Althouse: "Right off the bat, things went sour when they pulled up to the border crossing in Winkler, in the province of Manitoba, about 2:30 on a Saturday afternoon..."

October 17, 2014

"Right off the bat, things went sour when they pulled up to the border crossing in Winkler, in the province of Manitoba, about 2:30 on a Saturday afternoon..."

"A guard scolded Patti for taking photos of the crossing with her cellphone, and at Lowell for not taking off his sunglasses...."

Wisconsin couple crossing over into Canada on a whim learns quite a lot about how the Canadians feel about handguns.

35 comments:

NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: Don't take a gun to Mexico, either.

Sorry, but Canada is a foreign country and they have their own laws. It's their right to enforce them.

$13k is a small price to pay. It could have been a lot worse.; 10/17/14, 3:10 PM
Ignorance is Bliss said...: For retirees Lowell Nickerson and Patti Bacun...

I'm sensing a theme...; 10/17/14, 3:15 PM
Ann Althouse said...: You are right about the theme, Iggy.; 10/17/14, 3:20 PM
tim maguire said...: He forgot about a loaded gun under the seat? Sorry, that's not kosher anywhere. Three days in jail and $18,000 in costs and fines doesn't sound unreasonable to me.; 10/17/14, 3:21 PM
Ignorance is Bliss said...: And if you're the kind of person who can forget where you left a loaded gun, you have no business owning a gun.

Smuggling sounds like a bogus charge, but he got off easy on the 1st degree criminal stupidity.; 10/17/14, 3:24 PM
Nonapod said...: Most people in the rest of the world think of guns as being inherently evil - as in "guns" the objects themselves. I'm fairly certain that a lot non-Americans believe that just holding a gun can turn a normal, sane individual into a violent psychopath. To them guns must be like a chunk of pure evil, like at the end of the movie Time Bandits when after the kids house is blown up and they find the last remnant of evil in the rubble.; 10/17/14, 3:27 PM
CWJ said...: My wife and I enjoy reading the local paper when we visit Bermuda. We followed a number of trials while there this summer. Nothjng as major as murder, but nothing as minor as traffic offences either. I recall being shocked that the harshest sentence handed down was to a Bermudian found guilty of possessing a hand gun in his own home.

He also received a double digit sentence. But instead of it being 13 thousand dollars, it was 11 years. The paper said the judge had shown him leniency. Apparantly the statutory sentence is 18 years.; 10/17/14, 3:27 PM
traditionalguy said...: Canadians are subjects of a Monarchy, and they subject themselves to be treated as if they are dangerous criminals just because the Queen;s Government is still paranoid over the chance of a Revolution from the people they own.

And if they have to put up with such bad treatment themselves, then the wild Amuricans whom they sincerely hate are in for it too.; 10/17/14, 3:27 PM
MadisonMan said...: You can't fix dumb. And dumb can be expensive.; 10/17/14, 3:27 PM
Anonymous said...: If you have a DUI in Canada, we American's will let you come to the United States and enjoy a stay here.

If you have a DUI in the United States, Canada will refuse you admission into their country.

Life isn't fair.; 10/17/14, 3:34 PM
Jaq said...: "I'm supposedly never allowed in Canada the rest of my life,"

LOL.; 10/17/14, 3:42 PM
Chris said...: "It may not sound like a big case, but the Canada Border Services Agency issued a news release with this headline: 'U.S. man fined $13,000 for smuggling loaded firearm at Winkler.' A photo of the gun and bullets was attached.

'Thanks to CBSA officers, this is one less gun that could up end up in our communities and on our streets,' the release said."

Getting an Alice's Restaurant vibe, here.; 10/17/14, 3:55 PM
Left Bank of the Charles said...: Loading a gun that hasn't been fired in 40 years, putting it under the seat of your car, and then forgetting about it is compound stupidity, even before you get to the Canadian border.

To start with, do children ever ride in the car?; 10/17/14, 4:15 PM
Jane the Actuary said...: I was all set to be sympathetic, but one of the commenters pointed out something sensible: it's a basic violation of simply gun safety to "forget" where your gun is. It could have been stolen by someone, had the car been unlocked.

