Last weekend was the Oyster Run in Washington State and it had a fairly good turn out. News got to the boarder that an armed and dangerous person was headed to the Canada boarder. What did the Canadian custom's people do??? They walked out on their posts!! This will get things going--------Are all Canadian boneless??
Backed up the border for hours. The armed and dangerous person never showed up.

quote:

Are all Canadian boneless??

Nice. You might want to get all your facts before you start slinging insults.

FYI, Canadian border guards are NOT permitted to pack sidearms. They walked off the job to make that point. Because they are an "essential service" it is not legal for them to strike (or walk off the job) except if they are in imminent personal danger. They were just waiting for an opportunity to use that clause to make their point that they should be armed. As I understand, it was one of the first opportunities since they decided to take job action, for a group of them to make the point together (the reported fleeing armed and dangerous character could have been reasonable forseen attempting a crossing at at least three border crossings fairly close to each other).

FWIW, as much as I frequently disagree with our government, I am 100% on board with the border guards on this one. They should be packing....hell, they are expected to search and sieze drug shipments, stop felons/criminals fleeing the US, etc, etc, etc. I am sure you will agree. Your border guards are armed to the teeth, as it should be. A brief anecdote on the topic...a few months ago, I was crossing into Montana with my GF to pick up a parcel at a shipping outlet. She was driving. We had been hiking together on the Canadian side prior to this and I had left my wallet in my day pack, in the back of her vehicle. When we were asked for ID by the US Border Guards, I said something like "Oops, I left it in my pack in the back of the vehicle", then I opened my door and stepped out of the vehicle to go grab it. Before I could take a step, two guards had their sidearms drawn, pointing directly at my chest and they demanded I get back in the car immediately. Of course, I then said "Sorry...wasn't thinking...". They let us through without any further incident, but my point is, that is how it should be. Our Canadian border guards don't guard at all. If someone wanted through, they could just walk through....

So now to the real question....are all yankees from the Pac NW boneheads?


Canuck

I have my facts in line. Those guards are on duty every day. If they are permitted to walk out whenever they feel like it, then you would think it would happen every day. Unless you can tell us when they might be in harms way. There is a potential flare up at the boarder every day. They call them boarder GUARDS for some reason.
In Kuwait we had guards on duty at the boarder with weapons but no ammo. They did't turn tail and run at news there could be trouble. Maybe those boarder guards should switch to crosswalks.

I maintain my point (and added a brief anecdote above to reinforce it).

Our border guards have been unsuccessfully lobbying for YEARS to get sidearms. I absolutely agree that they should have them. They decided to do something about it besides complain, and they picked an opportunity to do it. They did NOT turn tail and run at news there could be trouble. It was strategic job action to make a point. Other than inconveniencing some cross border business, commuters and tourists, it did no harm nor did it jeopardize national security.

Like you said...there are potential flare ups everyday. And yet they do not walk off every day. They waited for an issue that would allow more than one of them to make their point as a group (as I clarified above).

FWIW, your points above reinforce my POV more than they support your contention that all Canucks are yella.

If you prefer to believe that this incident had anything to do with the purported "armed and dangerous" dude fleeing to Canada, other than providing an opportunity for the guards to make their point about sidearms, then by all means fill your boots. Its your right.

Canuck

You are right all the way around. I work at SeaTac International Airport and do work in the Custom's area several times a year. It is a tough job that I would never like to do. The guards at the boarders are forever looking for the potential hazzards and it is one job I would never like. No dis-respect intended to you or any other Canadian. Hell my boss is from Canada and I don't hold that against him. By the way, This is not the first time they walked out when there was a chance of potential danger. Boneless----maybe. Brave-----maybe. Canadian------for sure!

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Boneless----maybe. Brave-----maybe. Canadian------for sure!

And poorly equipped/trained to deal with threats to thier physical well being and/or national security------for sure!!!

I definitely don't contend that they are all brave! They hire way too many High School/College kids for my liking. While it can still be fun to flirt with the pretty young border girls in the summmer, it doesn't give you a warm fuzzy about our national security. I think Canada has been taking this "longest undefended border" thing too literally for way too long. Its your first line of defence against any undesired element entering your country, and the guards should be properly outfitted and prepared to use whatever force is necessary to protect our entry points, and to assist the US in cases where terrorists may try to transit our country to the US.

Cheers,
Canuck

They should be armed and trained pure and simple. And if they were, I have every confidence they would do their job. I can understand why they walked off... I don't like it, but what else are they supposed to do? Alerted with the information that an armed whack job was heading for the border and deciding to stand your post unarmed is not bravery, that would be stupidity.

Thank you Brian. I am in full agreement with what Canuck has posted. I think that the boarder guards should be armed, and that they, as well as all law enforcement officers should be harried far less than they are when they have to actually use "force" to restrain an individual. If the individual didn't pose a threat to them, the public, or to themselves, the police would not have to use force. I have a sister in law that works as a boarder guard and she is not nearly big enough to knock the sense into anyone who is bent on illegal activity. ARM THE OFFICERS AND DON'T MAKE THEM FILL OUT A FORM EVERY TIME THEY HAVE TO DRAW!!
Regards,
Graham

A boarder is somebody who rents a room.
Walking off the job is how our over paid, under worked, unionized, civil servants repel boarders.
We do have Canadian Customs types whose primary purpose is to collect duties and taxes. Arming them would be an enormously expensive disaster. They would be extremely dangerous with any firearm. Law enforcement types they ain't.

Shouldn't this be in the political forum?? I came here to read about Canadian hunting, now my blood is boiling.

the chef

They are pretty!

I drove across at Port Huron last summer, then upper Vermont this summer.

Both cases, attractive young girls.

Although they did make me jump through some hoops.

Oh well.

flaco

quote:

Boneless----maybe. Brave-----maybe. Canadian------for sure!

Now there we have the response of a very intelligent individual.