities in Texas would be Houston and Dallas and they couldn't be more different. Houston is right by the Gulf Coast, happens to be very warm and humid (even during winter) and rarely sees ice or snow. Contrast this weather with Dallas, which has far less humidity, but regularly snows in the winter and can easily have blizzards. How far apart are these two cities? About a four hour drive. That's it. Yet the weather patterns -- just like how seasons are experienced -- in them can be quite different. So I'd naturally assume that Alberta isn't all "the same."	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-10-03 18:19:00
Canada	Driver's License	QUOTE (thetreble @ Oct 4 2007, 01:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Oct 4 2007, 12:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Well... What happens in New Jersey (or a part of NJ) may not occur somewhere else. I know the traffic system in Houston, TX is very advanced. It has to be, considering the vast amount of drivers. Houston is the fourth largest city in the United States, therefore, if there wasn't at least a fairly advanced traffic system, things might get a little messy. So while it may be accurate to say whatever parts of New Jersey you're in aren't as advanced as where you're from in Canada, it's inaccurate to say that Canada, as a whole, is more advanced than the United States. See the difference? Taxes may have something to do it, I'm not sure. But then again, so might city or town size. The larger the city or town, the more taxes can be collected. That makes sense, since tax revenue is generated by people and if there are less people, there is less tax income; more people, more tax income. Sure, some areas have pre-programmed traffic lights. It's probably easiest that way and maybe the most cost efficient. But most places I've encountered use magnetic plates under the ground to trigger the lights. Many people assume these plates are actually pressure sensitive, but they're not -- as I said, they're magnetic and they're "set off" by the vehicles magnetic metal content. This usually works, except when someone is riding a motorcycle (although it can still work in this instance, it just depends how sensitive the magnetics are) or doing something rather foolish, such as riding a bicycle. Magnetic plates are almost always backed up by pre-programmed lights, in case the magnetic plates should become inoperational, this way drivers still have a way to use the traffic lights, even if that way is less than perfect. I don't want to toot my own horn and it wasn't my intention to mean "A is better than B". Of course things are different everywhere. But I have had the experience and have been to conferences with lots of traffic engineers from different areas of the US. They often are paying for our technology. I know a guy who crated a traffic database system and has been selling it in the US for a few years now. I have been to more than one state, and in the US unless you live in a large city,(like houston) the town/county is in charge of the lights and pedestrian signals. They don't employ anyone because they either think it's not necessary or it's another salary they don't want to pay someone. And the magnetic plates under the ground are referred to as "loops". Loops are extremely expensive to put in and because roads in Canada are newer and being built all the time, they are easier to put in then in places in the US where the roads have been around for a very long time. The cost is extremely high. If you are having someone in an office control traffic data, at the actual intersection there are radio/satellite signals that interact with the people back at the office as well as with other mini computers often stuck into electrical posts at intersections. I think you misread what I was trying to say. I was merely making a remark that it is a bit annoying and it is of my opinion that many places in the US, other than MAJOR cities (which in many states, they only have a couple major cities) don't have the technology or aren't willing to pay for it because they don't have the money/don't want to. Where I come from in Ontario, even if you live out in the middle of nowhere, someone is controlling your traffic light. I understand what you're saying and you're probably right. However, there's something else to take into account. The U.S. has far more people than Canada does and most likely, many more cities and towns as well. Therefore, it's probably easier (and more feasible, as far as cost is concerned) to operate in the manner you described within Canada. I'm sure cost is the overall factor here and with more people and more cities and towns, the cost would be much greater in the U.S. than in Canada. So with the exception of major cities (which have the overall population and tax revenue to warrant it), I'll bet the states feel it's just not necessary. That doesn't mean they are "right" in this instance, but most organizations (whether they are private or public) are always trying to "save a buck." Another good example would Customs & Immigrations officials in airports. Canada has pre-clearance for the United States with U.S. Customs & Immigration inside Canadian airports. The U.S. has no such thing for Canadian Customs & Immigration. Why? Because there are far fewer Canadian airports with airlines that fly to the United States versus U.S. airports with airlines that fly to Canada. It's easier and less costly for Canada to set it up in Canadian airports, whereas it'd be too costly for the U.S. to set up something similar in American airports.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-10-04 13:54:00
Canada	Driver's License	QUOTE (SonoranSongbird @ Oct 4 2007, 11:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Oct 3 2007, 06:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I believe it varies from state to state (just like how some states allow you to make a right turn on a red light and others don't, although even in states that allow it, it can be revoked at certain intersections for numerous reasons). Are there any states that don't allow you to turn right on red now? (There is a line in Annie Hall where Woody Allen's character says that the only cultural advantage of California over New York is that it allows you to turn right on red, but of course that's out of date now.) In Washington State, you can go left on red, but only if it is either from a one-way street or to a one-way street. Since I can never remember which it is, I only turn left on red if I'm going from a one-way street to another one-way street. How well designed traffic systems are varies from city to city in both countries and the road rules and signs probably vary more by state or province than they do between Canada as a whole and the US as a whole. To be honest, I don't really know. Every state I've been to has allowed drivers to normally make a right-hand turn on a red light; however, that doesn't mean there may not be one or two states that still disallow it. I do know that even if the state allows the driver to make a right-hand turn on a red light, you can't always do it because it won't be allowed on some streets. This is usually do to high amounts of pedestrian traffic (i.e. busy outdoor shopping centers or around universities). I suppose they figure if there's a lot of people walking back and forth in the general area, they don't want drivers squashing them. It's a little annoying, but I can understand it. I don't really want pedestrian stuck all over my grill either. That's difficult to wash off.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-10-04 12:23:00
