How Hard is it to Spot an Illegal Canadian?

 

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham joked at a CNN town hall last week that he had “never met an illegal Canadian.”

Graham made the comments on Mar. 1, at a town hall with U.S. Senator John McCain. The pair had been asked about immigration to the U.S., and how they felt about families being separated by President Donald Trump’s position on immigration reform.

“Have you ever wondered why we’re not being overrun by illegal Canadians? We got two borders, one with Canada, one with Mexico. I’ve never met an illegal Canadian. They may be out there. I’ll go look for them,” Graham said, according to a CNN transcript of the event.

“People come in from poor countries to work here. Canadians come to Myrtle Beach. They enjoy themselves, they go swimming in March, and they go home. We’re glad to have them. Nobody else swims in March,” he continued.  

Author’s Note-– Myrtle Beach for the win, as that’s a sure fire way to spot a Canadian–as the ocean there would seem warm to us. Well heck it is isn’t it?

If Graham did some research he would find at least 90,000 Canadians have overstayed their visas in the USA. You would be surprised how many people meet someone online, fall in love, go visit and then just never leave. But, I think the majority of illegal Canadians are people who entered legally on a visitors visa and just never left–or they originally had a work visa but never renewed it.

 

Hey USA–You might know Canadians in your community and not ever realize it because we look, talk and act just like you. Don’t worry. You can spot ’em easy with those funny hats called toques and they’re also the ones saying “sorry” all the time.

Hint: If their names are Bob and Doug McKenzie, they just MIGHT be Canadian and Canadians are also the ones that put their shopping carts back in the cart corral when finished shopping.

I would point out you can also tell someone is from Canada because our well funded education system ensures by the time we get to university, we know the difference between “their”, “they’re” and “there”. Okay–well most of us!

Why would we go to the USA –as Canada is a great place to live. Let me put it this way: Canada is an “all inclusive” society and the U.S. is a “pay as you go” society. In Canada it’s like we prepaid for everything, and if you don’t need it you still pay for it– BUT the day you do need it is there.

Now with all this border scrutiny it’s easy to spot Canadians in the USA. They’re now the ones in a hurry with an anxious look on their face as they’re trying to get back to Canada. Unless you are in Florida, and don’t want to go back before it’s Spring.

 

 

 

The Canadian-born resident who came to the States prior to July 1924 had no worries. Those who arrived after that date sans proper documentation must leave the country and go through proper immigration channels or face deportation with no possibility of readmission to the USA.

The article reports that among those who were sent back to Canada to obtain proper documentation was an 18-month-old baby girl born in Montréal and adopted by a family in New Hampshire.  Read the rest here CLICK

 

Come and visit the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page– what’s there? Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read.

Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in Hometown News and now in The Townships Sun

 

Related Reading:

Do You Speak Lanark County Twang?

 

Was it the Germans Or UFO’s that Invaded the Ottawa Valley in 1915?

What Did British Immigrants Spend When They First Came to Canada?

 

Sorry, Canada isn’t Accepting American Refugees!

 

A few years ago I wrote a story about what Americans might expect if they moved to Canada when Obama won the election. Today, U.S. President Barack Obama said he would veto a Republican bill that would slow the process of bringing Syrian refugees into the country. Guess what? Our neighbours to the south of us are whispering about ROOTS parkas once again.

Whether threatening to move to Canada is meant to punish the U.S. or Canada is unclear, but it is a refrain Canadians have heard before. Actually, I am still dusting off a room waiting for the influx that said they’d move here if gay marriage was allowed in the US–even though gay marriage has been legal here for more than a decade!

If our southern neighbours bothered to read the news from outside their country — they’d know that Canada has also accepted Syrian refugees. So coming here isn’t going to make much difference, besides, you have to be pretty dense if you think you can just waltz across the border and settle here. Is it just me or does anybody else realize that they too would become refugees?

Has anyone broke the news of our gun laws to the American’s yet? Should we line the borders and beat them back with our health cards, or use the polar bears from our backyards?

Did you know 1 in every 100 adult Americans are in prison right now, and 1 in 3 have a criminal record. Americans kill more Americans each year in their own country than any terrorist in the same. Would we ever know if a gun nut might come across the border disguising themselves as a normal American?  Is it just me or is beginning to feel like the Alamo?

Honestly, the price of cigarettes alone will keep those folks down south–never mind our gun laws or single payer health care. My point is this – we are a nation of immigrants, and no matter how hard some of us complain if we are to defeat terrorism, we must take the high road.  Even at some risk, we must show the world our love and compassion, not our hatred and fear

So to the Americans that are quickly approaching the border—sorry all full up. Please feel free to apply somewhere else–try Mexico or Alaska. Genius has its limits but stupidity has none.

By the way– anyone from Florida or California coming? I will trade you homes for the winter!