Opinion: As a dual citizen, I thought the U.S.-Canada border would always be open to me

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As a dual citizen, I thought the U.S.-Canada border would always be open to me

My Canadian mother and American father met on the Eiffel Tower. According to my father, it was love at first sight. According to my mother, she saw an obnoxious American traveller and his friend, and made a point to avoid them. According to them both, they fell in love over the course of a European tour before each returning to their respective homes of San Jose, Calif., and Saskatoon.

As a child in the 1990s, to me, the border between the two countries hardly seemed to exist. It almost felt superfluous to say that I was a dual citizen, because in my mind there was hardly a distinction. I had no real concept that I was travelling across a border to see my family and my second home. I was much too preoccupied with the variety of chips and candy bars that were available only in Canada, to care much for the intricacies of national identity and citizenship.

And when I visited my second home, I now carried two passports. I filled out paperwork. I answered the gruff questions of intimidating border guards. I recognize, for example, that any fear or anxiety I experience about being unable to reach my family during the pandemic pales in comparison to the pain caused by the atrocity of family separation at the Mexico-U.S. border. And I recognize that white supremacy plays a role in the differences with which the Canada-U.S. border and the Mexico-U.S. border are policed – both by the government and culturally.

Despite living in Canada, in the immediate aftermath of the election, l found myself overwhelmed and obsessed with the goings-on of our southern neighbour. I preened under the international praise of Canada, comforting myself with the belief that at least one of my homes was somehow exempt from generations of racism and social oppression.Given the din of politics in the U.S., it can be too easy to overlook Canada – even for its own citizens.

 

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Ticks every box on the woke checklist. Absolutely hideous piece.

Oh god if you are dual go south and get out of this dumpster fire of a country. If I was dual and had the option I’d be burning my canadian passport without a second thought!

But still you are lucky..

Keep out the swamp.

What a stupid article full of 'wokeness' bs & identity politics.. 😂 My friend is a 'person of color' & a dual citizen & has been freely traveling between US and Canada during the whole epidemic. If you have both American and Canadian passport - neither country can deny entry

Should be

Think again

There's not a whole lot of things that are certain nowadays, if anything

Get used to to , the new normal

My folks taught me not to double dip

It’s a pandemic. Borders shouldn’t be open to anyone for safety reasons.

dumb as a duck

Stay here,oh.

Since one of the country's you belong to is run by a pdycho killer , you may have to give one up.

Never say never There is no forever Live it today No other way

You live in a state where they don’t care bout the virus keep the border closed sorry blame your leaders of your states

I’m a dual citizen too, but at a time like this you choose a country and stay there until things get better. I’m in the U.K. and if I want to return to Canada I would do the 14 day quarantine no hesitation.

Let's hope America can hang on long enough for Biden to clean it up ... I feel as though Canada needs wall

Not sure why this is a story. In a diverse country like Canada, half the population is painfully separated from family in nearly every country in the world.

So that you can spread the virus on both sides of the border? Stay either here or there.

Trudeau cant stand the fact, nor can he understand how, Trump has actually taking control of his country , something trudeau envies, he's having daddy issues.

Sorry. Not if the virus is raging in the US! We have to protect Canada. Keep the border closed!

Tough shit.

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