Canusa Street: Where the dotted yellow line is the official US-CAN border

A brief oral history of how the Canada-US border came to run right through a town and down the middle of one street - and what it's like to live there today.
Link to version with French language subtitles: vimeo.com/439442624

[@normhiscock352]

Take your kids to school and get charged with human trafficking.

[@maldito300]

🤣

[@memelord6128]

Underrated comment lmao

[@quanbrooklynkid7776]

@Run damn

[@adambrown3918]

LOL!

[@JIMMY_GROWTRON]

😂😭😂😭

[@xteuk21x]

wife: honey i'm going to buy groceries husband: don't forget your passport,

[@eds7288]

Hahaha!😂

[@ashleyburbank3129]

Food items are actually really hard to get out of Canada especially if they spoil.... I mean they locked the guy up over Pizza I feel like groceries wouldn't be allowed either! Technically different governments have different food standards and they could carry Foods we don't allow in the US for some odd reason or vice versa! I just think it's so odd that when you live that close it matters that much.... then again maybe one of the residents is going to start selling Contraband candy bars to kids.... Canadian chocolate is much better even in its cheap form then cheap American chocolate

[@stephenhookings1985]

@@ashleyburbank3129 and now we have Brexit - can't take our cheese or ham sandwiches across the English Channel any more.

[@ashleyburbank3129]

@@stephenhookings1985 kinda sucks if you work on the channel eh?

[@fedricksampson4870]

🤣🤣🤣

[@bluesnote1]

"So, what are you in for?" "I smuggled a pizza across the border"

[@housepianist]

hard core gangster! 😋

[@paulputin3018]

I smuggled a pizza 😂 like come on people seriously

[@bigmak11969]

It all depends on what kind of drugs that pharmacist was smuggling in the pizza

[@dldave1978]

Yeah, here I thought it’d be because he carried meds across or something. A pizza!? Lol

[@johnhein2539]

“LET ME OUT OF THIS CELL!THIS MAN IS CRAZY! HELLLLP!”

[@simonrobillard]

My grandfather lives here. He used to tell me that, before 9/11, he could just wave hello at the border customs and drive across to buy cheaper gas. How times haved changed...

[@angus6678]

Thats cap

[@xlilredflag2258]

@@angus6678 people still do that btw, driving from canada to the US just to get cheaper gas

[@ACL617]

@Robo lol no it's not. Not even close. They tax heavy in Canada on gas

[@cesarloya4525]

@@xlilredflag2258 you like xqc huh?

[@xlilredflag2258]

@@cesarloya4525 no i dont. have you ever heard of the game overwatch, there’s a character called winston and this is his avatar 😳 winstons pfp = xqc fan, you must be smart

[@x-sag3272]

Imagine if the border line goes through your house, and you have to report to custom to go to sleep

[@rc10gttb]

Or take a shit 🤣

[@tbjorn7374]

At least they don’t live in in Germany when it was split!

[@ceezvelasquez932]

Wtf???

[@LucianoMMatias]

The border between Belgium and the Netherlands goes trough houses a commerce in some places. It creates very funny situations (funny not dramatic).

[@Simonb1977]

Quite normal in Europe. There was an instance when a dead body was found in a container in such a house. They first had to establish whose case it was.

[@eupel1]

Imagine a kid playing with a ball & it accidentally rolls to the other side of the street. He has to go through customs just to get it back 😂

[@paulsimon2152]

He need to get a passport first!

[@marioluigi9599]

Nah he's just gonna sneak in and leg it. What they don't see can't hurt them

[@whoeveriam0iam14222]

@@marioluigi9599 5 years in prison on both sides for smuggling a ball twice

[@JustBen81]

When I was a kid we used to go swimming at a lake close to the inner german-border - part of the Iron curtain at that time. I once lost a badminton shuttlecock because it went over the fence. The fence wasn't the border itself but the edge of the protective strip which was guarded by watchtowers. The guards where authorized to use deadly force. Needless to say i didn't get the shuttlecock back.

[@x-sag3272]

He needs a visa

[@pacoramirez7363]

“We’re going to put up some flower pots and make Canada pay for it”

[@davidlowry8765]

Sure if we get pick the plants

[@darcymunro8930]

No ! Canada pick the plants and plant Mary Jane in all the pots,Make American better again.

