Ohhhhh Canada

CANADIAN/US BORDER CHECKPOINT – Yesterday while driving on I-91 we attempted to drive MARV over an imaginary line in North America. I say “attempted’ as we were refused entry. Over the past week we’ve mentioned (here & here) our plans to cross the border and meet fellow fans of freedom at meetups in Montreal, Toronto and Windsor and over the weekend at the Liberty Summer Seminar but alas, armed border bureaucrats prevented that from happening.

Below is the timeline of what Jason and I experience as we rolled MARV toward the Canadian border checkpoint. Note that it’s written in third-person to mitigate confusion and that the times are noted to the best of our knowledge.

• 2:45pm – Jason was driving MARV north on I-91. Pete was videotaping from the passenger seat. The border bureaucrat asked the standard length/purpose of the visit and inspected their passports. The border bureaucrat asked Jason to drive forward to the bays and park their vehicle (MARV) and exit the vehicle.
• 2:50pm – Jason parked MARV and he and Pete exited as instructed. Pete was still recording. The distance from where MARV was parked to the building was a couple hundred feet and after traversing about halfway Jason and Pete were met by two border bureaucrats who informed them that they could not film inside. The border bureaucrats then added that filming was not allowed outside either. Pete turned off the camera and walked inside with Jason while the border bureaucrats walked to MARV.
• 2:55pm – Jason and Pete walked to the counter. They were questioned about the states in which they had lived, the purpose for their visit, etc. This information was marked on a form.
• 3:00pm – The two female border bureaucrats (who could be seen out the floor-to-ceiling window) were joined by at least three male border bureaucrats.
• 3:20pm – Border bureaucrat #17252 beckoned Jason and Pete outside and asked them what the pills in a pill organizer were. Pete stated that they were his and that they were amino acid pills and vitamins. Jason inquired about the suspension of rights he and Pete were experiencing at the border, noting that they did not consent to the search. The male border bureaucrat said “according to the Charter” they had such authority and that our rights were not being violted. Pete then asked “Well what if the Charter said people’s rights were suspended not just at the border but 100 miles or 1,000 miles from the border? Would that be just?” Pete was not answered.
• 3:45pm – Box with Alliance of the Libertarian Left literature was brought inside and set on a table behind the counter.
• 4:00pm – Jason was led to the Interrogation Room #127 by border bureaucrat #17252, a large man who ran his hands up and down Jason’s body including his bathing suit area. But according to Canada his rights were not being violated.
• 4:10pm – Pete was also led into Interrogation Room #127 by border bureaucrat #17252. Once inside the room he was ordered to turn around and face the wall, interlace his fingers and place them on his head. He was instructed to take one step away from the wall, bend his left knee and look left while the male border bureaucrat placed his leg in-between Pete’s legs and held his fingers/hands with one hand while searching/patting/groping Pete with his other hand. This procedure was repeated to the right as well. Pete was then asked again about the pills and and about firearms on-board. Pete repeated the same info re: the pills and stated that there were no firearms nor ammunition in the vehicle.
• 4:15pm – A female border bureaucrat climbed MARV’s ladder and searched the top of the RV.
• 4:30pm – Pete, Jason and Ryan’s personal laptops and Pete’s laptop bag were brought inside. Pete and Jason were asked if the laptops were password protected. Jason replied in the affirmative and was asked to key it in. Jason inquired about the penalty for not doing so and was told that his laptop would then be seized and that they “will use force if the password isn’t given.” Realizing they just wanted an excuse to seize their computers, Jason entered his code displaying this image on the desktop. The laptops were opened and set-out. Pete and Jason asked what they were being held for. They were told that it was for potentially “heinous propaganda” or porn. A definition for “heinous propaganda” was asked for but Jason and Pete were told they could look it up in a dictionary. Jason asked for the border bureaucrats’ names but was told they would only give badge numbers (which were not badges in the traditional sense but were black rectangular patches with the numbers in yellow sewn in them). Border bureaucrat #17258 then walked away and only after asked a second time by Jason for the badge numbers of the border bureaucrats that searched MARV were they provided. The badge given for those that were involved in this stop included: #13731,# 17252, #17258, #17287, #18722, #20803.
• 4:50pm – Jason stated that “We have a meetup at 7pm in Montreal. Are we going to be able to that?” “Probably” border bureaucrat #17258 responded.
• 5:10pm – Border bureaucrat #17252 laid on the pavement to search MARV.
• 5:18pm – Jason asked “Are you in charge of me being here or am I free to go?” Border bureaucrat checked the computer. Border bureaucrat #17258 then walked in. Jason repeated his question.
• 5:26pm – Pete stood at the counter and saw border bureaucrat #17225 search for information on he and Jason. She first loaded a “InfoConnect (sp?)” site then went to the Motorhome Diaries homepage. Later she visited the Free State Blogs site.
• 5:33pm – Jason asked border bureaucrat #25348 if he could get the keys for MARV. He was informed that “The search is not done yet.”
• 5:38pm – Jason informed Pete “They’re waiting for a dog handler.”
• 5:39pm – Border bureaucrat #17225 on computer noticed Pete was watching her cyber-stalking of us. Pete then noticed that along with handcuffs, an ASP and other items, she had a paperwork stamp on her utility belt.
• 5:40pm – Jason inquires about who is in charge. Pete asks if they’re free to go. They were told by the head border bureaucrat “You’re not prisoners” to which Pete responded “But we’re not free to go?” which went unanswered.
• 5:41pm – Border bureaucrat #17225 looked at the itinerary on the Motorhome Diaries homepage.
• 5:42pm – Power surge in building. All electronics reset.
• 5:44pm – Border bureaucrat #17258, waved her hand at Jason and Pete, who were seated 20′ away. Pete asked “What?” and border bureaucrat #17258 said “Is it [the camera] on?” Pete replied in the negative, noting that the camera lens was closed.
• 5:50pm – Jason sent out his first Tweet to update about the situation: “At the Canadian Border for 3+ hours. Vehicle searched. Video deleted. K9 called. Still waiting to be released. #MHD”
