>> As Dave said, who's going to enforce it? How are they going to physically catch some who decides to avoid interrogation by heading into the marshes, tiny creeks or even a marina or wherever. And what are they going to do if they catch a violator, revoke their license, fine them, confiscate their boat/equipment? Hey, take the license, try to collect the fine (out of state/country), and my property should be protected the constiution. They don't confiscate cars do they (except the drug runners which still seems like a constituional violation). I don't think any country needs or wants more laws, rules or regulations that can't be enforced. >> ************************************************************************** * A former BWCAW ranger whom I know says don't mess with the Canadian rangers; they will confiscate your equipment on the spot if you don't have enough cash to pay the fine. You're not protected by the U.S. constitution when you are in Canada -- do you want the hassle of going to court in another country to recover your property? Note: Though the Webster-Ashburton treaty that settled the boundary between the U.S. and Canada gives citizens of either country the right to use the customary portages on the border regardless of which country the portage is in (notably on the Minnesota-Ontario border), the Canadian immigration service considers that you are in Canada as soon as you cross the line down the middle of a border lake, whereas U.S. Immigration doesn't care until you actually step on American soil. Chuck Holst *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
On Thu, 14 May 1998 10:05:04 -0500, you wrote: > As Dave said, who's going to enforce it? ... I don't think any country >needs or wants more laws, rules or regulations that can't be enforced. Maybe the point is not in "catching" wrongdoers, but in having those who tend to obey laws follow them. >************************************************************************** * > >A former BWCAW ranger whom I know says don't mess with the Canadian >rangers; they will confiscate your equipment on the spot if you don't >have enough cash to pay the fine. You're not protected by the U.S. >constitution when you are in Canada -- do you want the hassle of going >to court in another country to recover your property? I am not certain what the fine would be for? If the comment is to suggest that an American boater would violate some Cdn law by not having Cdn Coast Guard approved equipment or PFDs, then that is wrong because of the reciprocal nature of the laws regarding boating between Cda and the US. For those who missed my earlier post on this subject, my Lotus Strait PFD makes me (technically) in violation of Cdn laws because the Lotus PFD has not been "approved" notwithstanding that it is an excellent PFD. However, if my friend from Ohio comes to visit me in Canada and I lend him my Lotus PFD he is safe from the long arm of the law, because the Lotus PFD has been USCG approved, and that is what counts for an American in Canadian waters, whether it is a paddler from Ohio or a bass fisherman from Pennsylvania. As for the confiscation of property - what would that be for? I understand that there are different reporting regulations for Cdn and US Customs - attempt to phone in and report vs. reporting in person. As for Cdn "rangers" I have never heard the term.... are we talking about federal or provincial police or conservation officers? I have never heard of a ranger trying to collect a fine on the spot. Perhaps this is another urban legend, like the southern law enforcement officer who has a VISA machine in his/her cruiser, with neither description being very accurate. -- cheers, Stephen stephen.bird_at_superaje.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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