Well, I’m curious myself, so when I went to get some groceries at my local Canadian supermarket today, I made a point of looking at the price of milk. Four liters of milk (about a US gallon, by my reckoning) was $4.69.
Does that seem expensive to you? What is the price of milk in your part of the US?
$2.49 to $2.99 per US gallon.
Interesting, and thanks for the info, Johnny. So Canadian milk is more expensive. I’m not sure if it is so much more expensive that it justifies a trip across the border (gas, delays at Customs both ways, etc.), but perhaps some folks feel differently.
Again, thanks, Johnny.
Of course gas is cheaper down here as well. Get a dozen gallons of milk (we used to freeze it when I was a kid), fill up with gas, and it’s worth the trip.
True enough, and having been to both Vancouver and northern Washington State, I can see where it might be economical for Vancouverites to head for Washington for milk and gas (and other things). Not here in my locale, though: Great Falls, Montana, is three hours south–a little far to go for milk.
Look up the history of War Plan Red.
I can picture it like junkies outside of methadone clinics or pharmacies: “I know I have a BC ID but I’m really an expat, I swear!”
Or make a particular tricky shibboleth, like “I’m sorry about the stain on the (show a picture of a couch).” Sorey, aboot, or chesterfield(although that one’s probably dated) and they’re out.
The Canadians should be able to come, but they’re given their own area where they can buy 3 [del]quart[/del] [del]liter[/del] litre jugs of maple syrup and flannel clothing. And give them their own drinking fountains or something!
I wonder if they did a survey, though. How huge of a demographic are Canadians in Costcos? Also, do they have any importation restrictions on food or anything like that? I am used to the California border crossing, were they’re on the lookout for dangerous contraband like produce.
Canada’s duty-free import restrictions for Canadians and legal residents are amazingly low. Something like $20 if you visit the US for 24 hours or less. Some things, like tobacco and alcohol, are not included.
Canada Customs Guard: How long were you in the US?
Canadian: Four hours.
Canada Customs Guard: Anything to declare?
Canadian: I got a pack of cigarettes, and smoked half the pack in the US. I also bought a bottle of vodka.
Canada Customs Guard: Okay, that’s $8 in tax for the half-pack of smokes you’re bringing back, and $14 in tax for the vodka…
(Fictional example, but you should get the idea.)
People can be bizarrely irrational about that sort of thing.
My best friend’s parents used to make the trip from Kingston, ON to Watertown, NY to buy groceries. They’d take their huge Chevy Suburban, and insisted that the cheap gas was one of the reasons it was economical to do so despite the fact that they were burning a huge amount of gas by going on the trip. I tried to point out to them that you aren’t saving money by buying cheap gas you would not otherwise have used, but it was to no avail.
Frankly, they weren’t saving much on the groceries either; some stuff is cheaper but some isn’t. It seemed weird to me, really, but I suppose maybe it was just a post-facto rationalization for just finding something to do.
Just open a Tim Hortons and put out a sign 'Double Doubles and Maple Glazed 2 for 1 sale" and the trap would fill pretty quickly. You would have them appear by the car load.
I guess it might be worth the trip if you’re right next to the border, and there are no lines at the crossing, or if you need to buy a shitload of stuff.
When i lived in Vancouver, i went with (Canadian) family and friends to Bellingham to shop a few times, and it always seemed to me that the savings weren’t worth the time and the hassle involved. There’s no way i’d do it just for a tank of gas and a few gallons of milk.
When I was younger and Sunday shopping didn’t exist sometimes my friends and I would drive over the border to go for a hike, get some gas for my car and stop in and buy US junk food. (Keebler products mostly). I was underage to buy alcohol in the states, nobody smoked so I would declare things like half a pack of Pecan Sandies… three Nut Rolls. Usually got a wave through from Customs…
We’ve switched to the “iPhones and McDonald’s” attack plan. It’s way faster.
The rest of us can work on breaking the habit of saying “eh.”
Okay, you got us - that habit won’t die easily.
Pfft! Just put two TV screens beside each other. On one, show hockey. On the other, show basketball. The ones watching hockey are Canadian. Easy as that!
How do you know the Canadians in Hell?
They are the ones who bring sweaters or light jackets along incase it gets chilly later!
But, but they made a documentary about this already…
Seeing as we’re talking about cranky Americans…does Minot still hate us? Last I knew, they were still blaming us for their floods and there were reports of cars with Canadian plates getting their tires slashed.
If you’re going to get pissy at us, give us back our college athletes!