I'm Boycotting Switzerland And I'm Glad Belgium Makes Great Chocolate Too!
Jun 20th, 2013, 08:21 PM
#47
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cw,
On my last trip to Canada, I was cleared by a female immigration officer and told to "enjoy my stay in Canada", however as I handed my customs declaration form (which was checked and marked by the immigration officer) to the customs officer he politely informed me that I had to go to secondary screening.
I had no problem with this until I discovered my secondary screening was by the same officer who told me to "enjoy my stay in Canada".
IMO, if the Immigration Officer felt I needed secondary screening then she should have said and done so on our initial contact. Her false pretense "enjoy your stay in Canada" was at best disingenuous.
Sometimes for business I have no choice where I travel and others pay my expenses but for pleasure I do and it is my money. Therefore, my travel dollars will go where I receive the less hassle to visit and enjoy a country.
We have all had our share of negative travel experiences and how we choose to handle them is an individual choice.
I'm am not "throwing out the baby with the bath water" and will for one reason or another probably visit these countries again but for now I am just reluctant to do so.
On my last trip to Canada, I was cleared by a female immigration officer and told to "enjoy my stay in Canada", however as I handed my customs declaration form (which was checked and marked by the immigration officer) to the customs officer he politely informed me that I had to go to secondary screening.
I had no problem with this until I discovered my secondary screening was by the same officer who told me to "enjoy my stay in Canada".
IMO, if the Immigration Officer felt I needed secondary screening then she should have said and done so on our initial contact. Her false pretense "enjoy your stay in Canada" was at best disingenuous.
Sometimes for business I have no choice where I travel and others pay my expenses but for pleasure I do and it is my money. Therefore, my travel dollars will go where I receive the less hassle to visit and enjoy a country.
We have all had our share of negative travel experiences and how we choose to handle them is an individual choice.
I'm am not "throwing out the baby with the bath water" and will for one reason or another probably visit these countries again but for now I am just reluctant to do so.
Jun 20th, 2013, 09:15 PM
#50
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BigAleinstein,
I see you are still in the "third grade" too
PS.. I think you are right. The customs officer probably has joined the list of others who love to read postings they pretend to dislike (hate).
Is it possible to have a Canadian post stalker and troll lover too?
You might have just made my day. I hope you keep following my postings like others do. I enjoy all of your comments and insightful input
I see you are still in the "third grade" too
PS.. I think you are right. The customs officer probably has joined the list of others who love to read postings they pretend to dislike (hate).
Is it possible to have a Canadian post stalker and troll lover too?
You might have just made my day. I hope you keep following my postings like others do. I enjoy all of your comments and insightful input
Jun 21st, 2013, 06:14 AM
#52
You can't be much of a traveller if you are put off by a secondary screening. Sonmething about you must have triggered that screening. Did you want her to say "have a lousy stay" because of a short detour? You would not travel to a country that felt it needed to screen you? Grow up.
Jun 21st, 2013, 06:49 AM
#53
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I should know better than to take the complaint about Canada seriously but whatever. I phoned a friend in Canada Border Services and read the OP's complaint.
Unless the trip was a long time ago the distinction between immigration officer and customs officer is misplaced. They are all Canada Border Services Agents.
The first officer has 45 seconds to make their assessment. They then indicate on the form whether secondary screening is required. They do not want to get into a discussion/argument with the traveller about whether/why a secondary screening is required unless it is for a very simple reason.
Next - they want the traveller to pick up their luggage before being told they are going to secondary screening. Everything is to appear normal up until the moment the traveller is informed of the secondary screening requirement. There may be other plain clothed officers watching the behaviour of travellers as they move between primary and secondary screening.
Third, the agent may not have known she was immediately being reassigned to secondary inspection when she made the "enjoy your stay" comment. Or even if she did she might not have known she would be dealing with the OP again as there is usually more than one officer assigned to secondary.
Unless the trip was a long time ago the distinction between immigration officer and customs officer is misplaced. They are all Canada Border Services Agents.
The first officer has 45 seconds to make their assessment. They then indicate on the form whether secondary screening is required. They do not want to get into a discussion/argument with the traveller about whether/why a secondary screening is required unless it is for a very simple reason.