Canada	Driver's License	QUOTE (thetreble @ Oct 3 2007, 09:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I worked in the Canadian local government in the department of transportation...and more specifically, traffic systems. (ie. signals, pedestrian signals) Here in NJ, so many things drive me nuts. Where I come from is so much more advanced than what the actual traffic systems are here in the US. I think it has to do with money (ie. we pay lots of taxes in Canada to be able to afford great traffic engineering) and how the roads/systems are managed here. In canada, your region or city manages x-number of traffic lights. But here in NJ, it's so complicated because the towns are so small therefore, sometimes I wait 3 or 4 minutes at a light at 1am because the lights are pre-programmed. (ie. there is a box on one of the electrical posts in the intersection that has been pre-programmed to turn red, yellow and green after so many seconds) In canada, we pay traffic engineers to study live data and change the timing of lights according to traffic back ups, road closures, etc. My dad is also a traffic engineer in the niagara area of ontario. I don't know. I guess when it comes to traffic I have had quite the up bringing so, so many things just...flabbergast me! Well... What happens in New Jersey (or a part of NJ) may not occur somewhere else. I know the traffic system in Houston, TX is very advanced. It has to be, considering the vast amount of drivers. Houston is the fourth largest city in the United States, therefore, if there wasn't at least a fairly advanced traffic system, things might get a little messy. So while it may be accurate to say whatever parts of New Jersey you're in aren't as advanced as where you're from in Canada, it's inaccurate to say that Canada, as a whole, is more advanced than the United States. See the difference? Taxes may have something to do it, I'm not sure. But then again, so might city or town size. The larger the city or town, the more taxes can be collected. That makes sense, since tax revenue is generated by people and if there are less people, there is less tax income; more people, more tax income. Sure, some areas have pre-programmed traffic lights. It's probably easiest that way and maybe the most cost efficient. But most places I've encountered use magnetic plates under the ground to trigger the lights. Many people assume these plates are actually pressure sensitive, but they're not -- as I said, they're magnetic and they're "set off" by the vehicles magnetic metal content. This usually works, except when someone is riding a motorcycle (although it can still work in this instance, it just depends how sensitive the magnetics are) or doing something rather foolish, such as riding a bicycle. Magnetic plates are almost always backed up by pre-programmed lights, in case the magnetic plates should become inoperational, this way drivers still have a way to use the traffic lights, even if that way is less than perfect.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-10-04 11:36:00
Canada	Driver's License	QUOTE (Emancipation @ Oct 3 2007, 11:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Oct 3 2007, 12:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> A flashing green advance arrow at intersections? What the heck does that mean? I don't think I've ever seen something like that in the U.S., so I'm guessing it's a Canadian thing. I haven't driven in Canada yet, mostly because my fiancee lives in the heart of downtown within her city and feels she has no real need of a vehicle for most things. tee hee.. See!!!! I'll have to tell my hubby.. he's convinced it's silly to have a flashing green light.. btw.. it tells the driver that the lane has the right of way.. (an advance light).. Usually found in a left turning lane Oh, I see. I understand now. We do have something like that in the United States, but I believe it varies from state to state (just like how some states allow you to make a right turn on a red light and others don't, although even in states that allow it, it can be revoked at certain intersections for numerous reasons). Basically, in the U.S. (or at least in Texas), we can have a "solid non-flashing green arrow" in left turn lanes, which tells the driver that it's a protected left turn. Sometimes this can get a little confusing though, as the regular light that accompanies the "solid green arrow" can either be "green" or "red" but it essentially means the same thing -- the drivers in the left lane are allowed to proceed and make a left turn without fear of oncoming traffic. Without the "solid green arrow," drivers can still make a left turn (so long as the regular light is "green" and not "yellow" or "red"), but they won't have a protected lane and will have to watch out for other drivers. It sounds more complicated than it is, really. Of course, some people have issues with it (I'm sure there are those who have problems doing just about anything...), but for the most part, it works well. I'd still rather drive on the freeway, though. It's safer (less traffic from all directions to deal with and no pedestrians) and you can drive much faster!	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-10-03 18:07:00
Canada	Driver's License	QUOTE (Emancipation @ Oct 3 2007, 11:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> My husband always laughs when he goes to Canada and sees the flashing green advance arrow at an intersection.. for some reason he thinks it's rediculous to have a flashing light! A flashing green advance arrow at intersections? What the heck does that mean? I don't think I've ever seen something like that in the U.S., so I'm guessing it's a Canadian thing. I haven't driven in Canada yet, mostly because my fiancee lives in the heart of downtown within her city and feels she has no real need of a vehicle for most things. I have trouble understanding that. I know people can get by without a car (especially if they live downtown, such as in New York), but to me... lacking the overall ability to "go where you want, when you want" would be absolutely terrible. It'd practically feel like being 12 again, where I'd have to rely on others for transportation. No way I'd do that again!	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-10-03 11:52:00
Canada	Almost denied entry this past weekend	QUOTE (TrueNorth @ Oct 4 2007, 02:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Oct 3 2007, 03:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I honestly think that, if at all possible, both the American and the Canadian in the relationship should become dual-citizens. Sure, it's a hassle -- it takes extra time and money, but when all is said and done, you never have to go through U.S./Canadian Customs again as a potential "immigration risk" and have your vacation ruined because some officer had a bad day. I don't think it is that easy to become a citizen of Canada. I'd have to apply for and get permanent residence which would take 9 - 18 months and cost over $1K and also stay in Canada I believe it's 3 out of 5 years or something like that. Getting the citizenship just isn't easy. Everyone in America always says to me, "They have universal health care in Canada!," too. It's like they're watching Michael Moore's movies too much. They think I can prace up here and get health care when that's NOT the case. I'm not even qualified to get it because I'm married to a Canadian citizen. They don't just hand you health care. From what I've read and heard, the process to become a Canadian permanent resident and citizen is less complex than to become an American permanent resident and citizen. None of the immigration processes are "easy," but the United States makes it unnecessarily difficult. 