• 5:51pm – Jason sent out his second Tweet: “I’m told that Miguel Begin, supervisor of agent 17258 who is holding us here, can be reached at 819.876.7821 x112 #FR33 #MHD“
• 5:54pm – Border bureaucrat #17225 was still pouring through content on the Motorhome Diaires homepage. Border bureaucrat #17258, who had been eating, received a phone call then hurriedly walked outside to MARV.
• 6:15pm – K-9 arrived. Handler later learned to be border bureaucrat #17265.
• 6:30pm – K-9 brought to search a SUV parked nearby.
• 6:35pm – Pete asked if he could go to MARV to get some food, noting that he hadn’t eaten for four hours. He was instructed to wait because the K-9 search was in progress.
• 6:38pm – K-9 brought back to MARV for a second run-through.
• 6:43pm – Four guys whom Jason and Pete had been talking with, who’s SUV had just been searched, were allowed to leave. They were driving from Connecticut and still had over three hours to drive, which meant they now had to set-up their tent in the dark. They stated to Pete “Remember to tell them [MHD readers], they searched our vehicle because we had rolling papers.” On the way back to their vehicle the four said “Hello!” to a border bureaucrat searching another care nearby. They got no response.
• 6:46pm – Pete allowed to go to MARV to get food.
• 7:00pm – Border bureaucrat #17225 did a Google image search for Motorhome Diaries containing photos of the people we’ve met along our trip.
• 7:2opm – Jason was instructed to accompany two border bureaucrats back to Interrogation Room #127. He was told to leave his phone and the video camera behind. Jason then grabbed his pen and paper to take notes and asked if he was going to be grouped again.
• 7:44pm – Jason returned to the waiting area.
• 7:45pm – Pete was instructed to accompany the same border bureaucrats to Interrogation Room #127. There, it was explained to him by border bureaucrat #17225 that there are two reasons why they can deny people entry into Canada: due to goods that are prohibited/deemed hazardous and due to immigration reasons. Pete was told that early on the border bureaucrats believed they would deny him and Jason entry due to the former reason, but that after searching for Motorhome Diaries online and they found it was “not as heinous as we thought at the beginning.” Pete was told that “We [the border bureaucrats] were given reasons to go further [hold Pete and Jason and continue the investigation].” Border bureaucrat specifically mentioned the “flyer that talked about escape” [one of the topics covered by an Alliance for the Libertarian Left pamphlet] and the “anarchist signs.” The border bureaucrat then explained that, per the immigration rationale, Pete was being detained due to 36.2.c of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, which notes that entry can be denied due to “committing an act outside Canada that is an offence [sic] in the place where it was committed and that, if committed in Canada, would constitute an indictable offence [sic] under an Act of Parliament.” The acts that were referenced came from a FBI print-out (ID #MS05956188) that noted that Pete had been charged in Jones County Mississippi for possession of beer in a dry county. On that document (which Pete was shown but not allowed to keep) that lone offense was listed as the charge. There was one statute cited. Yet in the remarks both this charge and “possession of firearms across state lines” was noted. Pete pointed out that there was only one statute listed, which obviously wasn’t applicable to two charges, underscoring his point that he was only charged with one thing – the possession of beer in a dry county. Pete further explained that, while deputies of the Jones County Sheriff’s Department had threatened to involve the ATF in the case due to his firearms but that he was never charged for them, and that he had could prove as much by getting the Appearance Bond out of MARV that he received when he was released from the Jones County Adult Detention Facility. Border bureaucrat #17225 responded that she was going by what the FBI printout noted. Pete encouraged her to call the Jones County Adult Detention Facility (who’s number was listed on the sheet) but #17225 declined. Pete noted that he had only been charged, not convicted and noted that the burden was on the State to prove him guilty. He was told “No. The burden for this is on your shoulders.” Pete was told that if he is found guilty in Jones County then after five years pass after the end of that sentence he can petition the consulate for permission to enter Canada or he could wait ten years (if it’s the only accusation during those ten years) and it would be expunged. The border bureaucrat #17225 noted that in her previous conversation with Jason she had been told that some friends of friends knew some people in Canadian government and that if and when Pete and Jason attempted to cross the border again it would help their chances to have an invitation from such people. Pete was also told that if he and Jason had a different image -  “If you wore a tie” – they likely wouldn’t’ have been questioned/investigated so heavily. Pete was presented with a document that had been printed out. It cited “Paragraph 42(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.” Border bureaucrat #17258 had signed under the statement that read “I am allowing you to withdraw your application to enter Canada and to leave Canada without delay.” Pete was told that he could sign under the statement “I hereby voluntarily withdraw my application to enter Canada and agree to leave Canada without delay.” He asked what the punishment for refusal to sign was and was informed that it would be noted in his file but would not increase any other penalties. Pete refused to sign.
• 8:05pm – Pete allowed to leave Interrogation Room.
• 8:06pm – Pete and Jason were told that as they were denied entry into Canada they would have to return to the United States. They got into MARV, made a U-turn, stopped by the side of the building where they had spent over four hours, and Pete walked inside as instructed to pick up their property that had been brought inside. There, he was told by border bureaucrat #17225 that “You guys have a following online. I don’t. I don’t want to see my name on your site. I am working for the government.” Pete responded, “You voluntarily took your job. You chose to enforce these codes. They [governments] can write whatever they want on pieces of paper but ultimately it’s the individual that acts, that chooses to enforce such policies, and therefore that individual is accountable for their actions.” This went back and forth until Jason, who had been waiting outside in MARV, came inside, intervened, and encouraged Pete to help him carry their property back to MARV and hit the road.

