How hard is it to cross the Canada-U.S. border?

It can be a really easy experience or it may take a while. But if you have TB and you are on a list at the border, and your exposure is a significant health concern for everyone around you, hopefully crossing would be a hard task.

We all know by now the story of Andrew Speaker, who flew from Italy to Montreal and drove across the border at Champlain, NY rather than stay where he was or fly into the United States directly.

Forgotting the health issues and the inherent stubbornness, it actually was clever to enter the U.S. the way he did. When I first found out he flew to Canada and then made it across to the U.S., I assumed he flew to Toronto. I wasn't sure of any flight histories between Canada and Italy, but figured Toronto was the logical choice.

Perhaps Speaker, anticipating that pressure would be higher in Toronto and major crossings (e.g., Detroit/Windsor, Niagara Falls) would also have more pressure, picked an end-around, and found a city where it was less likely that he would be found, and a border crossing more likely to let him go through easily.

Being a personal injury lawyer might make it easier for him to seem cool at a border crossing. At the last crossing into Canada, I got asked how much money I had on me. And I didn't have TB.

Here at Canadian Corner, we have always subscribed to the idea that you never lie at customs, but how often are you asked, "Do you have a communicable disease?"

The thing to learn from this is that if you need to cross and not be caught, pick an obscure crossing area. Don't pick the Peace Bridge. Port Huron and Detroit are out. But you didn't hear that from us.