1. For instance, in the case of Family Sponsorship in Canada, the sponsored person may reside within Canada while being sponsored. You can't do that while applying with the U.S., even with the K1 Visa! Sure, with the K1 you and your fiancee can be together during some of the process, but in Canada, you and your partner can be together during all of it. 2. There are no financial requirements that need to be met if the person requiring sponsorship is the "spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner, or dependent child" of the Canadian sponsor. Try making that case with U.S. immigration and they'll laugh at you! 3. While waiting for their Canadian Immigration Visas, sponsored persons are allowed to work and/or study in Canada after their Sponsorship Application has been approved by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Contrast this rule with the myriad regulations applied to the various U.S. visas, none of which allow a sponsored person to work and/or study as soon as the Canadian counterpart. Some U.S. visas go so far as to disallow legal employment for months at a time. 4. On average, the wait time for a Family Sponsorship to process (in relation to a U.S. spouse) is around six months, not "9 - 18 months." Of course, it is good to remember that the number given is an average and some people wait longer and some people wait less. Overall though, the usual wait time is around six months. Canada also changes the speed of their processing depending on where the sponsored person is -- if he or she is within Canada (with the sponsor), then then Canadian Immigration services tend to take their time. They figure the couple is already living together, so there's no rush. If, however, the two are living apart in separate countries, the process is sped up so they can be reunited. The U.S. does nothing of the sort, since it's become apparent the U.S. government couldn't care less and in some circles, would actually love to prevent Americans from marrying those who aren't Americans. 5. As long as a Permanent Resident remains with his or her spouse, he or she is considered "residing within Canada" even if he or she (and his or her spouse) is outside the country. There's no such provision like this on the U.S. side, so it doesn't matter who the U.S. PR is with if they're outside of the United States. To the U.S. government, they're still counted as "outside America." 6. Canada extends Family Sponsorship to same-sex couples, because the country recognizes those marriages as legal and legitimate. The U.S., on the other hand, does not recognize this on a national level. Only one state (Massachusetts) acknowledges right of same-sex couples to marry and then only a handful of other states permit same-sex civil unions (California, Hawaii, Connecticut, Maine, New Jersey, Vermont, Washington state, Washington DC, and New Hampshire and Oregon, both of which will begin allowing these procedures on January 1, 2008) to occur. For many people, this isn't really an issue, but it's just another sign of how restrictive the entire process is on the America side.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-10-04 16:15:00
Canada	Almost denied entry this past weekend	You can never be too prepared, that's the truth. It's amazing how little our families (on both sides) seem to understand this fact. Both Americans and Canadians who never have to go through this grueling process seem to think it's a "no brainer" and all you have to do is "walk on through." If you say it's any tougher than that, they claim you're "making things more difficult than they need to be." No, we're not -- customs is is! I always worry whenever my fiancee has to go through U.S. Customs. But to be perfectly fair, Canadian Customs is not picnic either. I've dealt with some really difficult (and overly paranoid) customs officers on the Canadian side. Because of this, I bring every little bit of evidence proving my ties to the United States. It works both ways. I honestly think that, if at all possible, both the American and the Canadian in the relationship should become dual-citizens. Sure, it's a hassle -- it takes extra time and money, but when all is said and done, you never have to go through U.S./Canadian Customs again as a potential "immigration risk" and have your vacation ruined because some officer had a bad day.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-10-03 17:57:00
Canada	Where to go for the immigrating to Canada	If you're thinking about immigrating to Canada, then I'd recommend these three sites: Citizenship and Immigration Canada (The official Canadian citizenship & immigration site) CanadaVisa.com - Canada Immigration Lawyers (Canadian immigration & visa advice from Canadian attorneys) Road to Canada (The Canadian version of VisaJourney) Hopefully, that should help some.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-10-04 12:16:00
Canada	Prepaid Debit Cards or Gift Cards in Canada	QUOTE (cartoboy123 @ Oct 9 2007, 07:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Just a thought...but what about a debit card from YOUR bank in the US? Would that not work in Canada? I mean...if you were visiting Canada you would use it wouldn't you? Could you get one for her? Carla Holy #######! I'm a moron! I don't usually say things like that lightly (especially about myself; I tend to like myself!), but that is a terrific idea! My Gold Debit Card from Washington Mutual not only works in Canada and the United States (obviously), but supposedly in any other country without charging additional fees if you withdraw cash from a non-Washington Mutual ATM machine. I've used it within the U.S. and Canada and I've never been charged an extra cent for withdrawing cash out of ATM's that didn't belong to WAMU. I bet I could get one for her too. That is a great idea. QUOTE (misa @ Oct 9 2007, 09:06 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Ditto about the sounding harsh bit! Hey DeadPool, are you trying to surprise her with the gift of cash or are you just sending her money? If it's money and it's going to be on a regular basis, you might want to look into electronic money transfers from your account to hers using Custom House. Carla (cartoboy) had a good idea though about getting her an ATM card from your bank. If you don't want to give her access to the entire account you could always set up another account, send her the card and keep shoving money in there when you need to. This might be the easiest way to go about things. If it's a chequing account "check card" she could use it either as a debit card or wherever they take credit cards. Neither you nor Trailmix sounded "harsh" to me, Misa. I know I can't speak for all Americans, but in general, I think can easily say that we tend to use a little less "tact" here in the U.S. when speaking to each other. In other words, I'm used to it. Now then... to the subject at hand: I was looking to surprise her with a gift card or a debit card because this way I wouldn't need to know her checking account number. If I had to ask for that, not only would she know what I'd be doing, but she'd more than likely refuse. It's not that she wouldn't trust me, it's merely that she wouldn't want me sending her money. However, the Custom House idea is still a good one. One of us might need to use that at some point in the future, so it might be smart to set something up ahead of time. As I wrote before, Carla's idea is great. I'm sure I could do that (just by opening up a new checking account at WAMU, I'd automatically get a new debit card, so I could theoretically take care of both actions together at once!) and solve my entire problem. I can't believe I didn't think of this one myself. Oh well. As a saying I once saw scribbled inside a fortune cookie goes, "Sometimes the easiest solution is right in front of you. Now tip the waiter." So... thanks!	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-10-10 01:01:00
