I am currently at the Los Angeles World Science Fiction Convention in Anaheim, and we have been invited to help at the Montreal Worldcon around this time next year. Knowing the political hubbub going on right now and how it might escalate, do you think we should make firm plans to go? Really not interested in your personal past trips and how easy it was, and I don’t need encouragement because, about the city, I am already convinced. Your personal opinion-Do you think it will be possible to get there and stay about a week, then come back without much of a hassle a year from now provided we have the proper paperwork.
The Canadian people are a friendly and as a whole an intelligent, well educated people. They are smart enough to know that individual American people are not to blame for this recent bullshit.
At most you might get some questions and ribbing from some people concerning our mentality deranged president. Just shake your head and agree that he is stupid and you will be fine.
IMO …
Unless the two countries are actively at war the generic American citizen will be able to travel to Canada with no significant hassle. And return with no hassle.
But that assumes you’re a generic American citizen.
If you’re completely certain you never want to deal with anyone from ICE or CBP under any circumstances for [reasons], well then you can’t go.
Only you know your history. If you have any criminal or immigration skeletons you’d rather not talk about, that would be another factor against going.
Were I a naturalized US citizen or non-citizen US green card holder I’d be a bit leery of any international travel until there’s regime change. I’d think that way now, and will be true in the future, and will be true regardless of destination country.
No problem with the Canadian side of the equation-it is the other side I am really concerned about.
For the sake of the participants, I would feel more sanguine about organizing an international convention or conference in Canada rather than the U.S.A. It will not all be Americans crossing the border, will it? Better if participants never have to cross a US border checkpoint at all.
I completely agree with @LSLGuy . And also, i note that if you are flying, you can cross US immigration in Montreal, and when your flight returns to the US it arrives at a “domestic” terminal, and you can just walk away.
This gives greater security to Canadians than to Americans, because Canada might let ICE haul an American away. But in general, “US immigration in Canada” is a kinder, gentler experience than in the US.
Personally, I’ve been trying to spend time outside the US… Not that it’s practical to actually be away all that much. But the more friends i can make elsewhere, the better my odds of escaping if i need to. But i was born in the US, have no criminal record, am not a part of any conspiracy, and have global entry. I believe that I’ll be able to enter and leave Canada next year unless we actually go to war with Canada. And i don’t think we will.
If you are concerned about the cost of “bad stuff happens”, well, if you can afford to go, you can afford to plan to go and bail at the last minute if you need to. That will assuredly suck. But it won’t cost more than going would.
Yes. I go to an international gathering most years that would normally be in the US next year. (And the guy who volunteered to run it lives in California.) It’s going to be in Canada next year, because too many participants won’t come if it’s in the US.
What are “firm plans” to you?
I often travel internationally on 24 hours notice. It’s not hard to get an adequate hotel no-notice in any big city. Air travel is likewise available last minute too. You might miss out on the very best deals, but that’s the price of flexibility.
Switching gears slightly …
Most hotels I reserve cost me nothing until 3 days before check-in. Sometimes it’s only 1 day prior. That’s the point at which a cancellation penalty starts to apply. Point being you can reserve a room now, call it a year in advance, and decide to cancel the trip based for political reasons 362 days later with no cost to you. IOW, your plans are “firm” until you decide to change them.
Air travel can be similar in that there are fully refundable tickets, refundable only as future travel credit tickets, and refundable minus $X in BS fees tickets. You can comparison shop and look at the various prices to see what you’re paying for what degree of flexibility. You can look at those incremental costs as essentially buying insurance against the risk of cancellation for political problems.
You can also obtain travel insurance that will pay off if the border is closed and you can’t travel as planned.
I’m not sure what other logistics beyond travel and a place to sleep go into your planning. Some folks have lots of complicating factors, others do not.
So I suppose it really comes down to how much you’re worried about you personally being unwilling to travel then for reasons of your own, perhaps including an unusually high sense of paranoia. (Which doesn’t mean they’re not out to get any / all of us). Versus a concern that everyone’s travel will be impossible and there’s no individual risk to be evaluated then.
For sure if the border is closed, Worldcon will do its best to go on, but one heck of a lot of their planned attendees are Americans who won’t make it. It’ll be a very disrupted event, and your individual non-appearance at the volunteer table will be the merest spit in a snowstorm.
Unless you’re one of the Grand Poobahs. In which case the organization ought to be making contingency plans for how to have the important people participate by Zoom if it comes to that. Frankly, if the organization is worried about US political instability, they need to be working contingency plans for a US border closure anyhow.
I travel outside the US once or twice every year and still feel comfortable doing so despite the gauntlet of goons at re-entry (that’s a bit harsh, half the time it’s not as unpleasant as I expect.) The only thing I do differently now is always buy travel insurance.
Even then it depends on the situation. My mother is a naturalized citizen. She was naturalized 60 years ago. We’re taking her on a cruise for her 90th birthday. I don’t anticipated any problems going through border control.
Probably not. Most insurance excludes “acts of war” and similar. They can’t afford to pay if everyone cancels. They cover stuff that might randomly affect a few people, like you get sick.
I don’t think anyone can answer your question this far out. Maybe decide after the midterms?
Were you the poster that was having trouble getting their overseas (but American) birth certificate so you could get a Real ID? If so, do you already have a passport? Or is perhaps some concerns around that are playing into your worries about traveling across the border?
I personally would have no issue planning a trip to Canada next year. Regardless of what they think about our current president, most people are happy to have you spend your money there.