[@petedandrea8463]

Gold Jerry, pure gold

[@HOPE.TheresNoPlaceLikeHomeClub]

🤣😂🤣😂

[@danielarvizu7477]

@Evil Pimp You are delusional. None of ISIS members nor any people of other terrorists groups has passed through Mexico to reach the US. A lot of narcos have done it of course, but that is another story

[@spaghettiman970]

They should just give everyone in the town both citizenship to both country’s cuz this is bs

[@twizz420]

Why would anyone live there and not get dual citizenship on their own...

[@bradweinstein7017]

Could be wrong but if they did have dual citizenship I think they would still have to report when crossing the border

[@nunopereira6092]

Give the land back to the actual Americans, Native Americans. All others are foreigners from Europe, Africa and Asia.

[@twizz420]

@@nunopereira6092 "Native" Americans came from Asia, dumbass.

[@Conman577]

@Pete Melon get help.

[@KDCO92]

So you can connect to your neighbor’s wifi and get American netflix...😂

[@laddibugg]

🤯

[@SquidCena]

Won't you have North American Netflix as well? (If this is a joke, I'm not taking it seriously, just asking)

[@KDCO92]

@@SquidCena I’ve heard the US version has more content.

[@083sparky]

@@KDCO92 Actually it’s the other way around. When I used VPN to set to Canadian server, I noticed more contents on my Netflix account.

[@KDCO92]

@@083sparky hmm I think it’s a bit variable, I have some content here in the UK that’s not available on the US one and vice versa, but overall I think America has the most.

[@dustigenes]

I think the saddest thing was using 911 as a reason to clamp down on border crossings in towns like that. After all Canada was not involved in the attack and they took in all the flights that were airborne and not allowed to land in the US. They took the passengers into their homes and cared for them like neighbours until they could arrange to go home. This is how it ends?

[@wetrock2766]

I remember back then, there were many rumors thet the terrorists had infiltrated the US from Canada, much finger pointing. It all turned out to be unfounded. The terrorist were allowed to take flying lessons in the US and nobody tought it was weird that they only wanted to learn taking off but didn't need any landing lessons?? Go figure.

[@dustigenes]

@@wetrock2766 Yup I remember that to, and they used the fake information to push through the changes. Then when the truth came out they buried it as much as possible so that many Americans still believe it was Canada that allowed they terrorists access to the US. In all reality, terrorist can still get through to the US, all it did was make it harder to US citizens to move around.

[@philippe88]

I will also add that 24 Canadians were also killed in the 9/11 terrorist attack. Still doesn't warrant silliness like this though.

[@endebtedone]

I don't know why I find this so fascinating and enjoyable to watch. I've watched this about 6 times.

[@donnagarcia4541]

Hahahahaha I’ve watched it twice!!! Fascinating is an understatement. 😁

[@chinob6869]

Same here this is Awesome lol. I live in Detroit I can literally see the Ambassador Bridge from my Porch.

[@optimisticallycynical.814]

Were your pants on?

[@mirkopg69]

Me I'm leaving in this town from 10 years and I finding sad something isn't no more possible to do. Off course is interesting story ,I'm using pass this street every day to go at work. 👍

[@georgei546]

It's interesting 🧐

[@Nick-vk3ph]

I’d risk that for pizza too

[@typhoidpaddy1244]

Did those bastards eat his pizza??

[@shyryTsr2k]

@@typhoidpaddy1244 pineapple pizza is the best 🤤

[@joebidengaming5525]

@@shyryTsr2k Pripyat or Prypiat is a ghost city in northern Ukraine, near the Ukraine-Belarus border. Named after the nearby river Pripyat, the city was founded on February 4, 1970, as the ninth nuclear city in the Soviet Union, to serve the nearby Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant

[@brucesmith9144]

Make sure to eat it all before going home. And don’t forget to report to customs officers ...

[@kenk5269]

Wifey: Hon, where are you going? Hubby: To see our baby sleeping in the other room Wifey: Passport honey, passport.

