It was planned as an awesome trip to Alaska for both, a man from Lower Southampton and his 18 year old son. However, their adventure ended before it even began: Right at the Canadian border.
Michael Edwards was denied entry to Canada because of a DUI offense from 14 years back. The trip ended with the father crying and the son alone driving to Fairbanks where he was stationed with the U.S. Air Force.
The Philly Burbs newspaper reports what can only be considered a heart-wrenching, but nevertheless very typical scenario encountered almost daily at the Canadian border:
Canadian border officers turned away Michael Edwards because of his DUI convictions in the U.S. His last one was in 1996 – 14 years before he tried to enter Canada with his son.
The Canadians told the Lower Southampton man he’d have to go back home and apply for a special waiver to get into their country. It could take as long as a year to process. And it guaranteed nothing.
This case makes it clear what hardships unexpected denial at the Canadian border can pose. To make things worse, many travelers are often not even anticipating problems crossing the border. A DUI offense in the United States might be considered a minor offense, however will make it impossible to get to Canada because there it is considered a felony offense. Imagine the surprise at the border if such an offense happened 14 years back in the United States, such as in the case of Michael Edwards:
“It was the ultimate humiliation,” Edwards said of the experience in 2010. “If I had committed murder, I could see that. Are you kidding me? What was I going to do while passing through their country for a few days?”
Each year, Canada denies entry to thousands of visitors with criminal histories, including misdemeanors such as a DUI. It is far from easy to get into Canada with a criminal conviction such as a DUI offense. It can mean waiting years to be considered “rehabilitated,” paying at least $1,500 in legal fees and putting down all the good reason on a waiver application.
Denied entry to Canada can become a real problem when it will happen while an important business trip is on the agenda:
David St. Onge, 56, of New Britain racked up three DUI convictions in that township in the mid-1990s, although he said he hasn’t been in trouble since – or had a drink in 11 years.
The medical device salesman said he visited Canada for business and pleasure several times in the last few years with no problem – until late last year.
“I’d been there in 2008 and 2009 with my family in Niagara Falls and then in 2010 on business,” he said. “I went again on business when they told me I couldn’t enter Canada. I was absolutely floored.”
It happens all too often that travelers from the United States visit Canada regularly without any difficulty, just to encounter being denied entry at the most inconvenient time, as in the above case. More often than not, a business trip that cannot be conducted could result in dire financial consequences, beyond just the anger and inconvenience experienced at the Canadian border.