Next - they want the traveller to pick up their luggage before being told they are going to secondary screening. Everything is to appear normal up until the moment the traveller is informed of the secondary screening requirement. There may be other plain clothed officers watching the behaviour of travellers as they move between primary and secondary screening.
Third, the agent may not have known she was immediately being reassigned to secondary inspection when she made the "enjoy your stay" comment. Or even if she did she might not have known she would be dealing with the OP again as there is usually more than one officer assigned to secondary.
Jun 21st, 2013, 09:44 AM
#54
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Well if you keep taking countries off the list every time a tiny problem arises you will soon have no place to go.
I think you need a little perspective on the real world. Every trip has minor problems (that's what these were) and you need to learn to roll with the punches. Or spend more and more of your life being offended and or annoyed.
I think you need a little perspective on the real world. Every trip has minor problems (that's what these were) and you need to learn to roll with the punches. Or spend more and more of your life being offended and or annoyed.
Jun 21st, 2013, 10:49 AM
#55
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muskoka,
If you consider 7 continents, 70 plus countries and 100's of destinations for business and pleasure not much traveling then I guess I am not much of a traveler
Grow up? Never
If you consider 7 continents, 70 plus countries and 100's of destinations for business and pleasure not much traveling then I guess I am not much of a traveler
Grow up? Never
Jun 21st, 2013, 11:18 AM
#56
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colduphere,
Glad to see you continue to enjoy reading the postings of someone that is:
"DMB is somewhere between a poster and a troll."
No doubt I raise suspicions when I travel for pleasure because I do so with only a backpack and a camera bag.
However, for what it is worth I am Global Entry and Trusted Traveler participant which I am sure Canadian authorities are aware of when they scan my passport since the US and Canada share such information.
Your explanation is somewhat helpful in understanding the situation but I had no bags to collect. It was a late non busy arrival time and the first officer spent more than 45 seconds going over my passport and asking me questions. In this case there was no rush to make an initial assessment.
I have no particular problem with secondary or any additional screening when I travel, I just expect it to be done in a professional manner which in my opinion this was not the case on my last visit to Canada.
Glad to see you continue to enjoy reading the postings of someone that is:
"DMB is somewhere between a poster and a troll."
No doubt I raise suspicions when I travel for pleasure because I do so with only a backpack and a camera bag.
However, for what it is worth I am Global Entry and Trusted Traveler participant which I am sure Canadian authorities are aware of when they scan my passport since the US and Canada share such information.
Your explanation is somewhat helpful in understanding the situation but I had no bags to collect. It was a late non busy arrival time and the first officer spent more than 45 seconds going over my passport and asking me questions. In this case there was no rush to make an initial assessment.
I have no particular problem with secondary or any additional screening when I travel, I just expect it to be done in a professional manner which in my opinion this was not the case on my last visit to Canada.
Jun 21st, 2013, 11:23 AM
#57
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I don't enjoy reading your posts. I also don't enjoy having someone trash Canadian officials who are doing their jobs simply to draw attention to themselves. Hopefully that was indeed your last visit to Canada.
Jun 21st, 2013, 11:27 AM
#58
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nytraveler,
I have visited enough places to know there are some destinations where visitors are more appreciated than others.
Fortunately, these places are in the majority so I don't think I have to worry about running out of places to visit anytime soon.
Yes, we all have to sometimes roll with the punches but at times we also have to complain about things that we feel are not right unless we think the world is perfect.
An awareness of how different countries do things differently may help someone make better or different choices when they travel. That is the point of my post.
I have visited enough places to know there are some destinations where visitors are more appreciated than others.
Fortunately, these places are in the majority so I don't think I have to worry about running out of places to visit anytime soon.
Yes, we all have to sometimes roll with the punches but at times we also have to complain about things that we feel are not right unless we think the world is perfect.
An awareness of how different countries do things differently may help someone make better or different choices when they travel. That is the point of my post.
Jun 21st, 2013, 11:28 AM
#59
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I like DBM. I don't think he's a troll. I think he sometimes tries to present a different perspective and the rank and file posters hate different perspectives. He has an interesting travel approach. I like interesting.
Jun 21st, 2013, 11:33 AM
#60
I flew from Hong Kong to Vancouver once on my French passport with no baggage and I was not the least bit surprised to be stopped for extra screening -- odd itineraries by odd nationalities elicit questions. My simple reply "airline employee flying standby" satisfied them in less than 5 minutes.