[@NintendoDudeWii]

How can government bureaucracy be so stupid to not solve such a minuscule issue? It’s a tiny town for heavens sake. It’s definitely more of a community than most large cities where real crime happens. They should work on allowing everyone within the town to have special access of movement between the two countries.

[@thelouster5815]

Oh but that’s open borders and that can cause the downfall of the country! /s

[@Somd55]

Most borders around the world were drawn by AHs that didn’t have to live them everyday 😒

[@tylerkriesel8590]

@@thelouster5815 nuance and content are something you lack

[@PascalGienger]

This would be an international treaty which needed to be ratified by Congress and the Canadian parliament.

[@man4437]

The only reason I see why it wouldn't have been fixed immediately is because it would "look bad". Canada and Denmark fought over a literal rock for a hundred-ish years, but for both it might not look good to say you're giving away land because there's some people in both countries who might think they have a right to claim some of theirs. It has to be more expensive to not fix it and have people dillydallying around the offices 247

[@ThePhilNews]

This just makes me glad that the Schengen Agreement exists. I can go shopping in Belgium, Luxemburg, Germany, France and the Netherlands, everything under an hour away and don't have to worry about border nonsense. Probably the thing I like most about the EU tbh.

[@jenpitre9444]

There is another city like this in Europe! I saw a video on KZbin!

[@ZarDocKs]

Basically every border area in EU is like that, you just drive or walk into a different country without any checkpoint similar to state borders. We do also have towns which are in different country’s, we even got a country in a country 😅.

[@LM-rl4nd]

Even stranger are Port Roberts, Washington and Angle Township, Minnesota. You can only get to them through Canada. During the pandemic they were isolated during border closings.

[@ReadeRomke]

​@@ZarDocKs Baarle Hertog is Belgium town inside the Netherlands, with even Dutch land within. The Dutch town is Baarle Nassau.

[@11UncleBooker22]

People live next to each other, governments don't.

[@kennpeters2882]

Reminds me of the Detroit, MI / Windsor, ON and Port Huron, MI / Sarnia, ON borders before 9/11. You could just drive or walk across the bridges whenever you wanted, and no one batted an eye. Now, you need a passport, a reason for entering /exiting, etc. Loads of people quit their jobs because the commute became too exhausting. What a weird world we live in where we can't design laws that are flexible enough to decipher between valid employment and international terrorism.

[@SW-mc2zx]

We used to go to Canada all the time to run in races in Sarnia and Windsor. Just tell them we were born in the USA. One time we had a guy from England in the group. We had to pull over to the side and get the car searched. Supposedly we got Drummond Island because the border patrol from both countries were drunk and rowed on the wrong side of the island.

[@athingwhichexists]

I have to say this, having been born in a post-911 world. It sucks learning how nice things were and how loose things use to be.

[@roboterror6366]

North america is not the world bro, get down from the cardboard box

[@athingwhichexists]

@@roboterror6366 I am aware, but I do not live outside of the US, nor was I talking about the rest of the world

[@roboterror6366]

@@athingwhichexists "rest of the world" ayy? Edit: i'm also american btw

[@shyryTsr2k]

Imagine half of your house being in another country. The guys who drew it out must've been stoned and drunk off their asses😂

[@bigmak11969]

I would like to declare, I'm bringing my beer from the kitchen to the living room

[@mjordan812]

If you sight along the flower pots, the line splits an adjacent house. The front is in the US and the back is in Canada.

[@WyattH]

@@bigmak11969 and if you’re 19 you can’t do that 😂

[@DiarrheaBubbles]

Probably trolling

[@spamcan0]

Wouldn't that mean you're paying taxes for both the US and Canada?

[@jake3736]

The quicker the US and Canada get an EU type arrangement the better, and maybe if Mexico gets their shit together they can join too. It would strengthen the 3 countries immensely and be a counter to the maturing Chinese economy

[@Cutlass_Rudd]

No but i'd like to see it how it was in 20-30 years ago where you only needed a drivers license and the customs agent joked with you and wished you a good trip. We use to go over to Dennys for breakfast all the time, we tried that a few years ago and coming back the border guys were certain we had gone over for nefarious reasons, guy had a melt down. WTF

[@bruceli9094]

NATO.

[@umhi5743]

I really hopes this happens! I would love to travel freely and safely to Mexico and Canada, and maybe to other North American countries!

