OSOYOOS TIMES-October 7, 2009
It’s doubtful that anyone looks forward to the check-in process involved with crossing the Canada-U.S. border anywhere along the 49th Parallel.
Even prior to the September 11 terrorist attacks, for many people, vacation or shopping plans south of the border were tempered by the possibility of encountering a surly border guard or being pulled over for a vehicle search.
It’s just a necessary step in passing from this country to that and back.
In recent years, the act of crossing the border has become even more unpleasant at times, as Canada, and especially the U.S., have tightened security at land, sea and air ports of entry.
And this June, new requirements came into effect requiring anyone looking to enter the U.S. to have a passport or other U.S.-government-approved identification document.
Statistics Canada and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) data have shown that the passport requirement has led to decreased cross-border travel, at least over the summer.
So making the act of crossing from the U.S. into Canada even more miserable doesn’t make much sense.
Long Canada-bound lines at the Osoyoos border crossing can’t be good for communities on either side of the boundary.
The prospect of going to Oroville to run 15 minutes worth of errands only to face a 45-minute wait in line to return to Osoyoos is not a pleasant one and it’s likely more than one person has decided to forego the hassle.
At the same time, our American cousins who want to enjoy an evening in Osoyoos probably don’t relish the idea of spending the same amount of time it takes them to have a meal here sitting in a lineup at the border.
All of us have likely experienced a long line at the border while waiting to re-enter Canada and it’s becoming more and more of an issue here.
In addition to recent complaints about wait times that would seem to suit the Lower Mainland more than here, the topic of troublesome border lines came up at a summit on Osoyoos’s economic development in April.
Obviously there’s a problem.
The CBSA has, without question, a tough job.
But it needs to find a better way to manage traffic flow at the border or people and businesses are going to suffer on either side of the line.
If staffing shortages are behind the problem, then hire and train enough people to cover busy periods at the crossing.
Surely there has to be enough cash out there to bring on one or two more full or part-time guards, especially with the money being spent to provide security for the upcoming Olympic Games in Vancouver.
And speaking of which, what kind of lines can we expect when more and more people start pouring into the province at all its border crossings once the games get underway?
Maybe it’d be best to fly.
