I work in Canada every now and then. I present whatever paperwork I have when I cross the border and have never had a problem entering Canada.

This weekend I had to cross on personal business. When asked my purpose for the trip I said just that - "personal business."

The Canadian authorities refused me entry, stating that I needed paperwork to confirm that I was not working in Canada and was, in fact, entering for personal business. I had an appointment, I had hotel reservations to indicate I was, in fact, staying over - but I didn't have any paperwork.

I can't find anything addressing this situation. Does anyone have a legal answer?

(I obviously could say I was crossing for pleasure and avoid the entire problem but I wonder what the law is - ?)

Touché, my son had the same problem passing over into the US to work with a client, as he has for the last two years, no problem last two years because his Cdn. Passport indicates he was born the US. They denied him entry. There are no laws apparently, it is what immigration believes is the proper thing to do on any given day. They also entered on his denial form that he was born in Canada, incorrect, his passport states U.S.

Now he has applied for his US passport and will have no problems again.

Next time say you are visiting relatives, or some such excuse, but do not say 'on business'.

While I'm not too familiar with Canadian immigration law, I know that it is very similar to US law.

The response of "personal business" would be too vague for the inspecting officer to know whether you are coming as a visitor for pleasure or for business. Once they start in on a negative direction, they tend to stay there.

And it can be intimidating too. Even for someone that crosses over on a regular basis. Those officers can be very mean.

I'm former US Customs so, no, I wasn't intimidated. My question was - I said I was on personal business (a consultation with a professional), I was not working, I had no intention of working. Canadian Customs/Immigration wanted proof of that. I had none on me. I am going back on Monday and I have a letter from the professional - but I've never been asked this before nor have I ever been turned back before.

They obviously weren't required to make phone calls to verify my story.

(It was extremely odd because I own and drive a high end imported car and they asked me who owned the car! Maybe they were looking for someone with a similar description or similar license plate.)

Its US CBP that intimidated me once crossing over. Hope it wasn't you, j/k.

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Originally Posted by NYcityboy

Its US CBP that intimidated me once crossing over. Hope it wasn't you, j/k.

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Never! Well, maybe never! Well, almost never! Okay, once or twice!

You put that uniform on and the power goes straight to your head. That and the exhaust fumes.

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Originally Posted by JudyKayTee

You put that uniform on and the power goes straight to your head.

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Hello Judy:

For what it's worth, I'm NOT a cop - never have been and never will be. I AM, however, an actor. I got a role playing a cop in a Jimmy Smits movie. The scene took place at Police Headquarters in downtown Seattle... I had a REAL Seattle cops uniform on. That, in and of itself, scared me...

I had to make a telephone call and went inside the building... Away from the set, you could SEE the way people looked at me, that I was different. You could SEE the deference in their eyes... You could SEE their fear and loathing... I HATED being thought of in that way... Clearly, there are people who LOVE IT.

So, there I am on the phone and some cop comes down the hall with a prisoner in tow. The perp (see how you talk when you're wearing a uniform?? ) was acting unruly, and needed to be put down (OMG!). When they got close, the cop looked at me as though he wondered why I didn't jump in to help him. I tried to tell him, that I was a fake cop, but that didn't go over too well either...

Anyway, go see the Movie. I'm the good looking cop.

excon

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Originally Posted by JudyKayTee

... I said I was on personal business (a consultation with a professional), I was not working, I had no intention of working. Canadian Customs/Immigration wanted proof of that. ...

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You were the client, not the consultant I assume. Because if you were getting paid as a consultant I see no significant distinction between that and "working".

I wonder if you could have called the consultant and had him or her fax them a letter.

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Originally Posted by excon

...
Anyway, go see the Movie. I'm the good looking cop.

excon

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I really want to. The IMDB doesn't seem to show any Jimmy Smits movie filmed in Seattle. So can you tell us the name of the move please?

Hello again, lawyer:

It's a long time ago... But, if memory serves, it was a Judith Light, Jimmy Smit movie called something like Dangerous Affection. After Fatal Attraction, there were a lot of movies around with similar names. It may have been a made for TV movie..

excon

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Originally Posted by excon

Hello again, lawyer:

It's a long time ago... But, if memory serves, it was a Judith Light, Jimmy Smit movie called something like Dangerous Affection. After Fatal Attraction, there were a lot of movies around with similar names. It may have been a made for TV movie..

excon

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It would have to be this one. :)

1987 TV movie

"If you think you have problems, listen to Cathy Proctor's: She's nine months pregnant and her husband has just left her for another woman. Her 4-year-old son has unwittingly taken some stolen property from a murderer, and the murderer wants his property back-any way he can get it.

And finally, when her husband is killed by the murderer, the police think Cathy, the abandoned wife, did it out of revenge.

Things can only get better for Cathy, and they do as she falls in love with the handsome police detective assigned to her case."

Hello again, lawyer:

Yup. That's it. She was very pregnant at the time, but that isn't the name it had back then...

excon

Dangerous Affection : Stamp of a Killer was the original title.

Rhea Perlman was in it too.

Hello fans:

I was also in Harry and the Hendersons, Black Widow, and a few more. I either played a cop or a convict... Go figure.

excon

As long as you weren't the female lead -

Anyway, to AK, yes, I was the client. Canadian Customs/Immigration was not willing to call (which I understood) OR accept a fax. I had to get an original letter which I will be taking with me.