Hi Graeme. I sit stateside about 50 miles from you as the crow flies. Close, but oh-so-far. You know the sentiment in the Buffalo-Niagara region towards Canada, particularly southern Ontario, is warm and welcoming. Unfortunately, it feels as if a barbed wire fence has been stretched between us. A fair number of prominent Canadian cartoonists are not attending the annual Reuben Awards in Columbus this year. I can’t say I blame them. 9-11 was bad enough for what it did to our once leisurely border crossing. But we understood and we adapted. This current state of affairs is beyond troubling. I worry that crossing into Canada will be easy, but coming back and wondering if my anti Trump editorial cartoons have put me on a list of people to question. I’m just a small bit player in the political cartooning arena, I can easily visualize you getting grilled coming this way
It terrifies me, because of the risks, and I have a NEXUS card! I’ve been to the U.S. once during Trump 2.0, after going through U.S. pre-clearance at Toronto airport. A planned visit to come in August will involve crossing at Buffalo for a family event. I’ll leave my phone at home, which is a giant inconvenience and a difficult way to travel in the 21st century. Fine. I’ll do my travel and leisure elsewhere.
I feel a certain melancholy this year. It's like a divorce where only one part of the family is at the table. Remember fireworks in Canada day followed by July 4, in Niagara? It was 5 days of celebration.
Hi Graeme. I sit stateside about 50 miles from you as the crow flies. Close, but oh-so-far. You know the sentiment in the Buffalo-Niagara region towards Canada, particularly southern Ontario, is warm and welcoming. Unfortunately, it feels as if a barbed wire fence has been stretched between us. A fair number of prominent Canadian cartoonists are not attending the annual Reuben Awards in Columbus this year. I can’t say I blame them. 9-11 was bad enough for what it did to our once leisurely border crossing. But we understood and we adapted. This current state of affairs is beyond troubling. I worry that crossing into Canada will be easy, but coming back and wondering if my anti Trump editorial cartoons have put me on a list of people to question. I’m just a small bit player in the political cartooning arena, I can easily visualize you getting grilled coming this way
It terrifies me, because of the risks, and I have a NEXUS card! I’ve been to the U.S. once during Trump 2.0, after going through U.S. pre-clearance at Toronto airport. A planned visit to come in August will involve crossing at Buffalo for a family event. I’ll leave my phone at home, which is a giant inconvenience and a difficult way to travel in the 21st century. Fine. I’ll do my travel and leisure elsewhere.
If / when I do get to Hamilton, I’ll contact you in advance.
Be well!
I would hope Canada sees this as a friend who’s entered into an abusive relationship & hasn’t determined the best course for extrication.
I feel a certain melancholy this year. It's like a divorce where only one part of the family is at the table. Remember fireworks in Canada day followed by July 4, in Niagara? It was 5 days of celebration.