The wall

The crossing between Buffalo and our glorious Dominion usually entails watching brake lights for 45 minutes. Even longer on a weekend. Same for traffic crawling the other way. And ditto for any of the three nearby bridges hooking up New York and Ontario.

But no longer.

The average wait time, as reported by US border officials last weekend: 3 minutes.

Of course, the travelers headed south face a unique issue. “How long are you staying?” If the answer is ‘a few weeks’ or ‘until the weather gets better in Winnipeg’ or ‘for the summer’ then Canadians are forced to register with the American government, providing personal details.

Here are the new requirements of ‘Alien Registration’ from the US Citizenship and Immigration Department:

On Jan. 20, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14159, “Protecting the American People Against Invasion”, which directed the Department of Homeland Security to ensure that aliens comply with their duty to register with the government under section 262 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) (8 U.S.C. 1302), and ensure that failure to comply with the registration requirement is treated as a civil and criminal enforcement priority.

The INA requires that, with limited exceptions, all aliens 14 years of age or older who were not registered and fingerprinted (if required) when applying for a U.S. visa and who remain in the United States for 30 days or longer, must apply for registration and fingerprinting. Similarly, parents and legal guardians of aliens below the age of 14 must ensure that those aliens are registered. Within 30 days of reaching his or her 14th birthday, all previously registered aliens must apply for re-registration and to be fingerprinted.

Once an alien has registered and appeared for fingerprinting (unless waived), DHS will issue evidence of registration, which aliens over the age of 18 must carry and keep in their personal possession at all times.

After Ottawa’s interventions, strenuous arguments and Melanie Jolie hissing a lot, the Yanks relented on the fingerprinting-of-Canadians portion of this Trumpian edict.

“For those aliens, such as Canadian nonimmigrants and aliens under the age of 14, required to register but for whom the fingerprint requirement is waived, the ELIS case management system will trigger the creation of the ‘Proof of Alien Registration’ upon receipt of Form G-325R.” According to the federal register, once registered, Canadians will receive a digital proof of alien registration via their myUSCIS account, which they must carry as evidence of compliance.”

Yes, I know. Gone, gone are the days when they were just like us – our cousins, brothers in arms, neighbours, and better-tanned friends with lousy beer. Now Trump has hardened and weaponized the border. We are ‘aliens’ who must be documented, timed and traced, pursuant to an executive order called ‘Protecting the American People Against Invasion’. While no visa is required for a stay of up to six months, we little beavers are being told that 90 days is the limit, and any lengthier stay will require approval from the Immigration authorities.

No wonder the border bridges are lonely. Or why there were just two people in the US Customs line at Pearson Airport yesterday afternoon. And little surprise the merchants along the main drag of US tourist-dependent Niagara Falls fret over how to pay the rent this spring.

Not only is the border now a wall of worry, but economic malaise is seeping everywhere.

Citizens in both countries are understanding the Trump trade war will increase prices, cause inflation to return, result in layoffs and reduce net worth by deflating asset values. “The market is truly ugly right now,” says Toronto housing broker Robert Ede, as March sales plunge. And the S&P 500 is stumbling from a correction towards bear market status as investors and traders globally worry about a rogue president with 19th Century financial beliefs and influence over the entire global economy.

“A black mark in the annals of global economic history arrives on Wednesday,” says Bay Street bank economist Derek Holt. “Greater government interference in commerce is about to be unleashed and in ways that create untold consequences for the economy, for financial markets, for supply chains, for job security facing millions of workers, and for inflation. Protectionist walls of the sort that Trump is setting out to build haven’t been seen since the 1930 Smoot-Hawley Act, the Mercantilist period of the 1500s through 1700s, and in multiple developing economies. Take a hint.”

Well, much can change quickly with Trump. He breeds uncertainty, confusion and indecision. He has been contradictory, vague and threatening. So on Wednesday we may face an imminent shutdown of Ontario’s largest industry with the potential loss of 500,000 jobs, or not. Already steel and aluminum production is hobbled. New tariffs may hit every other maple export. Or not. Or later. Maybe.

Markets like predictability. There is none. Business folks making investment decisions need certainty. There is none. Families borrowing big to buy homes need stability. There is none. And now, just two months into a four-year term, the US president who has taken those things away is seized with how to extend his reign into eight years.

Trump is evil. Stay off the bridge.

About the picture: “Fun times, huh? Thanks for your commentary on the ebbs and flows,” writes Pete. “It has helped me a great deal over the years, especially recently. Here’s Juniper/ ‘June’, waiting for the next ball chuck; his game is to catch it in a full mid-air leap, after the first bounce. His athleticism is breathtaking.”

To be in touch or send a picture of your beast, email to ‘[email protected]’.

Source: https://www.greaterfool.ca/2025/03/31/the-wall-6/