Reply #39: Yes, I have or at least think I have. It was in 1998.

[sinkingfeeling]

My sister, BIL, son (28 at the time) and I had been in Seattle and had booked passage on the ferry to Victoria, BC. When we arrived, my son and I were pulled from the line after handing over our US passports. I was not allowed to notify my sister and brother-in-law in a different line that anything was happening.

We were taken to a different room and they asked to see our US drivers' licenses. I thought it was related to some of the visa stamps in our passports from Latin American countries and the fact that my son's appearance at the time was awful. He had a beard and was grubby and might have been mistaken for a drug runner or something.

In the end, I think it was because Mike's drivers' license was expired. How they knew that up front by looking at the passport, I don't know.

Anyway, after about an hour, we were let in. As soon as I saw my sister, I broke into tears and said I wanted to go back to the USA. They had been looking all over for us and were angry because we had pre-arranged transportation to the hotel, which we missed. We had to get a cab and the cab driver said that Canada had gotten tired of all the hassles on the US side of their people. I cried all the way into town and swore I wasn't going to spend a dime in Canada. It ruined our vacation. It took me two days to finally get over it and smile again.

Since then, I have made about 3 other trips to Canada with no problems. But I also didn't have my son with me! Had a very nice time in Nova Scotia last September.

Canada, you have the right to do whatever you want, but you hurt my feelings.