Canada	Prepaid Debit Cards or Gift Cards in Canada	Okay, well... it seems I was incorrect! Good. I don't usually like being proven wrong, but in this case, I'll make an exception. It's good to know that things aren't like the way I originally thought they were.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-10-09 00:15:00
Canada	Prepaid Debit Cards or Gift Cards in Canada	QUOTE (misa @ Oct 8 2007, 01:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I think there's not a lot of options for pre-paid debit cards in Canada because anyone can open up a bank account (savings or chequing) regardless of credit rating. Looking at the options for credit cards, I didn't find that to be true. It seems if you've never held a Canadian bank account or Canadian credit card, they want to stick you with something ludicrous, such as a "secured" credit card. Why would I want to go with a card that has a ridiculously low limit and an annual fee? A few other things I've noticed that seem to bother me: 1. From what I've been told, tt looks like you can only get credit cards from the bank you hold a savings or checking account with at the time. That's nuts. In the U.S., you can get a credit card from any bank at any time from anywhere. It doesn't matter if you hold a savings or checking account with them. For instance, my savings and checking accounts are with Washington Mutual. Do I have a WAMU card? No. I have cards from Capital One, CitiBank, and Bank of America. That's the way to do it! Freedom of choice! 2. I've been looking around at Canadian credit cards and it seems that just about every single one has an annual fee. What's up with that? It's extremely rare to find an American credit card with an annual fee. None of mine have one and I don't know anyone who does own a card with an annual fee. Most people stay away from those cards like the plague. As far as I can tell, I might as well just keep using my American credit cards. Better choices and options with much higher credit limits.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-10-08 15:28:00
Canada	Prepaid Debit Cards or Gift Cards in Canada	Thanks! I also found something on the Mastercard website as well. It seems there aren't a whole lot of options in Canada. Maybe it's due to the population size being decidely smaller.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-10-08 12:28:00
Canada	Prepaid Debit Cards or Gift Cards in Canada	I'm at the end of my rope here. Seriously. I feel like I'm about ready to do some major damage, but because that'd probably end badly, with the police (and possibly the national guard) getting called out, I've decided to come here and ask for assistance. Here's my problem: I'd like to get my fiancee either a prepaid debit card or a gift card. Seems easy enough, right? Oh, how I wish that were true. I've been going absolutely crazy trying to figure out someplace in Canada where I could make this happen. Neither seem to exist. Google is worthless! All I'm able to find are prepaid debit/gift cards that are useful in the United States. I realize that, theoretically, any prepaid debit card from the U.S. should work in Canada. I've used one before and it worked just fine. However, my father gave my fiancee and me two prepaid American debit cards and while mine works just fine for me, my fiancee's card will only function properly for on-line purchases. She cannot buy anything in stores with it (funds are loaded onto it) and she has tried it numerous times in different places. So I'd rather not get her a prepaid debit card from the U.S., since none of the websites offering them seem to mention whether or not their card will work correctly outside of the country. As far as gift cards go, it only makes sense to get one for a store that's available to her. I'm sure you're all well aware that there are plenty of stores that only exist in one country or the other. Unfortunately, it seems that 99.9% of gift cards are made available solely for American stores , and the stores in Canada that do have gift cards want the purchaser to pick the card up in-person from the store. That doesn't really work for me. For the record, I am looking at brick-and-mortar stores; not Internet vendors, such as Amazon.ca or whatever. I realize I could get a gift certificate from there sent to her e-mail address, but Amazon.ca is fairly limited. Besides, according to her, what she really needs is more clothing, so Amazon.ca probably isn't the best choice (neither is Future Shop or Chapters, since she's not in the market for anything either of those stores are offering) because she'd need to try the clothing on before buying it. I really don't think I'm asking that much. I'd just like to be able to get a prepaid debit card (I'd prefer this option, since it'd allow for greater purchasing flexibility) or gift card for my fiancee by ordering it on-line and having it sent to her apartment. This should be a simple and painless procedure! Instead, it's rapidly turning into a nightmare! As I wrote earlier in this thread, I am really stuck. I'd appreciate any and all help. Thanks ahead of time.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-10-07 16:26:00
Canada	Anyone with experience contacting state Senators?	QUOTE (Stacey33 @ Oct 9 2007, 01:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I tried emailing Senator David Vitter when I was still in Canada. I got no response. Now I know he was too busy screwing hookers. Everyone needs a hobby, I suppose...	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-10-10 09:34:00
Canada	Everything is falling apart completely. I need help, please.	QUOTE (Reba @ Oct 10 2007, 06:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I haven't read the entire thread, so excuse if this has been mentioned already but I have to get to work. You can start the Canadian immigration part without getting married. Canada allows conjugal partner sponsorship, you don't have to be married for him to sponsor you and for you to apply for a visa or residency. Check with these folks, they may have some answers for you http://www.canadavisa.com/ The only problem with that is I don't believe Canadian Immigration will really allow or permit Conjugal Partner sponsorship for heterosexual couples. I know I'm paraphrasing here, but I tend to recall Zyggy stating that he once warned a heterosexual couple against doing such a thing (they didn't listen to him) and Canada turned the couple down. I realize there could be numerous reasons for rejecting sponsorship, so the fact that a couple is heterosexual or homosexual may or may not have anything to do with it. However, Zyggy might know a little more than most of us about this sort of thing. Once again, I'm not sure of all the details, but I do remember him saying something to that effect. I'd definitely learn a little more about it before "putting all of my eggs" into Conjugal Partner sponsorship (or any other sponsorship position, for that matter). Edited by DeadPoolX, 10 October 2007 - 09:31 AM.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-10-10 09:31:00
