Monthly Archives: January 2019

Cannabis, Medical Marijuana and the Canadian Visitor to the United States of America

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“But Officer I Have a Prescription”

In a previous article entitled, “Bill C-45: The Cannabis Act and the Canadian Visitor to the United States”, I discussed the then proposed legislation and the potential impact of the legalization of “marijuana” on the Canadian Visitor to the United States of America. Since then, of course, we have seen the passage of the legislation which makes Canada the first country of the G7 nations to legalize both medical and recreational cannabis. Since coming into effect in October 2018, there continues to be concerns expressed by some “Snowbirds” and other travelers to the U.S., to what degree, if any, an admission to CBP agent that the traveler has “used” marijuana either recreationally or medically, will have on his or her admission into the United States. I decided to examine the issue more closely, particularly, after a close friend reported that on his most recent attendance at a U.S. port of entry, (January 2019) he was asked “out of the blue” by a U.S. CBP agent, among the several perfunctory questions, “Do you have a prescription for medical marijuana? READ ON

Air Travel and the Canadian Visitor to the United States of America

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As frequent extended visitors to the United States of America, (affectionately referred to as “Snowbirds”) it is not uncommon for my wife and I to drive to our destination (in our case, Palm Springs) and fly back to Canada from time to time for various reasons. For example, we routinely return to Canada for the Christmas season and return down south in early January. This is typical for a lot of our Snowbird friends. Occasionally, it becomes necessary to voluntarily cancel or change a flight, which depending on the circumstances can have some severe financial consequences. More often, flight cancellations or extended delays are encountered, which unfortunately occurred on our most recent return visit back to Canada. It is therefore prudent for the frequent flying “Snowbird” to be aware of the “rules” relating to air travel to and from the U.S. and the implications that these exigent circumstances might create. Hopefully this article will provide some valuable information and provide some guidance for future air travel for the Canadian Visitor to the United States of America.

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The Car Rental Agreement and the Canadian Visitor to the United States of America

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The Canadian Visitor to the United States of America may occasionally find it necessary to rent an automobile for a short period of time, typically when arriving at a destination American airport or for the occasional trip within the U.S. The rental car company agent will invariably try to offer (or better stated try to convince you of the need for) car rental insurance, both in terms of liability insurance and car loss or damage or replacement coverage (CDW/LDW), which when added up, can easily double the cost of the daily car rental. As we typically have our own automobile insurance in Canada, we will often decline the coverages with the expectation that we are fully covered in the event of an accident. I have often walked away from the car rental counter after getting the keys to the rental vehicle with a “nagging” feeling, often wondering whether or not that is truly the case. I decided for my own edification to examine the issue. Hopefully others will benefit my analysis and feel more comfortable when “pressed” at the car rental agency to make the decision of whether or not to initial that box on the car rental agreement which states “Coverage Declined”. READ ON

The Plight Of the Genealogical Inquirer(2019)

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I have always enjoyed history. By definition, genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and documenting their history for the benefit of future generations. So it was quite natural for me to take an interest in this subject. As a result, I have from time to time researched and documented my own family history, at first, for what purpose, I wasn’t exactly sure. I found it very interesting and often exhilarating as you made a new discovery but also frustrating, as you track down numerous dead ends. In my research, I came across an article which explains the “plight” of the genealogical inquirer and “why” we take up such an endeavour as to research our ancestry.  Read on