Canada’s Olympic Crackdown
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» databoy replied on Wed Dec 2, 2009 @ 8:16pm |
 Coolness: 107040 | by Amy Goodman
Going to Canada? You may be detained at the border and interrogated. I was, last week. I was heading from Seattle to give a talk at the Vancouver Public Library. My detention provoked outrage across Canada, making national news. It has serious implications for the freedom of the press in North America. I drove to the border with two colleagues. We showed our passports to the Canadian guard and answered standard questions about our purpose for entering Canada. No visas are necessary for U.S. citizens to enter. The guard promptly told us to pull over, leave the car and enter the border crossing building. What followed was a flagrant violation of freedom of the press and freedom of speech. A guard first demanded the notes for my talk. I was shocked. I explained that I speak extemporaneously. He would not back off. He demanded notes. I went out to the car and brought in a copy of my new book, a collection of my weekly columns called “Breaking the Sound Barrier.” I handed him a copy and said I start with the last column in it. “I begin each talk with the story of Tommy Douglas,” I explained, “the late premier of Saskatchewan, father of Canada’s universal health care system.” Considered the greatest Canadian, Douglas happens to be actor Kiefer Sutherland’s grandfather, but I didn’t get that far. “What else?” the armed guard demanded as we stood in the Douglas border facility. “I’ll be talking about global warming and the Copenhagen climate summit.” “What else?” “I’ll address the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.” “What else?” The interrogator was hand-writing notes, while another guard was typing at a computer terminal. “Well, that’s about it.” He looked at me skeptically. “Are you going to talk about the Olympics?” he asked. I was puzzled. “Do you mean how President Obama recently traveled to Copenhagen to lobby for the Olympic Games to be held in Chicago?” He shot back, “You didn’t get those. I am talking about the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.” Again, stunned, I said I wasn’t planning to. The guard looked incredulous. “Are you telling me you aren’t going to be talking about the Olympics?” I repeatedly asserted that I was not. Clearly not believing me, the guard and others combed through our car. When I went out to check, he was on my colleague’s computer, poring through it. Afterward, they pulled me in a back room and took my photo, then called in the others, one by one. Then they handed us back our passports with “control documents” stapled inside. The forms said we had to leave Canada within two days and had to check in with their border agency upon leaving. We went to the car—and discovered that they had rifled through our belongings and our papers and had gone into at least two of our three laptops. We raced to the event, where people had been told about our detention. We were 90 minutes late, but the room remained packed, the crowd incensed at their government. It was then that I started learning about what was going on. The crackdown is widespread, it turns out. David Eby, executive director of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, told me, “We have a billion dollars being spent on security here; protesters and activists have been identified as the No. 1 security threat to the Olympic Games ... we have new city bylaws that restrict the content of people’s signs.” According to critics, the police can raid your home if you place an anti-Olympic sign in your window. There are concerns that homeless people may be swept from Vancouver, about how much public funding the Games are receiving while vital social services are financially starved. Anti-Olympic activists—and their family and friends—are being followed, detained and questioned. Our detention and interrogation were not only a violation of freedom of the press but also a violation of the public’s right to know. Because if journalists feel there are things they can’t report on, that they’ll be detained, that they’ll be arrested or interrogated; this is a threat to the free flow of information. And that’s the public’s loss, an Olympic loss for democracy. [ www.commondreams.org ] |
| I'm feeling psymind right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» Gamos replied on Thu Dec 3, 2009 @ 8:55pm |
 Coolness: 94420 | wut...the...fuck
is this for real? |
| I'm feeling a message in a bottl right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» neoform replied on Fri Dec 4, 2009 @ 7:36pm |
 Coolness: 340590 | Is this person retarded? Has she never crossed an international border in her life?
ALL CUSTOMS AGENTS FROM EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD act like this. I've had US customs agents act far far worse to me.. |
| I'm feeling almighty right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» JojoBizarre replied on Mon Dec 7, 2009 @ 8:33am |
 Coolness: 295900 | I dunno why but customs officers always joke with me!!! |
| I'm feeling the creed 2 right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» databoy replied on Mon Dec 7, 2009 @ 5:30pm |
| Coolness: 107040 | Originally Posted By NEOFORM
Is this person retarded? Has she never crossed an international border in her life? ALL CUSTOMS AGENTS FROM EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD act like this. I've had US customs agents act far far worse to me.. You haven't traveled much have you? |
| I'm feeling psymind right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» neoform replied on Mon Dec 7, 2009 @ 8:17pm |
| Coolness: 340590 | Originally Posted By DATABOY
You haven't traveled much have you? I've visited been to NY about 100 times.. also, about 30 different states. Been across Canada numerous times... I've been to France, Spain, Cuba, Dominican Repub... But I guess that's not much. |
| I'm feeling almighty right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» Daf replied on Mon Dec 7, 2009 @ 8:22pm |
 Coolness: 186280 | it's nothing compare to my big cock, no
ah man, i would love to be in spain right about now and im fucking tired of hearing about the god damn olympics, it's soooooo boring |
| I'm feeling kiss me, im shitface right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» neoform replied on Mon Dec 7, 2009 @ 10:36pm |
| Coolness: 340590 | Originally Posted By DAF
it's nothing compare to my big cock, no ah man, i would love to be in spain right about now and im fucking tired of hearing about the god damn olympics, it's soooooo boring Expect to keep hearing about it til they're over. |
| I'm feeling almighty right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» Daf replied on Mon Dec 7, 2009 @ 10:41pm |
| Coolness: 186280 | i know, i keep hearing about it since forever
even if it's in 4 years, they always talk about the olympics are you guys interested in that? is there someone who likes olympics, and why? just curious :) |
| I'm feeling kiss me, im shitface right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» databoy replied on Mon Dec 7, 2009 @ 10:51pm |
| Coolness: 107040 | Originally Posted By NEOFORM
ALL CUSTOMS AGENTS FROM EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD act like this. I've had US customs agents act far far worse to me.. Maybe you should change your approach... A White bilingual dude from Canada can go wherever the hell he wants in the world without much hassle, so if you are being singled out each time, there might just be a reason. Your name wouldt be Moustafa now would it? Criminal record perhaps? purchase any suspiciously large amounts of lube maybe? Its never a good idea to test your wit on a customs agent |
| I'm feeling psymind right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» Deadfunk replied on Tue Dec 8, 2009 @ 8:13am |
 Coolness: 153930 | i like olympics.