Canada	Very hard question	Things we can't account for happen all the time. Emergencies and unusual occurrences of all types. After all, have you ever heard of anyone say to their friends or family, "Tomorrow, I need to go to the grocery store, but on the way, I plan to get into a three-car collision first." Accidents, unfortunately, do happen. You're doing the best you can and it's your life; not your mother's or your father's or your brother's. This road (immigration) is a very difficult one, without family making it any tougher. You should try to explain to her that, if at all possible, you would come back if it was an emergency or even just to visit; however, once in the U.S., you will not do anything to jeopardize your case. Hopefully she won't take that too hard, but the fact remains that most people (family included) don't truly understand how tough it is being apart from your significant other and the hardships we go through in order to legally immigrate. To ask us to "drop everything and start over" is a bit unfair, regardless of the circumstance. Bottom line? You need to hold your ground. The path we've all chosen includes many sacrifices, and that includes moving, giving up jobs, potentially losing friends, and even making family angry with us. We do it all to be with those we love. The payoff, in the end, is worth it -- especially since family (if they truly care about you) will "cool off" and eventually understand.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-10-12 16:12:00
Canada	Unusual Question	QUOTE (cartoboy123 @ Oct 12 2007, 06:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> You wouldn't have to worry about this if you were in Saskatchewan. They don't allow strip clubs, or strippers. Carla Wow. You're kidding, right? I mean... if someone doesn't like them or doesn't want to go, then that's fine. Don't go; it's their choice, after all. But to enforce that on everyone? Seems a little unfair to me.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-10-12 19:20:00
Canada	Unusual Question	Okay... is everyone happy now? Everything good? Great! Alright then, now it's time for... EVERYONE TO STRIP!! Sorry. That had to be done.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-10-12 09:07:00
Canada	Unusual Question	QUOTE (~Laura and Nick~ @ Oct 11 2007, 07:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I must reply again but I am upset by this. Here I was simply answering a question that the OP asked and I get accused of being in a profession that I find personally insulting. I'm sure the comment was meant in jest but if the OP viewed it another way...that makes it worse because others may view me that way as well, which was not my intent, I was simply answering the question. Why I should care what you think, I don't know...but it hurts me to think I have been judged for doing nothing wrong and being thought of as something that I am not. That is all. Have a good night. Laura, I think the comment made to you was intended to be a joke. It obviously fell flat. Many jokes end up doing this online, since we lack facial expression, body gestures and above all, vocal tone. Without any of that to indicate how the words are meant, the message can be interpreted as something much different from what was originally intended. I've been on the giving and receiving end of this phenomenon before. It's one of the major problems with online communication. Maybe in the future, the Internet will get to the point where we can all use voice-chat in real time (although I think that might get a bit overwhelming) or something similar. Maybe some sort of video conferencing. Whatever the case, I doubt the message was meant as an insult or an accusation, since no one here knows you well enough to make a definitive statement about you one way or the other. Since this thread was opened up by me, and you've obviously felt wronged and insulted within it, I'd like to apologize to you. I know I was not the sender of that particular message; however, if this thread didn't exist, neither would that message.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-10-11 20:04:00
Canada	Unusual Question	QUOTE (Allie @ Oct 11 2007, 07:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I don't know about here in the U.S but in Canada the G-strings come of without putting loonies in em Well, I can't speak for ALL of the United States, but in Texas, there are two types of strip clubs -- completely nude and where the women wear g-strings. Why the difference? Well, in the strip clubs where the women are completely naked, the clubs are 18+, so they aren't allowed to serve alcohol. In the strip clubs that where the women wear g-strings, the clubs are 21+, so they do serve alcohol (and more often than not, they also have a menu and sometimes even a buffet too). Yeah, I know... that's pretty weird. But that's how it is. Edited by DeadPoolX, 11 October 2007 - 07:39 PM.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-10-11 19:38:00
Canada	Unusual Question	QUOTE (~Laura and Nick~ @ Oct 11 2007, 07:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (IR5FORMUMSIE @ Oct 11 2007, 08:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (~Laura and Nick~ @ Oct 11 2007, 08:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I've never been to a strip club myself! So I suppose you wear a frilly g-string, six-inch stilettos and a sequined brassiere for medical reasons. If a female stripper straddles a gynecologist to get a loonie from his mouth can he claim it on his income tax as a business expense? ??? Pardon? Yeah, I was wondering about that. Excuse me for saying so, but that statement seemed a little too personal.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-10-11 19:33:00
Canada	Unusual Question	QUOTE (IR5FORMUMSIE @ Oct 11 2007, 07:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> If you put enough dollars coins in her g-string it might just fall down. *genuflecting like crazy and trying hard not to think impure thoughts* Seriously though, $1? C'mon now, the minimum is at least $5. Not that I would know anything about it. Well, I remember the normal amount being $1 for the women dancing on stage; lap dances were more expensive, obviously. But who knows? The price could've gone up over the years (everything else has), so maybe it is $5 now. That just goes to show how long it's been since I was last at a strip club!	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-10-11 19:14:00