That being said, the Canadians trumpeting their having "saved" Canada from this gun is a bit foolish, too.; 10/17/14, 4:22 PM
Fernandinande said...: "Thanks to CBSA officers, this is one less gun that could up end up in our communities and on our streets," the release lied.; 10/17/14, 4:48 PM
john said...: Ditto from me. Guy is dumber than a mud fence and his stupidity consistently put innocent people in danger. I'm glad Canada got the gun before it was stolen or some little kid found it in the back seat.; 10/17/14, 4:57 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: Please:

When my band toured Canada, they ALWAYS made us undress and other shit.

Just being treated like everyone else, yessiree,...; 10/17/14, 5:00 PM
madAsHell said...: He immediately pulled out his own gun, aimed it at Lowell and put him in handcuffs.

The most exciting day in his border patrol career.; 10/17/14, 5:04 PM
Carnifex said...: Hey! Guns are worse than ebola. You let 1 gun into the country, and it warps into 2, 2 become 4, and before you know it, everyone has a gun and assumes responsibility for themselves. People start to realize how little they need the mandarin class... Well, one certainly can't continence that!

Canandians=Pussies=American leftists

Ps. When are the Cannucks gonna change the name of that offensively titled CFL team, the Redblacks...it's a twofer for lib's!; 10/17/14, 5:10 PM
Carnifex said...: Pps.

After reading the comments of the posters...if you teach your child right from wrong they're not going to be stealing other peoples stuff. This was once common knowledge.

PPPs.

I have owned guns since i was 8 years old, and Saint Teddy Kennedy killed more people than I have.; 10/17/14, 5:14 PM
CWJ said...: One very small extenuating circumstance on the part of the gun owner. It would appear that he inherited the gun. I infer that fact from "used to belong to his father" not fired in 40 years.

People inherit stuff all the time that they neither know how to handle nor care for, nor even care about. He is not so much a gun owner as a guy with a gun. That he treated the gun as irresponsibly as he did is almost to be expected.; 10/17/14, 6:06 PM
Michael K said...: It's an interesting contrast to the story of Conrad Black.

Conrad Black, once one of the most powerful men in the media, has been talking to the BBC's Newsnight following his release from a Miami prison in May.

Having served just over three years for defrauding investors, he told interviewer Jeremy Paxman he was "proud" of the way he had handled his trial and imprisonment.

Note the scare quotes around proud. I read his book and he was totally innocent and was victimized by the famous Patrick Fitzgerald. He said he would never place himself in an place under US legal jurisdiction.

Abuse of laws seems to be common on both sides of the border. The Marine in Mexico makes three. Leaving a loaded gun in your car is a bit absent minded. As Oscar Wilde said about losing parents; losing one is a tragedy but losing both is irresponsible.; 10/17/14, 6:19 PM
Anonymous said...: The couple was at the border crossing, not dozens of miles or even yards inside Canada. Why didn't the guard just deny the couple entry into Canada, have them turn their vehicle around, and send them (literally) packing? They were treated as if pulling up to the border crossing is the same as leaving the US and entering Canada. I'd have thought until they cleared the entry point they were still in the US and subject to US law.; 10/17/14, 7:12 PM
The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...: Forgot it my ass. There's a belief among some middle-class, middle-aged, otherwise totally law-abiding, white Americans that they're not going to get searched going into Canada. And they're mostly right. I've known two couples who have driven with handguns through Canada on their way to Alaska. Not smart. Take the ferry and you can avoid customs and haul a freakin' arsenal with you if you're so inclined.; 10/17/14, 7:18 PM
Ann Althouse said...: Re "forgot," there's the old SNL routine of Steve Martin's:

"You.. can be a millionaire.. and never pay taxes! You can be a millionaire.. and never pay taxes! You say.. "Steve.. how can I be a millionaire.. and never pay taxes?" First.. get a million dollars. Now.. you say, "Steve.. what do I say to the tax man when he comes to my door and says, 'You.. have never paid taxes'?" Two simple words. Two simple words in the English language: "I forgot!" How many times do we let ourselves get into terrible situations because we don't say "I forgot"? Let's say you're on trial for armed robbery. You say to the judge, "I forgot armed robbery was illegal." Let's suppose he says back to you, "You have committed a foul crime. you have stolen hundreds and thousands of dollars from people at random, and you say, 'I forgot'?" Two simple words: Excuuuuuse me!!" "; 10/17/14, 9:01 PM
richardsson said...: Some Canadians I know in western Canada are fed up with the strict gun laws on Canadians, but I don't expect much to change. Most Canadians live in the Eastern time zone, well east of Thunder Bay-Duluth, and they are just fine with the gun laws. When you cross the border, you are asked about firearms, knives, tobacco, and liquor. The latter two are tax revenue questions. The other are public safety. If you are caught in a lie; big trouble as this couple found out. Also, be careful about speeding, especially on Ontario Province. The speed limits are in Kilometers and are very slow.; 10/17/14, 10:02 PM
richardsson said...: @ Lapetus, Nope. They weren't turned away because bringing a weapon into Canada is a serious crime and lying about it is another crime. The border guards are law enforcement officers and it is their sworn duty to enforce the law. To them, it's a big deal. Canada might look like Montana or North Dakota, but when you see that red and white maple leaf flag, you are in another country. This couple might have gotten away with it at a busy crossing such as International Falls or Somas, Washington, but not there.; 10/17/14, 10:27 PM
Smilin' Jack said...: The Crack Emcee said...
Please:

When my band toured Canada, they ALWAYS made us undress and other shit.

Just being treated like everyone else, yessiree,...

I hate to say this, but Crack is right about this. I have crossed into Canada many times with nothing more from the border guards than a "Welcome to Canada!" But now I have a black girlfriend, and every time we have driven or taken the train to Toronto we are pulled aside and searched. No problem on the return trip, though...guess American border guards know their only function now is protecting America from duty-free cigarettes.; 10/18/14, 12:43 AM
Unknown said...: Of course Crack MC refers to what was going on as "His band". Racial privilege.; 10/18/14, 4:12 AM
Mark said...: They did the same as if they found drugs, you cannot just ignore the rules because you are American and dumb.

And yes, Alan Markus, 'senior moments' while armed should be concerning. So often people drive cars well past the time they should, firearms no doubt are being carried by people with early onset Alzheimer's and Dementia, who will get confused and can get angry or violent.

Concerning.; 10/18/14, 8:00 AM
Original Mike said...: I crossed into Canada from Washington State in 1980. I was camping out west for a couple of months. Pathetic birder guard asked me a long list of questions. Finally, they got to
"Do you have any guys with you?"
"No".
"Do you own any guns?"
"No."
No guns at all???"
"No."
"Pull over there."

They then spent the next hour searching my car. At the end, they abruptly said, "You can go", and walked away, leaving me with the entire contents of my car spread all over the parking lot.

Assholes.

(Spell checker inserted "pathetic birder guard"); 10/18/14, 8:31 AM
Anonymous said...: My wife and I ended up at the crossing in Niagara Falls after foolishly following a demented navigation system programmed for the shortest route from south western NY state to Superior WI. After threading our way through some very narrow streets in Buffalo, (Did I mention we were in our 40' motor coach?) we squeezed into the border stop, Texas license plates and a NRA cap on the dashboard. "Do you have any firearms with you?" "Of course we do. We're from Texas." I replied. "Well you can't bring them into Canada." After offering to store them for us, a service we declined, they boarded our coach, located the three handguns, unloaded them, locked the guns in our safe and put the ammo in our ammo cabinet. They opened a gate and turned us around. Back to "gun friendly" NY where the presence of guns in our rolling home caused them to call in reinforcements to surround our coach but that's a story for another time.The Canadian border agents were earnest, polite and friendly. They even demonstrated a sense of humor when one came out with a water pistol and said "Here's one you didn't declare." And everyone broke out laughing.; 10/18/14, 8:35 AM
Jason said...: Crack: it's time we had a national conversation about the racism of the Deep North.; 10/18/14, 10:30 AM
Bryan Townsend said...: Many commentators have noted the insanity of this. As a Canadian, can I just add that puffed-up Gauleiter bureaucrats with guns have entirely too much power in Canada AND the US? Here is what a common-sense border officer should have said: "Sir, we found a gun underneath the seat of your car. What is your explanation? You know it is illegal to smuggle a gun into Canada? You forgot it was there? Well, since it is not legal for you to have a gun in Canada, we will just hang onto it until you leave. Have a nice day, now."; 10/18/14, 11:16 AM
Loren said...: I would point out that the article also says they drove across Minnesota, presumably with the gun under the seat. Unless he had a Minnesota permit to carry, or a permit of another state recognized by Minnesota, he was in violation of Minnesota law and could have been jailed here as well. Since he seems so clueless about the gun, and the article doesn't mention a permit, I doubt he had a permit from any state.; 10/20/14, 1:49 PM