[@timbuktu8069]

Oh No! We've just had a traffic accident! Quick push the cars to the American side. But I'm hurt. You wait on the Canadian side.

[@sleekoduck]

Having worked for the auto insurance company for both countries, I find this comment extremely hilarious.😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@jeromefitzroy]

Why American side for insurance?

[@timbuktu8069]

@@jeromefitzroy Americans can get away with minimal car insurance.

[@jeromefitzroy]

Tim Buktu I already paying $4K a year for my auto insurance, and it’s not comprehensive, there’s still copays and crap

[@ponraul1221]

Wait, I forgot I’m carrying a gun! Back to the American side lol

[@charluvsyou]

I feel like it would make a lot more sense to have customs around the town instead of through the middle... Keep the town together but just don't let anyone enter or leave without being checked

[@speedy01247]

Exactly, it's stupid to do it this way.

[@Macbobob]

Or just hold a local referendum and let the residents decide whether they want to be in the US or Canada and adjust the border accordingly

[@traviousandrews1015]

@@Macbobob they want to be in what they are but be able to cross

[@Marathonman2043]

If it were up to me, I would move the border so that the houses on the Vermont side of Canusa Avenue are in Canada. I would offer its current occupants two options: 1. Continue to live in the house under Canadian and Quebec laws with Canadian citizenship, or 2. Sell the house to the Canadian government or a Canadian citizen at fair market value, then move south.

[@marcospark2803]

@@Macbobob That can't work.

[@ourcreativebeehive]

I'm Canadian-American...I think I found my town.♥️

[@CP-qn1mn]

The smartest thing about this is when the customs guy was tard feathered and drug out of town.

[@twizz420]

I think you mean "tarred" not "tard" lol

[@twizz420]

@Carl Carter that's only partially true. In some places of the US "drug" is the more appropriate word, believe it or not. Depends on dialect. It's still not PROPER English, though. You are right about that.

[@Qrayon]

They drugged him? Which drug? Ritalin? LSD? Heroin?

[@whimsicalgolde]

@@Qrayon Past tense of drag. Here in the US some use drug instead of dragged. It's the shorter version of dragged, with a U. Look at these 2 words (Drag Drug) Read these sentences. They drug the bat on the floor. They drag the bat on the floor. They dragged the bat on the floor. ## Right here is where I say it. All 3 are used as past tense in some places in the US. I read newspapers online. I can tell when that's the case. It's really a special thing ya'll. Talk about proper English all ya want. There's 50 of us states plus DC English language will change a lot, on the mainland. So, where FL and Texas is with everyone else. Just like with Spanish. It's not the same. On the map Mexico on down, not Brazil, Portuguese but they understand me and I them. I can't understand Dominicans and Puertoricans at times. They have their own words for things. I'm Mexican. I say yeah, I keep going as I talk to them. When they can not understand me. They look at me like I'm crazy. I then backtrack and they say oh ex. (bread) why didn't you say so. Bread is in their Spanish. I then say I'm Mexican. Then they get it. They thought I was Peruvian😂 I look it though.

[@Qrayon]

@@whimsicalgolde Wrong. of your 3 examples, only "dragged" is past tense for "drag".

[@frankmoore3598]

When bureaucracy gets in the way of common sense. I would kick out all federal officials out of town . By force if necessary.

[@oldcountryman2795]

Sure you would big man, sure you would.

[@ab4rb870]

It sounds like they tried that. Didn't stick.

[@colinthiel1283]

We got an internet tough guy here eh

[@roxsauce7862]

Do it. No balls.

[@supernoodles908]

Go on then Frank

[@RoyalMela]

We in Finland have a golf course where parts of the course is in Sweden. You tee the ball into other country and also different time zone.

[@Erin-vu1tt]

Nice!

[@oapplz8032]

Really where?

[@oapplz8032]

Imagine a kid walking to the golf course and going to the other side just to sleep later

[@Faithskill]

@@oapplz8032 Looks to be the Tornio Gold course: goo.gl/maps/RutGMFen6rUaPRyT7

[@noel9168]

Thanks, btw I told my family this thing.