Canada	Unusual Question	Okay, well... I warned you, so don't blame me if you (or anyone else) finds this question inappropriate or whatever. I was wondering what men (or women, I suppose) do in Canada at a strip club when it comes to tips. I realize the basic premise is the same as in the United States, but when a stripper is dancing on stage (and I'll use female strippers as the example, since they're more common and they're the only type I've seen), men will go up to her and put $1 bills in her panties or she'll use... um... her various "talents" to grab the dollar. Now I'm asking this because in Canada, there is no such thing as a $1 paper bill. You have a $1 coin. So what do guys do? Toss Loonies at her? I can't imagine that'd end well. Sure, it might be somewhat amusing to see a stripper have to dodge an assault of coinage, but in the end, she might get whacked in the head, or worse yet, accidentally slip on a coin and fall. Since a lot of strippers wear those ridiculously high-heeled shoes, I can't see her balance being all that great to begin with. Just for the record, I have absolutely no plans of attending any strip clubs, either in Canada or the United States. The last time I was at a strip club was actually before I ever met my fiancee. I tend to find them somewhat boring and something of a tease. Besides, the last few I went to, it looked like some of the ladies were a bit drugged out. I don't really blame them (not that I'm endorsing drug use), but if I were a woman and I was dancing and showing off my naked body for strange men, day in and day out, I'd probably want to be "numb" too. Anyway... this thought just popped into my head. Maybe someone here knows the answer?	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-10-11 19:00:00
Canada	Online Conversion	QUOTE (misa @ Oct 17 2007, 10:07 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I've been using that site ever since I met my husband since he doesn't know celcius and I don't know fahrenheit! I use it for other measurements too like gallons and ounces, etc. For weather, I go to http://www.weather.com/ and you can view the temperatures in "English" or metric. Canada is a little funny though as it's not purely metric (can't remember when things were switched over). It's a mishmash of imperial and metric but most items in Canada (food, paper, etc.) have both measurements on it. I know my weight in pounds, but I don't know it in kilograms. I'm more familiar with inches than I am with centimetres. I know celcius, but I don't know fahrenheit, etc. I know exactly what you mean. My fiancee does everything in Metric except her height and weight. It's the same with her sister and brother-in-law too. My fiancee's parents, on the other hand, tend to think in Imperial measurements. Her father, for instance, will use feet, yards, inches, etc. He knows Metric, but I think he prefers the "old way" of doing things. Not that I mind. It's nice that someone understands me when I say something like, "Yeah, that place was 40 miles away." He'll know exactly what I mean, whereas my fiancee will a vague idea, but won't really understand it unless I convert it into kilometers. I usually do that for her anyway. I've learned the whole MPH to KM/H thing, just by looking at my car's speedometer. Naturally, I still know MPH much, much better, but I can gauge KM/H fairly well now too.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-10-17 11:02:00
Canada	Online Conversion	I've been using a website called ONLINE CONVERSION for some time now (I first found it while taking a physics class) and as far converting units of measurement go, it's really cool! To make a long story short, you can convert any unit of measurement that exists into a different one. For most people, this feature probably won't be all that helpful. However, for us, it might prove useful. After all, one member in our relationship is a U.S. citizen and one is a Canadian citizen -- that means one of us is used to using the Imperial system of measurement and the other, the Metric system of measurement. These are quite different and it can be somewhat confusing when you have to go back and forth between the two. So if you can convert miles to kilometers or Fahrenheit to Celsius (or whatever) in a move as easy as pushing a button or two, why not? It's a lot simpler than doing it all in your head! I'd recommend that too, but if you're online, you might as well take advantage of the resources the Internet offers us. I hope this helps anyone who's been have difficulty with the two systems.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-10-16 20:12:00
Canada	Passport Valid for 6 or 12 months?	Okay, from what I've read before here on VJ -- and just looked up on Passport Canada's website, in order to be sure -- is that your guarantor can be a citizen of Canada OR the United States, so long as you're a Canadian citizen living within the United States. The same rules apply to American guarantors as they do to Canadian ones (medical doctors, dentists, attorneys, police officer, etc.), and they must sign the necessary documentation and photos. Your guarantor CANNOT be retired; however he or she CAN be a relative. I have a feeling, however, if you had a relative who could act as a guarantor, none of this would be an issue. Anyway, that's the scoop on guarantors within the U.S. for Canadians. Here's the link on guarantors at Passport Canada as well. I hope some of this has helped.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2006-10-30 10:53:00
Canada	Flying from USA to Canada, Have passports as of Jan 2007	I disagree. 'People who can afford to travel' doesn't include a lot of the driving traffic. Lots of Americans take vacations by driving, and that's relatively inexpensive, and that's quite a lot of the middle class with kids. I can see people deciding not to drive to Niagara Falls in favor of somewhere else due to the passport cost. It's not an annual cost, but if it's an extra cost on a leisure activity, that's a cost many people who *do* travel I think will not want to incur. I don't know how close to the edge most tourist industries live, but it might not take much (a 5% reduction?) to cause problems in the short term. For people who wish to travel by land or sea, there's the newly proposed Passport Travel Card in the works. It doesn't do a lick of good for those of us who want (or need) to travel by air, but those people or families who are traveling by car or taking a cruise, it's a much cheaper alternative to getting a full-fledged passport. I've already got a passport and mine won't be up until 2015, so I'm pretty much set. My fiancee, on the other hand, has been having a hell of a time getting her passport in Canada. I think the Canadian government makes it far too difficult and expensive to get a passport that's only good for five years. In the U.S., passports are much easier to acquire (no guarantor or references needed, for instance) and it's good for a time period of ten years. The only downside is that the U.S. Passport Office takes about six weeks to mail your passport back to you, and they suggest you apply at least three months before your trip, as opposed to the supposed 10 day turn-around on Canadian passports.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2006-11-02 08:55:00
Canada	Cool new things you have found in the US	Are you knocking without trying? DeadpoolX agrees with me on the idea. If you think about it, it really isn't much different from french fries. French fries, potato chips -- it's all potato products. We dip french fries into ketchup, so why not potato chips? You know what also tastes good? Using BBQ sauce. Okay, maybe that's just plain weird, but I'm a Texan.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2006-11-01 14:48:00
Canada	Cool new things you have found in the US	I'm actually somewhat embarrassed to admit that I've done that...I've taken plain, ordinary potato chips and used ketchup with them. It tastes pretty good too. I don't think I've ever heard of Herr's. I don't buy potato chips much. When I do get something salty and crunchy, it's usually tortilla chips and salsa. What is it with this particular forum and food? Now I'm hungry and I don't have anything in my apartment!	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2006-10-31 15:29:00
