Should you need a passport to visit Canada?
By Budget Travel
October 3, 2012
Dozens of our readers say no, while dozens more say yes.
Here's a sampling of reader views:
I live in Michigan, near the Canadian Border and on the Great Lakes. The border includes thousands of miles of open water, with tens of thousand of boats plying it, and thousands of miles of open land where the border is not even marked, or at least not controlled. If terrorists want to come across from Canada to the U.S., or go the other way, they can do it with or without a passport requirement. Requiring passports for a simple trip back and forth across the Canadian Border is a waste of money and resources, and is a needless inconvenience.—David L. Richards
Why should the safety of the American public be at risk just because people are too lazy to get a passports?—Tara
I do believe that the cost of GETTING the passport is much too high.—Janice Manley
Would this have helped protect us on 9/11? No. Would it help keep illegals from entering? No. Is it a hassle? Yes. We're letting the terrorists win when we make our nation more like the ones they come from.—Rich
My father served in WWII. He's never had to prove he was an American. Now, if he wants to go on a cruise, he's got to prove he's an American to leave the country and then again to return. He's 82-years-old. He doesn't need a 10-year passport. I want to take him on a cruise before it's too late. The government wants to charge me a tax (in the form of the cost of a passport) to take him on a cruise. That's not right.—Archie Windham
Archie, this is not the same world it was when your Dad went to war! In case you haven't noticed, the govt has intruded into our lives more and more over the past 50 years! I'm 75, and may not need a 10 year passport, but so what? Who knows, maybe I will, and $100 is quite a lot of money to us, but judging by what most people spend for recreation (i.e. dining out, shows, etc.) these days, it won't be a severe hardship on the majority of people. I know it won't entirely stop illegals from getting into our country, but in the world we live in today, every little bit helps.—Clairee Meeks
I don't know if [requiring passports] would stop any of the terrorism but if it stopped just one act then everyone should have a passport.—Barbara Conkle
If it will help weed out the illegals, I am all for showing passports at all times. However, the Feds need a way to identify fake passports more easily. Of course, the illegals are still going to try and get across and bypass authorities so that is where they need to focus.—Sherie Harbin
More: Read the comments on this earlier blog post.
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