Over 15,000 foreign visitors are expected to converge at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre for the G20 meeting June 26 to 27, 2010.
G20 is made up of finance ministers and central bank governors from the European Union plus 19 countries including Canada. G20 nations are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the U.K. and the U.S.
Canada Borders Services Agency (CBSA) officials are preparing for a nightmare scenario in Toronto, pulling in hundreds of customs officers from their regular divisions to help check in thousands of G20 visitors.
All foreign visitors are subject to the Canada Customs Act and other Canadian laws.
Customs Compliance before Leaving from Home Airport
According to section 5 of the Customs Act, Canada’s Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness can designate customs offices outside Canada for a specified purpose. Foreign travelers should check with their own government officials to see whether they can check in with CBSA officers on home soil.
If this piece of customs compliance is not in place, G20 representatives should have receipts for any valuables that they take with them to Toronto. For example, CBSA officers have the right to question anyone with a large supply of undeclared diamond jewelry, gold coins or even silk suits.
Diamonds, gold and fancy suits may be treated as imported goods subject to duties and taxes. Problems often start when the owners cannot prove that their possessions are personal and not for commercial gain. Without receipts to prove what items are worth, the CBSA also has the power to maximize the values on which any duty or taxes are calculated.
Travelers cannot just show up with tens of thousands of dollars in their wallets. A much safer path is to get receipts for any cash, checks or money orders taken to Canada. Any amounts greater than C$10,000 must be reported to Canadian officials on arrival in Canada. If not, customs officers can seize the money, levy a fine and even charge an offender with a criminal offense.
Air Travel Tips during Flight
While the airline is responsible for reporting who is flying to Canada, passengers should be aware that the CBSA must receive a list identifying all passengers and crew 4 hours before an air flight departs. This is known as the “wheels-up rule” for air travel. Failure to meet requirements under Customs Act section 12.1 can result in fines of C$25,000 per passenger, and significant delays once the plane lands in Canada.
All passengers should be extra careful about what they say during the trip. Even jokes about how easy it would be to smuggle in expensive wine from Italy or antique carpets from India can lead to charges or detainment if overheard by RCMP informants.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has been known to plant plain-clothes officers on flights, particularly from countries where terrorist activities or money laundering crimes are rampant.
Also, passengers should never agree to carry packages brought on board by another traveler. One of the world’s oldest smuggling tricks, criminals continue to target unsuspecting persons as carriers. Anyone who sneaks contraband goods including drugs and counterfeit money past law enforcement can be charged criminally.
Travel Tips for Dealing with Customs Officers in Toronto
Pressured by high numbers of G2 visitors to be processed within very short timeframes, CBSA customs officers are going to be tense and may seem abrupt.
Below is a checklist to help G2 visitors pass through designated customs checkpoints problem-free.
- Answer exactly what the customs officer asks: do not chat or offer other information.
- Declare all possession honestly, including items without a receipt.
- Do not try to clear articles belonging to someone else – even a family member.
- Do not make inappropriate remarks or gestures in line before, after or while facing a customs officer.
Typically, Canadian law enforcement runs a back room with cameras to observe how passengers behave while waiting to pass through customs. There are also long-range microphones that can pick up suspicious conversations. The RCMP also plants disguised officers in line to mingle with potential smugglers and other criminals.
Even porters that carry luggage and offer directions at the Toronto airport may be special officers collecting intelligence on foreign visitors.
Diplomatic Immunity Not Blanket Protection
Under the Geneva Convention, diplomats are exempted from customs searches of their diplomatic pouches. However, Canadian customs officers have the right to stop and question even diplomats.
Under subsection 99.1 of the Customs Act, a customs officer may interview persons even after they have passed into Canada and examine any goods brought into Canada.
By law, diplomats who refuse an interview or who act in a threatening manner can be deported.
Daniel Workman - A senior business and finance writer who also does French translations, notably international trade and insurance materials.
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