Canada	This is funny	I bet you are not invited to a lot of parties Actually, I'm invited to quite a few parties; I don't always go though... Actually, Gideon Sundback was living in the Niagara peninsula - St. Catharines, Ontario , when he invented the zipper as a means to closing ladies boots. It was not called a zipper originally but a lightening fastener. Well...upon further research, I found an issue with that and my previous statement. I've discovered sources that state two completely opposite things. While both sources claim Gideon Sundback was Swedish-born, one source says he had immigrated to the United States and invented the zipper in Meadville, Pennsylvania; the other source proclaims that Sunback immigrated to Canada and invented the zipper at St. Catharines, Ontario. Because there's no definite way to know which story is true (at least with online information -- perhaps I'll look this up in a book at the library), I'm filing this one away as "unknown." That doesn't mean Kathryn can't be right (and that I can't be wrong), it's just that I see conflicting information.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2006-11-07 00:23:00
Canada	This is funny	Don't be offended this is just funny Reasons Canada is better than the US Smarties Crispy Crunch, Coffee Crisp The size of our footballs fields and one less down Baseball is Canadian Lacrosse is Canadian Hockey is Canadian Basketball is Canadian Apple pie is Canadian Mr. Dress-up kicks Mr. Rogers ### Tim Hortons kicks Dunkin' Donuts ### In the war of 1812, started by America, Canadians pushed the Americans back...past their 'White House'. Then we burned it...and most of Washington, under the command of William Lyon McKenzie who was insane and hammered all the time. We got bored because they ran away, so we came home and partied...Go figure.. Canada has the largest French population that never surrendered to Germany. We have the largest English population that never ever surrendered or withdrew during any war to anyone, anywhere. Our civil war was a bar fight that lasted a little over an hour. The only person who was arrested in our civil war was an American mercenary, who slept in and missed the whole thing... but showed up just in time to get caught. We knew plaid was cool far before Seattle caught on. The Hudsons Bay Company once owned over 10% of the earth's surface and is still around as the worlds oldest company. The average dog sled team can kill and devour a full grown human in under 3 minutes. We still know what to do with all the parts of a buffalo. We don't marry our kin-folk. We invented ski-doos, jet-skis, velcro, zippers, insulin, penicillin, zambonis, the telephone and short wave radios that save countless lives each year. We ALL have frozen our tongues to something metal and lived to tell about it. A Canadian invented Superman. The handles on our beer cases are big enough to fit your hands with mitts on. Oh yeah... and our elections only take one day. That's not all together true. Some of that is true, but not ALL of it. I'm not offended by the humorous nature of it, just taken aback by how inaccurate some of it is... I shall address each INCORRECT issue and leave the correct issues alone. 1. The fact that Canadian football fields are smaller does not make them better; to say so is an opinion. 2. To say that Mr. Dress-up is better than Mr. Rogers (and I've personally never liked Mr. Rogers) is an opinion. 3. To say that Tim Horton's is better than Dunkin' Donuts is also an opinion. However, one confectionary place left out is Krispy Kreme. I happen to think they are quite good. 4. Apple Pie is not Canadian in origin. It's actually European, with roots going back to the English, the Dutch, and the French. Canada may have picked up on apple pie due to English and French influences, but apple pie is not a distinctly Canadian food product. 5. In the War of 1812, the American forces burned down Toronto (then called York). It's a misnomer to say that the Canadians pushed back the Americans and burned down the White House. Why is this? All historical data proves that it was the British who did that, not the Canadians. British forces were stationed in Canada at the time, and although there were colonial (Canadian) militia, the majority of the force were British regulars. To further make my point, Canada was not it's own country at the time of the War of 1812 -- it would not become so until July 1, 1867 (hence "Canada Day") and therefore, any actions taken by the colonial Canadian militia would fall under the umbrella of Great Britain and as a British subject. So while it's true that the White House (and most of Washington, D.C.) was burned down, it was not Canada that performed the deed, it was Great Britain and the British Army. 6. I don't see what having the "largest Frech population that never surrendered to Germany" has to do with being "better" than the United States. If anything, that'd make Canada better than France. The U.S. never surrendered to Germany; Germany surrendered to the United States and its allies. 7. The idea that Americans marry their cousins or other relatives is illegal and was practiced so infrequently that it's almost not even worth mentioning. In addition, many other countries have had problems with inbreeding, and I'm sure Canada has had people who've married their cousins or other relatives before such an act was made illegal. Some people are just sick in the head, and that sickness goes beyond country borders. 8. You can't "invent" insulin. A team of Canadian reserachers received the Nobel Prize in 1923 for the "discovery" of insulin, but they didn't invent it. It's also been argued by many that Nicolae Paulescu, a professor of physiology at the Romanian School of Medicine, published similar work in 1921 that was carried out in France and patented in Romania, and should be the rightful discoverer of insulin. So the verdict is still out on that one. Jet-Ski's were not invented by a Canadian, but by an American named Clayton Jacobson II, and built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. As far as Ski-Doo's are concerned, yes, a Canadian did invent those; however, the first snowmobile was invented by an American (Carl Eliason of Sayner, Wisconsin). Velcro was not invented by a Canadian, but by Swiss engineer Georges de Mestral, who named Velcro after the French worda "velours" meaning velvet and "crochet" meaning hook. The zipper was not invented by a Canadian, but by a Swedish-born immigrant to the United States named Gideon Sundback in Meadville, Pennsylvania. Pencillin was not discovered by a Canadian, but by Scottish scientist Alexander Flemming, at his laboratory in St. Mary's Hospital in London, England. The Zamboni machine was not invented by a Canadian, but by U.S. inventor Frank Joseph Zamboni, Jr., born in Eureka, Utah. The reason you must think that the inventor of the telephone is Canadian is because Scottish-born Alexander Graham Bell moved to Canada (and then the United States). However, Bell is not the only person credited with the invention of the telephone -- others such as Italian-born inventor Antonio Meucci; German-born inventor Johann Philip Reis, and American-born inventor Elisha Grey have all recieved credit for inventing the telephone as well. So it really depends which story you believe, and then if you consider Bell a Canadian simply because he moved to Canada before moving to the U.S. even though he was born in Scotland. You must be thinking of Canadian-born inventor Reginald Fessenden, who -- with Lee De Forest, an American-born inventor -- dramatically furthered the cause of radio broadcasting. He is, however, only one of five people who are nicknamed "the inventor of the radio." The other four are Russian-born inventor Alexander Stepanovich Popov; Serbian-born inventor Nikola Tesla, who later moved to the U.S.; Italian-born inventor Guglielmo Marconi, and American-born inventor Edwin H. Armstrong, who is credited with being the father of FM radio. So like with the telephone, it's currently unknown who is the "real" inventor of the radio. I suppose one could pick and choose, but the truth of the matter is, each of these men did something to create the radio as we know it today. 9. Superman was created by two people -- American-born writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born artist Joe Shuster in 1932, while both were growing up in Cleveland, Ohio. So to say Superman was created solely by a Canadian is a complete spin on the truth.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2006-11-06 14:46:00
