U.S. Ambassador’s Dog ‘Frisked’ At Canadian Customs

Travel Blog  •  Eva Holland  •  10.25.07 | 3:33 PM ET

imageWe’ve noted before that American customs agents are gaining a reputation among travelers for mechanical coldness, or even angry, intimidating behavior. But it seems American officials aren’t the only guilty parties.

When David Wilkins, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, appeared at a recent business luncheon in Halifax, he was confronted by a number of guests about their treatment at the Canada-U.S. border. “When we (Americans) do things to make our country safer, we’re making it safer for people who travel there as well,” Wilkins said initially. Under further questioning, he promised to look into the complaints of rudeness. Then he pointed out that Canadian officials aren’t necessarily any better. The ambassadorial dog, Wilkins said, had been singled out and “frisked” during a recent visit to the Ottawa airport. The ambassador, according to the CP story, “says the case illustrates how one bad experience can colour one’s impression of an entire government department.”

Related on World Hum:
* Is the U.S. Treating Tourists Like Terrorists?
* Survey: U.S. Least Friendly Country to Travelers

Photo of dog by salimfadhley, via Flickr (Creative Commons)

Tags: Dogs, North America, Canada, United States

Eva Holland is co-editor of World Hum. She is a former associate editor at Up Here and Up Here Business magazines, and a contributor to Vela. She's based in Canada's Yukon territory.


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