Canadians Should Get To Know Their Own Country Before Passing Judgment On The United States

As if I'm not already sufficiently troubled and angered by how Canadians view freedom of speech (that is, pathetically shallow), another topic Canadians are best to brush up on is their own immigration policies before they pass (ignorant) judgment on what's going on in the United States.

Currently, as is the case historically, Canada has always had a selective immigration policy to put it mildly. Essentially, if you can't demonstrate you can contribute you ain't coming in. And in the past, it sometimes had a racial component as well.

It can get quite technical (and really, a tad excessive if you ask me but hey...):

 "...In fact, even a not guilty verdict (acquittal) may sporadically help cause a US resident to be rejected at the Canadian border since the original DUI arrest will still be visible to border staff...."

"...If you have any criminal record at all; a bounced check, a fishing violation, uttering a death threat, a poaching charge, even a couple citations for simple possession of a small amount of weed, you might not be admitted to Canada. Your DUI also does not have to be alcohol related in order for the border to deny entry for criminality. People are frequently charged with driving while intoxicated because they were on prescription medication such as painkillers or medical marijuana...."

"...A person with an impaired driving record may still be inadmissible to cross the border into Canada even if they will not be driving a car, truck, motorcycle, boat, airplane, or any other motor vehicle during their visit. Some people who are criminally inadmissible due to DWI think that if they fly into Canada and do not intend to drive while in the country they will be granted entry without a problem. Canadian immigration regulations do not distinguish whether a person intends to drive while visiting or not. "

"...Having a criminal record is a major reason why US citizens are refused entry into Canada. Other common reasons are no proof of income, no proof of employment, no proof of sufficient funds, no proof of residency in the USA, no proof of ties to the USA, and no international health insurance. To avoid being denied entry into Canada for "not enough ties to home country", it is important to bring supporting documentation to prove you do in fact have sufficient ties to your home country such as family, a house or apartment (mortgage or lease), enrollment in a school, or a job. To avoid being denied entry for not enough funds, ensure that you have enough money in your bank account to sustain yourself for the entire duration of your trip, and bring supporting documents or have the ability to log into your online bank account on your mobile phone.

Having insufficient funds is one of the more frequent reasons why people are denied entry into Canada, so it is very important for people to take extra steps to be able to prove they can afford their trip, and obviously the longer the scheduled visit, the more money an individual will be required to have. Even if you will be "getting paid" or "receiving money" in the near future, if your bank account is depleted when you attempt to cross the border you risk being refused entry. It might sound ridiculous that Canada requires residents of a country as rich as the United States to prove they can afford a trip. The Canadian government is simply trying to prevent certain foreigners from entering the country that they deem are likely to either work illegally or strain the country's social programs (such as homeless or unemployed Americans potentially attracted to Canada's socialism or oil money). It is also important to have health insurance coverage valid in Canada, also called Canadian travel insurance, before attempting to visit the country, and border officers will often ask about this. A lot of traditional American health insurance plans do not cover out of country medical expenses. Consequently, if you do not have a MasterCard or VISA credit card that offers emergency medical coverage you might have to purchase insurance before visiting Canada, especially if you are a senior.

We're not that open. To be honest, I think it's responsible but let's not kid ourselves into thinking we're some sort of open paradise. 

And that's just scratching the surface. Now, to some who may be of the opinion all this is reasonable then... what the heck do you think Americans are trying to do? As more people seek to come here, Canadians will see more and more how tough it can be and will likely sympathize with Americans who face an immigration issue so massive we can't really conceptualize it because we don't have a country like Mexico on our borders.

I guarantee you we'd be every bit as strict and restrictive; more so. If anything, gaining entry in the USA is probably easier than getting into Canada. 

*****

Updated.

How compassionate is Canada?

Not very.

For the millionth time - Canada's system is cost-centric and by virtue of this it rations health.

But American progressives, in their infinite ignorance, want to copy our interpretation of *compassionate* care.

America: Keep your eye on the ball....and repeal Obamacare.