but i dont watch em |
| I'm feeling fidgety right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» JojoBizarre replied on Tue Dec 8, 2009 @ 8:16am |
| Coolness: 295900 | I am only proud cuz each time some dude gets tested positives I know who will caught him :D |
| I'm feeling the creed 2 right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» neoform replied on Tue Dec 8, 2009 @ 8:31am |
| Coolness: 340590 | Originally Posted By DATABOY
Maybe you should change your approach... A White bilingual dude from Canada can go wherever the hell he wants in the world without much hassle, so if you are being singled out each time, there might just be a reason. Your name wouldt be Moustafa now would it? Criminal record perhaps? purchase any suspiciously large amounts of lube maybe? Its never a good idea to test your wit on a customs agent Nope, I've got an Irish name, I'm three kinds of white, I have American and Canadian passports and I'm primarily an English speaker.. I also give straight forward answers and usually don't give them any shit for asking me invasive questions in a rude manner. Customs agents are specifically told to be rude and pushy, as it weeds out the troublemakers quickly.. if you start pushing back, they'll know who to investigate further. (so is their logic) |
| I'm feeling almighty right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» databoy replied on Tue Dec 8, 2009 @ 9:20am |
| Coolness: 107040 | "Afterward, they pulled me in a back room and took my photo, then called in the others, one by one. Then they handed us back our passports with “control documents” stapled inside. The forms said we had to leave Canada within two days and had to check in with their border agency upon leaving. We went to the car—and discovered that they had rifled through our belongings and our papers and had gone into at least two of our three laptops. We raced to the event, where people had been told about our detention."
This is way beyond rude and pushy... if this happens to you every time you leave the country (I seriously doubt it) you are most definitely targeted for some reason. As was the person in this article. |
| I'm feeling psymind right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» neoform replied on Tue Dec 8, 2009 @ 10:37am |
| Coolness: 340590 | I've had my car searched numerous times while crossing in to the US. When they search the car, they take EVERYTHING out of the car. They'll do it whether I'm present or not.
A country is 100% in its right to tell a non-citizen how long they can stay in the country. If people do not want to deal with the searches or rules, then don't come here. The US treats Canadians like this, so Canadians are treating Americans the same way. We didn't start this escalation, they did. |
| I'm feeling almighty right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» Trey replied on Tue Dec 8, 2009 @ 11:47am |
 Coolness: 103690 | that's true. Post 9/11. Saw a CBC news reports where Canadian business men were harassed like that all the time, even though they've been doing business in the US of A on a regular basis before. |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» Daf replied on Tue Dec 8, 2009 @ 1:00pm |
| Coolness: 186280 | Originally Posted By DEADFUNK
i like olympics. but i dont watch em je la comprend pas :S? |
| I'm feeling kiss me, im shitface right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» databoy replied on Tue Dec 8, 2009 @ 5:11pm |
| Coolness: 107040 | Après la formule un, les Olympiques sont, selon moi, le plus gros étron sportif que l'humanité aie chier. |
| I'm feeling psymind right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» Daf replied on Tue Dec 8, 2009 @ 6:16pm |
| Coolness: 186280 | apparement les grecs auraient fait une loie
qui disait que si t'étais en guerre avec peu importe qui, tu pouvais pas participer aux Olympiques faut croire qu'il y a toujours des exceptions aux règles avec un peu d'argent ;) j'imagine ce rendre aux olympiques, étant un athèle, c'est le plus grand exploit que tu peux accomplir, mais en tant que spectateur, c'est vraiment la plus grosse merde que l'humanité aie effectivement chier. S'pas trop clean non plus, les super olympiques |
| I'm feeling kiss me, im shitface right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» databoy replied on Tue Dec 8, 2009 @ 6:49pm |
| Coolness: 107040 | Les Olympiques, ça reste le plus gros talent show amateur au monde. Ça fait travailler du monde mais la dette après... On a finit de payer la dette du stade Olympique en 2006 |
| I'm feeling psymind right now.. | |
Canada’s Olympic Crackdown
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