Entering the U.S. in Vancouver airport
Thursday, May 29th, 2008Well, I headed back to the U.S after my visit to Vancouver. For people who haven’t taken a plane from Canada to the U.S., the process is a bit unusual. After checking in, I proceeded through duty-free shopping, and then went through immigration to the U.S. After that, it’s U.S. customs, then [finally] checking my luggage and on to the departure gates.
I don’t remember seeing it this time, but at least once, there was a big banner saying “Welcome to the United States”, right there in the Vancouver airport. I have to say that it felt weird.
I have to believe that, if there is an incident, the police officers who show up are Mounties, rather than U.S. agents. And, indeed, as far as that goes, what state is Vancouver in anyway?
And I wonder if the staff who work in the stores–like Starbucks or Tim Horton’s–in the departure area are, in fact, paying U.S. income tax. In some ways, I think that there is a certain amount of fiction in the whole process. The stores allow me to pay in U.S. dollars, but they always give the change in Canadian funds. And, the stores themselves are typically Canadian, rather than U.S.A.nian–Tim Horton’s rather than Dunkin’ Donuts, for example.
I suppose it’s convenient for people traveling from Canada to the U.S. to be able to fly to almost anywhere in the U.S., because the arrival airport doesn’t have to deal with customs and immigration–but really, it seems so disrespectful of Canadian sovereignty. Yet another example of “Big Brother” not acting neighborly, I suppose.
Bob