[@hdufort]

It would be great to create a special bubble that includes both communities. There would be a border around them (e.g. they would have to pass customs to enter both Canada and the US) but at least their community wouldn't be dysfunctional. The way it evolves right now, Stanstead and Derby will become two completely separated communities split by a fence or wall eventually, and the buildings on the line will be either moved or the windows on the other side will be walled up (Berlin style).

[@robrobski9445]

Quebec will be one day when they separate

[@afcgeo882]

And which police/law would control it? Whose hospital would be used? If a person is born in a home/car, which nationality will it be?

[@hdufort]

@@afcgeo882 It's always complicated but there are precedents for regions or towns that are shared between jurisdictions. The most famous historical case would be Andorra, which had political and religious leadership split between Spain and France.

[@afcgeo882]

@@hdufort It’s a case that’s completely irrelevant here, as Andorra itself was a contested nation because it was created and ruled by the Catholic church. As such, it is an independent nation. No one is proposing that this town become an independent nation, not even you. The town is 99.999% Canadian, with just about 5 houses in the United States.

[@hdufort]

@@afcgeo882 It is never possible to compare anything or to find even imperfect references if you're not willing to discuss.

[@timbuktu8069]

I wonder what it was like during prohibition. Where's the tavern? Right across the street.

[@jmlepunk]

Brilliant comment aha

[@memisemyself]

Perhaps even in the next room, if the border went through the house.

[@JohnnyCBCS]

......and the people on the American side of town didn't need to sponsor and empower the various organized crime groups by buying alcoholic drinks from them.

[@adamc7828]

Check out the Fort Fairfield Maine country club. Built for that very reason. The parking lot was in the us but the building was in Canada so the Americans could get a drink during prohibition. To this day, excluding Covid-19, Americans can still park on the us side, cross the border and play golf in Canada. No need to check in with customs as long as you come and go. Note: there is no way to get to the country club from the Canada side. The Canadian workers have to cross the border twice to get to work.

[@wesley1384]

thank goodness for Peace Arch park in WA/BC, during covid friends and family can meet at that park without reporting to a customs or border officer, so long as they don't leave the park into the opposite side of where they entered.

[@adhisboucha295]

I visited Canusa Street a few years ago as an incidental side trip on my honeymoon. I had read about it as a child and how neighbors played and visited freely across the border. When I visited it though, it felt depressing. The Canadian border patrol spoke very aggressively and were fierce about not letting us even tiptoe across the street. The area had a very sad and stifled energy. You can still go into the library and cross the border that is within the bookshelves. I may have also wandered far down the street and crossed the border merely out of stubbornness and defiance about the stupid stringency. As the older generations who remember "free" Canusa pass away, I believe this street will be gradually abandoned. The strict enforcement of check-ins just to run an errand is ridiculous, especially since the "threat" of un-approved crossers hasn't motivated the building of any physical barriers.

[@sydneyw4282]

This is so awful they need to remove all those barriers. These people are neighbors.

[@shyryTsr2k]

Yeah I agree. The treaty is dog crap

[@elkor101]

Meanwhile in Europe “hey did we just cross 3 borders?” “You counted??”

[@pauliandelrosario]

and he's Swedish

[@NintendoDudeWii]

I find it interesting how in modern times, Canada and the US still have a border between the two despite being extremely similar culturally, linguistically, and relying on each other (maybe Canada more than the US but still). Surely there is technology that can be placed at borders to keep track of individuals coming in without causing such separation. It would be nice to be like Europe and just travel freely.

[@wetrock2766]

Pretty different culturally and linguistically in Québec. I would rather have separate beds between a couple formed of an elephant and a mouse.

[@MegaSkiboy]

@@wetrock2766 In the EU each country is very different linguistically and culturally and yet the border are free to cross. I don't think the Quebec folk would be trying to enter and live in the US.

[@jasonwiley798]

If you were Canadian would you want to be part of the US?

[@donnagarcia4541]

I smiled and chuckled through this!!! As well as a little shaking of my head. This was the most ridiculous, fun and educating thing I’ve watched in a very long time!! 👍❤️😁😂

[@gaius_enceladus]

Living in an island nation (NZ), I've always found borders interesting. I was visiting family in Canada many years ago and we were driving south - we go around a bend in the road and there's the US border! Something I could never experience at home.

