Here's some food for thought concerning the new Canadian border boating policy.
Just because tournament anglers may call in when they cross the international line doesn't mean the process will be smooth. Canada may, and routinely does, deny entry to persons convicted of offenses. For example, U.S. citizens convicted of a DUI, DWI, misdemeanor drug possession, shoplifting and other excludable offenses are typically turned away at automobile customs checks. The background checks are instantaneous because records are now computerized, and the turnarounds shocked citizens who'd regularly visited Canada for decades – especially when the offenses were as much as 20 years old.
Boaters and co-anglers should thus have private, frank discussions about their backgrounds if Canadian water is an option during a tournament day.
