AwardBee

Has anyone else encountered this? I was boarding YVR-SYD about a week ago. It was a late night (~23:40) departure. 2 big burly CBSA agents stood in the jet bridge. They were letting everyone in front of us board w/o issues, but suddenly stuck their arms out when my companion and I were passing them and asked to see our passports.

They each questioned one of us. Where do I live? Why was I going to Australia? How much money do I have on me? What are my plans there? Where else am I going on this trip? How did I book my trip? How long ago did I book it? He looked puzzled and didn't know what make of the fact that the trip was booked via United, and was paid for with miles.

Seemingly not convinced by my answers, they led both of us out of the jetbridge and to the side of our gate and went through our hand bags. They scoured everything - toiletries, wallets, even my travel companion's feminine hygiene products. I was even asked why do I have XYZ prescription medication (it was in my own name), as if questioning whether I had a medical purpose for having it. When they were satisfied we weren't carrying contraband they let us board. Not before logging our passports info and apparently recording some notes on the encounter in little notebooks. I imagine they may enter this into a computer later.

It was an uncomfortable and awkward experience getting pulled over in full view of everyone else. Never got this treatment before while exiting the US or Canada. Is it something that happens often?

Often1

CBP does it to in the US. Just because neither country has a formal exit checkpoint does not mean that they do not do random and targeted checks.

GUWonder

The US has a formal electronic exit check -- an electronic checkpoint some would say -- but indeed the US CBP does this. When it appears "random" -- as in they aren't looking for just specifically pre-identified as flagged -- it's routinely a hunt for undeclared currency above a certain amount being transported out of the country without a proper declaration form filed in advance of attempting to board.

Blogndog

CBSA is the worst -- anywhere. This is how I would have answered:


Not in your crappy country I can't think of anywhere else that's further away from your crappy country How high have you learned to count? To give daily thanks for the fact that I am not in Canada To visit the "Blame Canada" museum I rang up my travel agent in Ottawa and said 'I want to go somewhere with intelligent people'; she said, 'hold on, let me connect you with international bookings' Not soon enough, apparently.It's commonly prescribed to treat the depression caused by being in Canada CBSA is the worst

GUWonder

That may be sort of an amusing exchange to see, but provoking government workers in roles that tend to attract people who consider themselves "nationalists" is sort of an invitation for problems and a lesson in how the right to freedom of speech being exercised can have unwelcome consequences for some who exercise such rights.

oldjonesy

But you are leaving the country ... Why check?

GUWonder

The non-winnable "wars" .... on drugs, money, etc. empower the governments to exercise authority over the public in the name of the public, so it is done to try to catch people while leaving. Operating dragnets at the border seems to be not that unpopular, so it is done.