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Did Chicago Lose Olympic Bid Due To US Passport Control?
An anonymous reader writes "Yesterday, Chicago lost its bid for the 2016 Olympics (which went to Rio de Janeiro instead), and it's looking very likely that US border procedures were one of the main factors which knocked Chicago out of the race: 'Among the toughest questions posed to the Chicago bid team this week in Copenhagen was one that raised the issue of what kind of welcome foreigners would get from airport officials when they arrived in this country to attend the Games. Syed Shahid Ali, an I.O.C. member from Pakistan, in the question-and-answer session following Chicago's official presentation, pointed out that entering the United States can be "a rather harrowing experience." ... The exchange underscores what tourism officials here have been saying for years about the sometimes rigorous entry process for foreigners, which they see as a deterrent to tourism.'"
We once took pride in saying we were a melting pot of nations (racism aside).
Yeah, but that was before we realized that the tired, poor, huddled masses yearning to breathe free might take our jobs!
Guilty of having more holidays than her?
Requiem for the American Dream
It's not that bad. The U.S. threatened to tighten the Canada/U.S. border with the claims you describe.
The trouble is that Canada depends on trade with the U.S., so when faced with the option of tightening up the ten or so major international airports v.s. the 49th parallel, the great lakes seaway and Quebec/New England states, Canada opted for the former.
So now Canadian border guards also ask stupid questions, but they're less overworked, better educated, better trained and better paid, so they tend to be more sane about border crossings. You still get checked carefully at Canada/U.S. border crossings if you don't have Canadian ID... and it's not quite so easy to get over the 49th as people might think. Sure you can throw a backpack on at night and walk along a dirt road for a while, but people do look for that sort of thing, and you have to know the area really well and blend in so as to pick the right place to cross and not upset the land owners.
Terrorist: "Hello Greyhound, you drive busses right?"
Greyhound: "Yep"
Terrorist: "I want to go to this place."
Greyhound: "Is that a satellite photo?"
Terrorist: "no, Google maps"
Greyhound: "What's it called? that place?"
Terrorist: "Canada"
Greyhound: "No the place on the map"
Terrorist: "It's a place in Canada, near the U.S. border, how do I get there?"
Greyhound: "I think you can take the bus to Sherbrooke and find a taxi maybe, but it will be expensive"
Terrorist: "Take me to this place on the map.
Taxi driver: "Pardon? Ques-ce Anglais, Pourquois? Ou?"
Terrorist: "Eee Cee?"
Taxi driver: "Ou?"
Terrorist: "Tabernac!"
Taxi driver: "We have er, English, er where is the um map?"
Terrorist: "I am travelling to the U.S. to do nefarious things, like... I'm not quite sure, but I'll know when I get there, and I won't be able to get into the country because... umm, because... I don't know why exactly, but I decided to walk the Appelacian trail or something"
Taxi driver: "oh kay!"
Point is, if you know enough to get over the border through a backcountry crossing, you're probably not going to be stopped by the U.S. border guards anyway.