Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories
From: 76702.1202@CompuServe.COM (Wally Doerge)
Subject: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Canada
Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die
Distribution: wstd
Date: Wed, 2 Jun 1993 17:55:09 GMT
STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Canada
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Canada - Consular Information Sheet
 May 27, 1993

Country Description:  Canada is a highly developed stable democracy 
with a modern economy.  Tourist facilities are widely available.  In 
northern and wilderness areas, tourist facilities are less developed 
and can be vast distances apart.

Entry Requirements:  Proof of U.S. citizenship and photo 
identification are required for travel to Canada.  Visas are not 
required for tourists entering from the United States for stays up 
to 180 days.  U.S. citizens entering Canada from a third country 
must have a valid passport or an official U.S. travel document.  For 
further information, including information on student or business 
travel, travelers can contact the Embassy of Canada at 501 
Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C.  20001, (202) 682-1740 
or the nearest Canadian consulate in Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, 
Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New 
York, or Seattle.

Medical Facilities:  Good medical care is widely available.  U.S. 
medical and auto insurance may not be valid in Canada.  Travelers 
have found that in some cases, supplemental auto or medical 
insurance with specific Canadian coverage has proved to be useful.  
Further information on health matters can be obtained from the 
Centers for Disease Control's international travelers hotline on 
(404) 332-4559.

Crime Information:  Canada has a higher incidence of criminal 
activity in urban areas than in the countryside.  Violent crimes 
such as murder, armed robbery, and rape occur infrequently.  The 
loss or theft of a U.S. passport abroad should be reported 
immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or 
consulate.  U.S. citizens can refer to the Department of State's 
pamphlet "A Safe Trip Abroad" for ways to promote a more 
trouble-free journey.  The pamphlet is available from the 
Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, 
Washington, D.C.  20402.

Drug Penalties:  U.S. citizens are subject to Canadian laws while 
they are in Canada.  Penalties for possession, use, and dealing in 
illegal drugs are strict, and convicted offenders can expect jail 
sentences and fines.

Other Information:  (a) Canadians consider driving under the 
influence of alcohol a serious offense.  Penalties are heavy, and 
any prior conviction (no matter how long ago or how minor the 
infraction) is grounds for exclusion from Canada.  A waiver of 
exclusion may be obtained from Canadian Consulates in the United 
States, but requires several weeks.  (b) Firearms are strictly 
controlled.  In general, handguns are not permitted in Canada.  
Anyone wishing to take hunting rifles into Canada can contact in 
advance the nearest Canadian Consulate for detailed information and 
instructions.  In all cases, travelers must declare to Canadian 
customs authorities any firearms in their possession when entering 
Canada.  If a traveler is denied permission to take the firearm into 
Canada, there are in many cases facilities near the border crossing 
where firearms may be stored pending the traveler's return to the 
U.S.  Canadian law requires that officials confiscate guns from 
those crossing the border who deny having guns in their possession.  
Confiscated guns are never returned.  (c)  It is illegal to take 
automobile radar detectors into the provinces of Quebec, Ontario, 
and Manitoba or into the Northwest territories.  The police will 
confiscate radar detectors, whether in use or not, and impose fines 
up to one thousand dollars.  (d) The prevailing language in Quebec 
province is French rather than English as in most of Canada.  
However, even in Quebec, English is spoken at most hotels and many 
tourist facilities.

Registration:  U.S. citizens who register in the Consular Section 
at the U.S. Embassy or at a U.S. Consulate may obtain updated 
information on travel and security within Canada.

Embassy and Consulate Locations:  The U.S. Embassy in Canada is 
located at 100 
Wellington Street, Ottawa, Ontario, telephone (613) 238-5335.

There are also consulates in:

Calgary, Alberta, at 615 Macleod Trail SE, (403) 266-8962;

Halifax, Nova Scotia, at Suite 910, Cogswell Tower, Scotia Square, 
(902) 429-2480;

Montreal, Quebec, at 1155 St. Alexander Street, (514) 398-9695;

Quebec City, Quebec, at 2 Place Terrasse Dufferin, (418) 692-2095;

Toronto, Ontario, at 360 University Avenue, (416) 595-1700; and

Vancouver, British Columbia, at 1095 West Pender Street, (604) 
685-4311.

 No. 93-129

This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated October 7, 1992 
to note that French is the prevailing language in Quebec and to add 
information on reporting the loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport.