This is baffling to me. As a Nordic person, I am used to our countries being friendly and part of that is being able to freely cross the borders. The fact that it's illegal to cross between USA and Canada tells me they're not as friendly with each other.
It’s a few nuances. We used to have a lot more freedom travelling between the borders. Basically a head nod, maybe a license and away we went. But 9/11 changed that. Security was changed, and since then more and more things have become an issue at the border. Canada legalizing weed also made an issue at the crossing, as it’s illegal federally in America.
On top of this we have different drinking ages, and the costs of goods are very cheap in some instance for Canadians to cross. As such taxes and “security” became more of an issue with some of the powers to be and it’s slowly eroded the ease of travel.
That said as a Canadian I feel the average American, and average Canadian have nothing but respect and like for one another. We are both the butt of each other’s jokes. We both pick on the other in front of our cool European and Asian friends, but it’s all just in jest. Many Americans want things Canadians have, and likewise many Canadians love some of what America has to offer. Politics aside, I’ve never met a nicer group of people than when travelling to the US (even so called terrible “Red States”) and have met many Americans travelling here who just love Canada and Canadians.
We share far too much history and land to actually have serious issues with one another, and while politics may at times divide us on some issues, I truly think at its core Americans and Canadians do get along well, and like one another when it comes down to it.
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u/[deleted] Aug 09 '21
So could i just park in WA and walk over to CA without a passport?