Advice for President Obama on Canada

Max grew up as the son of a man who knew 'ALL' the answers to the problems of the world. Max's father said so! Many times, his father let everyone know that anyone who didn't know that he had the answers was a turkey or a knucklehead.

The famous Ma Bell, the second most powerful force in the world (next to God of course), thought so much of Max's father's opinions, that she made him 'Supervisor of Troubles'. This is true!

The advice Max promised you, Mr. President.

Be a better neighbor!

Max's home state of Maine has a significant border with Canada where there are provinces east, west and north of the state. Many of the small border towns have been there at least since the last time the people from Maine tried to invade Canada.

Over the years, families have grown up as though the border hardly existed. In truth, much of the border exists only on maps. The border crossings are very real, but there are huge forests between them.

There was a time when money was treated the same on both sides of the border. If you got a Canadian quarter you just spent it like any other quarter. Change drawers in the border areas and the places Canadians summered used to sport both Canadian and American currency.

Some of this has changed in part because of the exchange rates. The Bush policies toward Canadians added to the distancing of people who have always been neighbors.

While European nations have been getting rid of the barriers to free travel, the passport regulations of the Bush Administration have been creating new barriers to free movement. Because the United States is the larger country, more Americans are hurt by the policies than Canadians.

It means that people in the western states that used to be able to drive to Alaska carrying just their driver's license now must carry a passport to both cross into Canada and then cross back into the United States.

With no one knowing exactly what the future will bring, a policy like this which estranges the two nations might not be such a good move.

The risk of terrorists moving to the United States from Canada is not decreased by this policy. If a terrorist enters Canada, he or she will be traveling with false credentials anyway. All this policy has done is to limit access to Canada by Americans.

It has most surely complicated the lives of people on the border. If some family members live on one side and others on the other, they now need official documents just to stop by for Sunday lunch.

In the past Canada and the United States were close allies. We had a common interest in the security of the American continent. Now Americans are led to believe that the nation to the north is truly foreign. It is as though they have never been an ally.

The relationship between the United States and Canada is one that you may well want to restore. It is hard to imagine places like Old Orchard Beach in Maine asking people for their passports during the summer months. It makes the United States seem like a less free nation.

Max wishes you well in all your endeavors.

Max writes about greenways, rare diseases, timely topics, places to eat, travel and other issues of interest. He encourages you to add your comments.

Link one is how to obtain a U.S. passport.

Link two is about U.S. citizens being required to carry passport.

Link three is Canadian Passport rule.