Canada	CanAm license plate	Nice. I'd check with your state to see what your license plate requirements are first though. Even the eBay seller suggests that, as some states may want certain pieces of information showing on your plate and this frame may cover it up. It'd really be a nasty surprise to purchase something like this, and then find out you can't legally use it.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2006-11-07 09:54:00
Canada	How long since you've seen your SO?	I haven't seen my fiancee since July. We've planned a trip to see each other this December, so it shouldn't be too bad. Not too long to wait now...	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2006-11-14 01:08:00
Canada	Passports	Craig went to the passport office in Thunder Bay, and said he was there for all of 30 minutes. Got his passport in 15 days. MUCH faster than the dang U.S. Dept. of State. Cass (bebop the great) Yeah, Canadian passport processing is faster (usally two weeks) than U.S. passport processing (usually six weeks), but it seems to be a lot more difficult to get a Canadian passport. For instance, for a Canadian passport, you need background checks, non-relative references, and a guarantor; none of those are even asked for (you do need to write down parental information and an emergency contact, however) when applying for a U.S. passport. A U.S. passport is also good for ten years and can be renewed, whereas a Canadian passport is only good for five years and cannot be renewed. So all in all, I'd rather take the longer processing time. It's just funny in a way...you'd think, with the U.S. being so security-minded, that it would make things more difficult to get a passport, as opposed to Canada which is generally far more lenient.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2006-11-28 12:51:00
Canada	What do you say when crossing the border?	Telling the truth probably is the best policy, but it really depends on the mood and nature of the officer you're dealing with at the time. Take my experiences, for instance. The first time I went to see my fiancee in Canada, it was a breeze. I basically walked right through Customs & Immigration. The second time was a different story entirely. The officer in question looked at me like I was some sort of criminal bringing in loads of drugs and holding an AK-47. I had to relate every detail of my plans, my trip, my funding, what I did for a living, and my relationship to that officer and then another officer in Secondary. They didn't search my bags, but they flat-out told me (rather rudely, I might add) that "they'd be the ones deciding whether or not I enter Canada." My crime? I told them the truth, nothing more, nothing less. I was eventually let in (after about a half-hour of questioning) and when I told my fiancee what happened, she couldn't believe it. She was then a bit frightened of later goinging through U.S. Customs & Immigration, since in most cases, Canada is more lax than the United States. As it turned out, my fiancee got through U.S. Customs & Immigration with little-to-no trouble (they must've been in a good mood that morning; my officer was joking around with me and gave me a high-five for having a girl in Canada), but all of this just proves the point that these situations are very, very difficult to predict.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-01-11 19:05:00
Canada	POINT OF ENTRY (POE) WHAT HAPPENS???	K1s have the ability to get an EAD upon activation at a POE, but that is only if the person processing their K1 decides to give it to them. It's been known that JFK will give one and a few other POEs, but not all of them. AFAIK, most employers will not employ you without an EAD regardless of if you have an SSN. Correct me if I am wrong, but it was my understanding that JFK was the only point-of-entry that handed out EAD's and even then, it wasn't an "everyday thing." Regardless, as I understand it, the EAD one receives at their POE from JFK is rather limited in its scope and abilities.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-01-16 11:57:00
Canada	USC visiting Canada	I know I'm late entering into this thread, but I just felt I had to add my two cents in. Misa, it really depends on the border officer and not a whole lot else. Hopefully, when you cross, he or she has been having a good day and their life (professionally and personally) is doing well too. If it's not, that could reflect on your chances in getting into Canada, the United States, or whatever country you wish to visit. The first time I visited my Canadian fiancee, I practically walked right through Canadian Customs & Immigration. They asked me a couple of questions and that, as they say, was that. The second time through (which happened just recently around Christmas time) was a lot different. I told the truth and the border officer looked at me like I was some sort of criminal, hauling drugs and armed with an AK-47. I was sent to Secondary, and there they told me (rather rudely, I might add) it was "up to them whether or not I enter Canada." Fortunately, I was let in -- but I had to relate every detail of my trip, my finances, my relationship, etc., before they'd give me the "green light." I also had to provide written documentation that I'd leave Canada when I said I would, and show some ties to the United States as well. Now, it could be that the border officers were in a bad mood because I entered into the airport on a flight at (or around) midnight, and they were probably tired of seeing people. That, and my plane was the only one coming in, so they had time to stop and grill me, whereas if it was busier, they may not have had the time to concentrate on me. Regardless, that's what happened to me. I did get in, but it was a huge hassle. I told my fiancee about it after being let in, and she was rather worried about crossing U.S. Customs & Immigration since the stories are always that Canada is more easy going than the United States. As it turned out (thankfully), my fiancee had a pretty easy time getting through. She told the truth and was passed along. My border officer was in a really good mood too -- he called me a "hounddog" and gave me a high-five for having a girl in Canada. Anyway, the point of this post is to show that everyone's experience is different, and the experience you have heavily depends on the officer you get and that officer's mood and psychological state at the time.	DeadPoolX	Male	Canada	2007-01-14 13:15:00