[@tylerrussell4924]

Pretty good example of how sometimes we make things a lot harder than it needs to be.

[@mqbitsko25]

I visited Canada with a Swedish friend years ago. I was waved right into Canada but she was interrogated as if she were invading the place. On our return she was waved right into the U.S. but I was treated like an invader of my own country.

[@petedandrea8463]

How do you even make a turn out of your driveway on Canusa St without breaking the law?

[@fu-fucuddlypoops6583]

Easy. It’s a one way street* *I do not know if it’s a one way street.

[@charlesoliviersdufaux6943]

Is not a one way street lives one hour from there

[@kwilliamson1096]

If you have kids and you live on CanUsa Street, make damn sure they don't chase the ball if it rolls across the street.

[@kmor8829]

Nice job Perry! I have always been amused by Stanstead. This documentary really helped clarify a few details for me.

[@perrygwalker]

Thanks Kevin!

[@DeanPierceVt]

I grew up on a farm in a town west of Derby Line and was one of those kids who rode a bike across the border with a wave from the Customs officer. Today, sadly, it's a very different experience.

[@lisal4824]

Two of the strongest allies and they couldn’t come up with a special zone plan that would benefit the residents?

[@elkor101]

That just shows they aren’t that strong alies. EU has this solved on a Continental lvl

[@knightwing51]

ilived in the dumoulin building for 10 years . on 9/11 i was met by a armed national guard in the drivway asking who and why i was there for. i told him i live here. thankfully the two border officials saw it and told him that i was ok. never willforget that crazy day.

[@TravelingTheWorld1993]

Marcel Dubois , so this building sits on the U.S and Canada border. So if you are a Canadian citizen , would you be allowed to set foot outside on the U.S side?

[@knightwing51]

@@TravelingTheWorld1993 only on the building grounds. that were very small.

[@TravelingTheWorld1993]

@@knightwing51, must be really fascinating to live there. But also a headache!

[@knightwing51]

@@TravelingTheWorld1993 what really sucked was here i was that close and being a dui person many years ago i couldn't even cross that street legally. its been 32 years for that stupid mistake.

[@TravelingTheWorld1993]

@@knightwing51, is an enhanced driver's license excepted to cross over? Or you must have a passport?

[@miloanderson5694]

I absolutely love your style of documentary making :)

[@FourPriestsBrewery]

Great video! Thanks for sharing.

[@anikinkhan]

Sitting on the couch watching TV..."Hey babe call Customs I need somthin from the Fridge!!"

[@pierrekerschgens7001]

I live in Germany near the Belgium and Dutch border and I can just walk from one country to another. I hope someday you can cross canusa street like in pre 9/11 times 🙏🏻

[@paranoidrodent]

That seems unlikely in the next few decades. The Americans have gotten really paranoid about border security at the national level and little towns like this don't get a lot of consideration from the national policy makers. In addition, given the flood of illegal migrants coming from the US since 2016, there has been increasing pressure on Canadian politicians at the national level to clamp down on the casual nature of the border in these places. Free movement, Schengen-style, between Canada and the US is completely unthinkable for one simple reason: guns. While Canadians own a LOT of firearms too, we've got a gun culture similar to Scandinavia (lots of hunters, defense from big predators, ownership is licensed) rather than the US. Canada already struggles to limit the amount of illegal firearms smuggled into the country from people who buy them legally in the US. Free movement would flood Canada with illegal weapons. Free movement with Australia, New Zealand and the UK is far far more likely to happen than with the US. American gun culture was saner back in the days when these borders were more relaxed.

[@user-uyumo8g44x]

Aachen boiz unite

[@afcgeo882]

Pre 2000 days actually. Terrorists snuck in from Canada into the US in 1999 and 1987. In 1987, Walid Kabbani was caught on train tracks in Vermont, with explosives in a bag, having crossed from Quebec. In 1999, Ahmed Ressam had a bomb in his car’s spare tire. He planned to attack LAX airport. He took a ferry from Victoria, BC to Port Angeles, WA. In 2009, the three North American countries started to require a passport or other authorized proof of citizenship to cross borders.