Held at 107 I-91: The U.S. border checkpoint

• 8:10pm – As Jason and Pete drive the quarter mile separating the Canadaian and American border checkpoints they realized their freedom of movement may again be restricted.
• 8:15pm – Using his laptop, Pete give a brief overview of their situation as they neared the checkpoint, in line behind a few other vehicles.
• 8:20pm – When at the checkpoint Jason, the driver, was asked the usual questions. He passed over his and Pete’s passports and the print-outs that they had been given by the Canadian border bureaucrats. Jason was then instructed to pull into one of the stalls on the side, park and come inside to “answer a few questions.” Jason and Pete complied. Upon walking inside Jason, who was carrying his laptop in his messenger bag, was ordered to bring it to a border bureaucrat for inspection “To make sure you don’t have any weapons in there to kill us.” No weapons were found.
• 8:25pm – Jason, sitting inside in the waiting area opened his laptop and was immediately ordered to close it. Pete checked the time on his phone and was ordered to hand it over to the American border bureaucrat. Jason was ordered to do the same.
• 8:40pm – Jason approached a border bureaucrat and noted that we hadn’t eaten in quite some time and wondered when he and Pete would be free to go. “Soon” was the response.
• 8:45pm – Pete and Jason were asked for their drivers licenses, which they stated were inside MARV. Two border bureaucrats accompanied Pete and Jason and they found their government-issued ID. One border bureaucrat remained outside the vehicle looking in through the open door while a second went inside with the pair. Jason found his ID and handed it over. It took Pete a couple of minutes to locate his ID due to the search done by the Canadian border bureaucrats but eventually he found it and handed it over. Both Jason and Pete attempted to leave but the border bureaucrat remained on-board and started rifling through paperwork left out by the previous search. Pete and Jason were instructed to stand in front of the vehicle. About five minutes later Pete asked if he could get his hoodie, sitting on the passenger seat. The border bureacurat outside communicated the request to the border bureaucrat on-board and the sweatshirt was handed to Pete. A few minutes later the border bureaucrat on-board apparently satisfied, the four walked back to the building where more time passed as border bureaucrats poured over their documents and their information databases.
• 9:05pm – Pete and Jason were allowed to leave. They vowed to continue their search for freedom.