Shame On Canada

There is nothing like spending time in a foreign country to see your own country in a new and different light.

“It's Not Our Problem”

About three years ago, when visiting a Canadian friend in Puerto Vallarta, I met several of his friends, both Gringo (from the USA) and Canadian.

One of his Canadian friends told of an altercation with the Puerto Vallarta police...a situation that seldom has a positive outcome.

As a result of too much partying and Mexican beer, this guy had to pee big time. As my family can attest, I know the feeling...far too well.

Responding to this very urgent real man need, he chose to relieve himself in a semi-public place...against some bushes.

A couple of passing Puerto Vallarta police officers took exception to his choice of urinals, words were exchanged and bingo...one more Canadian taken to a Mexican jail in handcuffs.

The response was to contact the Canadian Embassy in Mexico City for help. Isn't that what Embassies are supposed to do...help their citizens in need?

Apparently not.

When this jailed Canadian eventually talked to a human being at the Canadian Embassy, the response was a curt “...it's not our problem. Get a lawyer.” End of conversation.

I recall reading some where that Mexico is second only to mainland China for the number of Canadians languishing in jail, apparently ignored by our embassies.

Not good.

The Next Plane Out

A couple of weeks ago, I met Leonardo, who is a Costa Rican. Several years ago, re-911, Leonardo was legally working in the US and was invited by some Canadian friends to visit them in Montreal.

He got a cheap fare on a Mexican airline, so booked his flight to Montreal. At the time Costa Ricans did not need visas to visit Canada.

When he checked in, his Costa Rican passport was confiscated by the airline “...at the request of the Canadian government.”

He was advised that he could get his passport back when he got to Montreal.

Some one must have forgotten to tell the people in Montreal about this procedure. When he asked for his passport on arrival, no one seemed to know anything about it.

Eventually, he wound up in handcuffs while an immigration officer berated him for trying to get into the country illegally.

After a suitable harangue, the officer told Leonardo if he knew what was good for him, he would get on the next plane out of the country. He then unlocked the handcuffs, handed Leonardo his passport and stomped out the room.

I can hardly imagine what would have happened with our new post 9/11 security measures in place.

Visa Denied

Today I met Leslie who works as a loans officer with Bank America here in San Jose.

Last summer he was invited by some Canadian lawyer friends to visit them in Lake Louise.

Being good and thorough Canadian lawyers, his friends checked with Immigration Canada to find out what Leslie had to do to get his visa to visit Canada. (Yes, Costa Ricans now need visas to visit the great white north. Go Figure!)

When advised of the details, Immigration Canada reported that Leslie would not have problem and even recommended that he plan his trip with 2-3 day stopover in Guatamala where he could get his visa from the Canadian Embassy there.

That is the nearest Canadian Embassy to Costa Rica.

So Leslie booked a first class flight, applying unused frequent flyer points. He also arranged vacation time and obtained a written confirmation of continued post-vacation employment with the bank.

When Leslie returned to the Canadian Embassy as instructed to pick up his passport and hopefully his visa, he was told that his application had been denied...because he had not paid for his flight.

The official explanation was that “he had not paid for his flight and there was no evidence that he could support himself while in Canada.”

It would seem that some official chose to ignore the letters of support from his Canadian lawyer friends, the confirmation of his continued post-vacation employment and two credit cards with combined credit availability of well over $25,000. That should have been enough for a 10 day holiday...even in Lake Louise.

When his lawyer friends contacted Immigration Canada to try to sort out the problem, they were advised that granting visas was a local issue in which the Embassies' decisions were final.

Sounds a lot like me to “...it's not our problem”.

Leslie used his ticket to go to Holland...because there was a direct flight from Guatamala...and he didn't need a visa.

Sometimes it doesn't feel so good being Canadian.