How Very Canadian Of Us.




All due respect, I apologize if I conveyed the impression this flap is somehow limited to "tackle shop trade wars", I wish it was that simple. Suggesting "those tackle shops shouldn't be sitting back and watching how Canadians are handling it" is also wishful thinking. It is none of our business to tell US citizens what they should and shouldn’t be doing.
Just remember when they do say enough is enough, they have ten times the population base, ten times the economic clout, and ten times the ability to hurt us if they so chose in border related issues.


 When I mentioned I talked to all the owners of the downrigger tackle shops in New York the other day to get a read on how this flap is shaking down, I should have elaborated. This is no rant, the tackle shops are a meeting place, a communications hub; a gossip centre. The townsfolk of Oswego gather at Larry's Salmon shoot the shit and to pick up a few things before they head out the two big marinas in Oswego. Fat Nancy's is the favorite spot in Pulaski. Narby's in Kent, Screwy Louis in Fairhaven. When I say townsfolk, I'm talking average American and some very influential people; money, power, wealth, the people who can afford the big salmon boats in the marinas. Business owners, lawyers, university professors, cops, border guards etc.

Oswego is a very tight knit community as is every little town along the south shore of Lake Ontario. Their patriotism and sense of community is something to behold. Anyone who has ever attended a captains meeting at the Pro Am knows what I am talking about. 200 people will stand up and put their hand over their heart and proudly pledge their allegiance to the American Flag. It breaks me up every time I see this. We could use some of this up in Canada.

 These folks take their fishing very seriously, more importantly they take their communities very seriously. So when I say these folks are super peeved about how one of their favorite sons has been treated by Canada and Canadians, make no mistake about it. This is no rant, that border guard just whacked a hornets nest.

 It is not our business to tell them they should not be sitting back and watching how Canadians are handling this thing. I assure you they are not just sitting back and just watching, this has become a flashpoint, galvanizing their general disappointment, disgust, and anger at how they are treated by Canada and Canadian. Sure they all have their stories how they love Canada and Canadians, they keeping coming back for more, don‘t they? At the same time everyone of them will tell you how they always get ripped off on the currency exchange by Canadian stores when they come up here to shop; a polite way of saying we are reaching into their pockets and stealing their money in broad daytlight.

 Our border guards are there to enforce Canadian law, they do not make foreign policy. Telling prominent American citizens they are not welcome into our country when shakedown goes bad, goes beyond their job description. Fleecing American tourists is not something the border guards came up with themselves, this comes from a higher authority.

 This has got nothing to do with Tom and his lawyer showing up at the border crossing negotiating the ransom, that’s what happens in Somalia with the pirates. This has everything to do with how we as Canadians treat our friends and our neighbours. This defines us as a people.

 Let the record show when it came time to answer to the thousands of angry US citizens from New York State how Canada and Canadians responded to this shameful incident, we can proudly stand up and point to the 49 Canadians who stood up and voted in the Spoonpullers poll to let Tom back into Canada; How very Canadian of us.





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