OH, CANADIA!

I have $177 CDN (that's Canadian) sitting on my coffee table. It's not such a great investment...kinda like putting money into ValueAmerica when everyone was jacking them for all kinds of computer hardware back in the heyday of the Internet Bubble. Next time "I'll use my credit card!" (in whitest businessman accent possible).

By the way, it's very difficult to get into Canada (or Canadia as I like to call it) while traveling on business. The first time I tried this I landed in Vancouver (YVR) and filled out the appropriate immigration form for some work in that charming city's downtown. Due to my honesty I have to stand for an hour in the secondary immigration line while people plead to accept them into the country. Tick-tock...

I get up to the counter and the female officer grills me with questions, steering close to items regarding personality characteristics. Ultimately they let me through into their socialized-medicine ruled country.

The next time I flew to Calgary (YCC) with a printed email letter from a medical physicist I was going to be working with. Granted, the physicist is a government employee, but the email could have been completely fabricated!

"Do you work for XYZ Company?" she asks. "Yes." I reply. "Welcome to Canada(ia)." Piece of cake eh!