Obama proposes fee for Canadian visitors to the U.S.

Obama proposes fee for Canadian visitors to the U.S.

www.ctv.ca

Canadians visiting the U.S. may soon have to pay for it.

U.S. President Barack Obama is proposing a $5.50 "passenger inspection fee" for Canadians. The proposal is contained in the 2012 draft budget he submitted to Congress on Monday.

Until now, visitors from Canada -- as well as from Mexico and selected Caribbean countries -- have enjoyed a waiver from the fee. But Obama's budget blueprint notes that charging the fee to Canadians would add millions to U.S. government coffers and would help offset the costs of increasingly intensive air-passenger inspections.

The charge would apply

(visit the link for the full news article)

I must admit I don't like this, but I can see the reasons behind it. Here in Canada there is a fee for EVERYTHING so this is just another fee and does not surprise me. Judging by the figures mentioned in the article this would certainly create some revenue for the Americans. I wonder if this was part of what they discussed during the meeting last week with Stephen Harper. I thought the meeting was supposed to promote easier trade and security. I can see this causing a slight nuisance paying this fee each time a Canadian crosses into the USA.

www.ctv.ca
(visit the link for the full news article)

I never travel to the US... I only have twice but this will assure that I never go again. I don't like it... In reading the article, it seems to me that this new "fee" might be being brought in to cover the cost of the information sharing that the DHS now requests on Canadian citizens before they are allowed to enter the police nation... I mean USA...

We have to pay half of that to cross a bridge (one-way), which takes us to the other side of town. $5 to cross into another country. I think that's fairly reasonable. Would this be implemented at both the northern and southern borders?

reply to post by TheSparrowSings


I have a feeling this fee is going to cause many Canadians to vacation at home instead of a trip south just out of principal. As a potential tourist this fee would make me feel that the money I would spend in their country is not important to them. They can keep the fee and I will keep my money.

hopefully they get charged double coming from windsor. payback for all the trash you guys leave during your christmas shopping trips, or whenever your in town for a hockey game.

Why not make it an even $100 that should make thing a lot better.

Originally posted by Corruption Exposed
I must admit I don't like this, but I can see the reasons behind it. Here in Canada there is a fee for EVERYTHING so this is just another fee and does not surprise me. Judging by the figures mentioned in the article this would certainly create some revenue for the Americans.

I was in the States three times last year...Cape Cod, Erie PA, and New Orleans, and I spent a pile more than $5.50 X 3. I might add that a good deal of that went into depressed economies. Note to Obama...pi$$ me off with this nickle and dime nonsense and I'll keep my dough in the Great White North!

And yes...I will send that letter.

reply to post by WishForWings


I am guessing from your avatar that you are from the UK. I have heard of the toll roads out there. I have also been through a few in the USA. I hear there are some of these toll roads in Canada but I have never seen one and I have been coast to coast.

I try and think that our high tax rate would cover road maintenance versus having to charge the citizens a fee each time they need to cross the bridge.

...countdown until someone proves this will hurt more than it helps


....3....2.....1.....

this guys just refuses to accept that there is a huge elephant in the room swallowing this country piece by piece

WE NEED LESS GOVERNMENT SPENDING NOT MORE CIVIL FEES

Originally posted by Corruption Exposed
reply to post by WishForWings

 

I am guessing from your avatar that you are from the UK. I have heard of the toll roads out there. I have also been through a few in the USA. I hear there are some of these toll roads in Canada but I have never seen one and I have been coast to coast.

I try and think that our high tax rate would cover road maintenance versus having to charge the citizens a fee each time they need to cross the bridge.

We have a toll road in Ontario...the 407...and the idiot Tories under Mike Harris actually sold it to a Spanish consortium!
It skips past Toronto, and I only use it occasionally.

reply to post by Corruption Exposed

I feel the same way...that is the reason I stay away from Alberta for vacations! They have their stupid tourist tax on everything. I don't mind renting a cabin for the kids to have fun at for the summer and let these stupid govt's rot in their "good" ideas.

reply to post by JohnnyCanuck


I usually stick to the 401 while in that area, I will make sure to avoid the 407.

Thanks for the heads up

I wonder what he will charge for visitors from Kenya?
Does this only apply to Canadians?
Way to keep people from coming here legally Obama......

reply to post by JohnnyCanuck


that sounds similar to a story I read about a few months ago (fall 2010 i believe) about a toll road in Arizona that was being managed by an overseas Chinese firm, I'll see if I can find it

U.S. - "I'll hold them down, you grab his wallet"

Originally posted by Corruption Exposed
reply to post by JohnnyCanuck

 

I usually stick to the 401 while in that area, I will make sure to avoid the 407.
Thanks for the heads up

Not to derail the thread, but if you are ever sitting on the 401 in rush hour, you'll rethink that, even at about 23 cents/km.

Originally posted by all answers exist
that sounds similar to a story I read about a few months ago (fall 2010 i believe) about a toll road in Arizona that was being managed by an overseas Chinese firm, I'll see if I can find it

This is worse, because the profits go overseas instead of to the government...at a fire sale price, no less.

But I digress...

reply to post by adifferentbreed


The article says that...

Until now, visitors from Canada -- as well as from Mexico and selected Caribbean countries -- have enjoyed a waiver from the fee.

that sounds about right, charge the ones who come here legal and don't cuase any trouble.
and let all the illegal riff raff come in for free

It's important to understand why this is happening
Obama obviously read Justin Bieber's comments about America and got pissed!

The Canadian-born Bieber never plans on becoming an American citizen. "You guys are evil," he jokes. "Canada's the best country in the world." He adds, "We go to the doctor and we don't need to worry about paying him, but here, your whole life, you're broke because of medical bills. My bodyguard's baby was premature, and now he has to pay for it. In Canada, if your baby's premature, he stays in the hospital as long as he needs to, and then you go home."

www.rollingstone.com...

Lol and read the comments on that page
Hil-A-Rious!!!!

In any case I don't see this as a big deal, $5 is alot, but what i'm worried is that this fee will surely increase

reply to post by Corruption Exposed


Fees = Socialism
Over the next 2 years Obama will propose fees for everything.
Capitalists call it death by 1,000 cuts.