Re: Side thread: US-Canada Trade War
Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 1:53 pm
I had an interesting encounter at Canada Customs back when they first really hit American dairy products with a tariff of (if I remember correctly) of around 350%. I had a meeting in Wisconsin, and they have some really good cheese factories. So my wife loaded up with cheese (like we had before) while I discussed high an lofty publication goals. When we got to the border, they asked what I bought and I said $250 worth of cheese. The girls expression actually changed, and she said something about that being a problem. Anyway she said I should go into the office and see what I could work out. I think we were allowed maybe $25 per person, duty free, and there were three of us.
That has been the only time that I felt that people working for Canada customs actually felt sorry for me. They told me the situation, which of course they couldn't go anything about. I said, well, I can't throw food away, so I'll have to pay it. The fellow in charge (and they were all gathered around) said, well let me figure it out before you decide. He did, and shook his head. You don't want to do this, he said. It was over $500 if I remember correctly (remember, this was like 25 years ago). They offered to take the extra cheese that was subject to the tarriff and donate it to the local foodbank in Sarnia. I finally went for that. And older fellow went out to go through the cheese and figure out what I could take. He sure gave me the benefit of the doubt. I told him -- you make sure that this cheese gets to the food bank rather than divying it up with the guys in the office. He assured me he would personally see to it.
I decided that those fellows can actually be human if the circumstances are right, and you do your part.
Also, I bet that was the best cheese that food bank ever got donated to it.
That has been the only time that I felt that people working for Canada customs actually felt sorry for me. They told me the situation, which of course they couldn't go anything about. I said, well, I can't throw food away, so I'll have to pay it. The fellow in charge (and they were all gathered around) said, well let me figure it out before you decide. He did, and shook his head. You don't want to do this, he said. It was over $500 if I remember correctly (remember, this was like 25 years ago). They offered to take the extra cheese that was subject to the tarriff and donate it to the local foodbank in Sarnia. I finally went for that. And older fellow went out to go through the cheese and figure out what I could take. He sure gave me the benefit of the doubt. I told him -- you make sure that this cheese gets to the food bank rather than divying it up with the guys in the office. He assured me he would personally see to it.
I decided that those fellows can actually be human if the circumstances are right, and you do your part.
Also, I bet that was the best cheese that food bank ever got donated to it.
