Closed borders
Author Rohinton Mistry was in the news a couple of years back after calling off the remainder of his American book tour when airport officials repeatedly detained him and his wife for “random” security checks. Mistry blamed the post-9/11 paranoia against anyone perceived as a Muslim, and though his assessment is probably correct, he hasn’t been the only high-profile author to attract the attention of zealous American security personnel. Earlier this year British writer Ian McEwan was refused entry into the U.S. for almost 24 hours after he tried to cross the border from Vancouver into Washington State. Now American author Russell Banks has a few nasty things to say about Canada’s border guards. According to an interview in the The Globe and Mail, Banks was detained for two hours last year on route to Calgary’s WordFest, apparently for failing to declare a 1971 arrest for marijauna possession. According to Banks, though, the detention had more to do with his “vociferous opposition to President George W. Bush” than a 30-year-old arrest record.
Related links:
Read The Globe and Mails profile of Russell Banks
Wouldn’t vociferous opposition to President GW Bush earn someone a free pass through Canada Customs? RJW