New U.S. Border Act has some Canadians concerned

By Harold Merton

This new act is a direct result of the terrorist attacks of 9-11 and is designed to tighten the U.S. border for foreigners and to enable U.S. authorities to better keep track of people who are visiting the U.S.

What concerns Canadians is the possibility that an individual U.S. border guard could decide that their maximum amount of time allowed in the U.S. could be just one month as outlined in the new act.

For snowbirds who spend up to six months in southern U.S. states each year in their quest to avoid Canadian winters, the possibility of being told they could stay only one month when they arrive at the border could be disastrous.

However during a press conference held in Buffalo, New York two days later, U.S. Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge eased that fear by stating that Canadians who winter for six months in the southern states will be exempt from this new regulation.

While the announcement came as good news to thousands of Canadians, there is still an uncertainty among leaders of Canadian snowbird and seniors associations. They want the exemption included in the written legislation so that there will be no chance that an individual U.S. border guard might make a personal decision that a particular Canadian entering the U.S. could remain there for only one month when their intention was to stay the winter.

There is of course quite a difference in a four to six month vacation and a one month stay. One month would not be satisfactory to many Canadians who own park model RVs sitting in permanent parks in the sunny south. They look forward to the extended stay.

There are other problems that also face Canadians who travel south each winter. One of these has been "out-of-the-country" health insurance. Many seniors pay thousands of dollars per person per season to acquire health coverage while they are in the U.S. for those winter months.

Enforcement of the one month limit in the new act could create a situation where Canadians who have already paid for several months "out of-the-country" insurance could arrive at the U.S. border and be told that they can only stay one month. Of course premiums for this type of insurance are not refundable and many seniors have to budget very astutely in order to afford this coverage.

Another change Canadians will find in the new act is the requirement to carry travel documents while in the U.S. The initial press conferences with President Bush revealed that every foreign person travelling in the U.S. will be required to carry travel documents that have a positive identity relationship to the owner. That means documents with fingerprints, photographs etc., something that cannot be passed on from one person to another. We can understand why this is necessary but the result will be a mad rush to secure passports and in some cases, visas when this takes effect.

U.S. government spokespeople have said that it is not their intention to discriminate against Canadians but there are concerns unless Canadians are exempted specifically in the legislation. The possibility that an individual border guard at the U.S. could make a decision that would effect Canadians so dramatically is unacceptable.

Certainly most border personnel would never be a problem, but the possibility that one, perhaps having a bad day, could impact a trip so seriously is something that must be addressed immediately.

My personal opinion is that it will get straightened out in due course. Thousands of Canadians own property in the U.S. and contribute to the economy of the area where they winter. While each individual's financial contribution in the area might not impress some people, the effect of thousands of Canadians in specific areas will.

Many Canadians own park model RVs in U.S. parks and many others own homes and condos in the southern U.S. The impact of this legislation has too great an effect both on Canadians and the communities where they winter to be left as a problem.

We hope that the situation will change to everyone's benefit.

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