Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers not only keep dangerous goods out of Canada, but also protect communities by screening travelers for criminal history. Southern Manitoba border service officers refuse entry to travelers every month for various reasons, including some with significant criminal records.
In April, 31 people were refused entry by the CBSA at the port of Emerson, Manitoba’s largest land border crossing. For example, a 57-year-old man sought entry to Canada on April 18 to pick up a truck he had purchased. Background checks revealed the man had been convicted of sexual assault in Wisconsin and officers refused him entry. On April 20, officers also refused entry to a 52-year-old male commercial driver from New Mexico coming to pick up goods in Winnipeg. The man had convictions for possession and sale of marijuana, disorderly conduct, and theft of property. On April 23, officers processed a 41-year-old male U.S. commercial driver who planned to deliver goods to Saskatchewan. The man was refused entry after a background check revealed he had been charged with offences including domestic violence and shooting into a dwelling. These travelers were all counseled on the proper procedures to apply to re-enter Canada for being found criminally inadmissible.
At the Cartwright border crossing on April 9, CBSA officers refused entry to a North Dakota man for previous convictions of breaking into a vehicle, theft of property, and multiple incidents of issuing non-sufficient cheques. This was the fourth time officers had refused entry to this traveler at different border crossings.
At the Boissevain border crossing on April 1, officers arrested a 36-year-old North Dakota man after he failed an Approved Screening Device test for impaired driving, and turned him over to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). On April 9, officers also refused entry to a 58-year-old male commercial driver for a previous forgery conviction.
At the Sprague border crossing on April 1, a male traveler was returning to Canada with four long guns and two handguns. As the man was not licensed to possess firearms, officers arrested him for unauthorized possession of firearms and turned him over to the RCMP.
The CBSA would like to remind all travelers of the continued restrictions on importing poultry products. It is prohibited to import all raw poultry and all poultry products and by-products that are not fully cooked from certain states. This includes eggs and raw pet foods sourced, processed, packaged or shipped from 13 states, including North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota and Montana.