[@Tatusiek_1]

@@paranoidrodent your name is really ironic. Also how was American gun culture saner before? Explain

[@paranoidrodent]

@@Tatusiek_1 America's always been fond of guns but if you go back several decades, the big US gun owners' groups were heavily focused on responsible gun ownership and firearms safety (much like such groups are in Canada). The rise of them becoming heavily political and the modern US conversation on gun control really starts with the Reagan assassination attempt, the Brady bill and the rise in prominence of the conspiracy theory embracing far right during the 1990s. Americans loved their guns before then but the paranoid rhetoric wasn't normal and they were mostly rational (albeit very permissive) about firearms. Canadian rural gun culture wasn't drastically different from American gun culture back around the 1960-1970s (a bit more paperwork in Canada but just barely - the underlying law was very different but the "gun is tool" mindset was dominent). The huge divergence was in the 1980s and 1990s, as the two countries reacted very differently to a series of headline grabbing gun crimes. The notion of the gun as the most fundamental constitutional right and the romantic notion of it being a symbol of personal liberty (and arguably virility) is a very American thing and it intersected with the rise of the modern far right and American political tribalism/culture wars in a unique way in the past 30-40 years.

[@wjcorrinne4052]

It is absolutely absurd that towns located on the Canadian USA border should have to go through customs. For generations our two countries have the most unique situation, a fenceless border. This is just more than a little bit stupid that a town becomes a town divided because of political idiocy! I have never even faintly considered Canada a threat to the I.S. nor do I feel we’re a threat to Canada. These are small towns where everyone pretty much knows everyone else on both sides. I’m pretty sure someone would notice a stranger in town. Our borders are unique in the world and should be celebrated not separated. Remember it was the Canadian Embassy in Iran that hid 6 US citizens and got them out safely! Because of this I will never say anything bad or negative about Canada or Canadians. A comparison would be the Interstate highway system. As you drive it take time to notice that that there may be a farmhouse on each side that used to be connected by a road. Now they are only able to visit by driving a circular route to what used to be a couple hundred yards walk! We need to change our policy regarding our border with Canada our neighbor and our friend and it can start by letting these “border towns” become one community again.

[@user-uyumo8g44x]

Ah yes, the most unique situation of fenceless borders. I wonder how the European Union manages their borders? Hmmmm....

[@billmcallister1404]

Piere Eliot Turdo changed all of that.

[@davidsradioroom9678]

@@user-uyumo8g44x They have a special treaty where they do not need anything to cross borders within the EC.

[@user-uyumo8g44x]

@@davidsradioroom9678 yes, i was just being sarcastic

[@afcgeo882]

Yet throughout our ENTIRE history, EVERYONE, ALWAYS had to stop at a crossing point and provide a customs declaration. Even before Canada was independent it was so. You know where else this has to be done? On the Canadian/French border.

[@gamerandcontroller9129]

How do you turn left? Imagine missing the address you’re looking for by a few houses.

[@juniatapark54]

Old maps and agreements call the southern side New York but these days it's Vermont. It took a while before Vermont's situation was clarified and it became the 14th state.

[@jerrycain8367]

This, ,would make a good sitcom.

[@itsnick37]

Watch movie Super Troopers 2

[@Nirrrina]

Yeah it would.

[@nosky4673]

This was great thanks for sharing

[@bridgieoh9326]

This reminds me of an incident where I once worked. The EMS services were not allowed to cross county borders. The building was in one county, but the parking lot was in another. An employee was having heart attack like symptoms so EMS was called. The EMS service for the building was 30 mins away. Parking lot EMS was just a few minutes away. The employee calling was tempted to drag employee outside to get him quicker service after dealing with red tape like reluctance over the phone. Luckily, the police told local EMS they could cross county lines. Years later, the rules all changed for the better and crossovers were allowed.

[@jessicagoyette3483]

I live here :)

[@catherineadair581]

It’s beautiful!!

[@jonnymckin6267]

I’ll becoming to visit once this pandemic is over

[@jessicagoyette3483]

@@jonnymckin6267 you'll love it

[@jessicagoyette3483]

@@catherineadair581 it really is! In Autumn it's glorious

[@sswan9689]

What is the name of the town. I find it quite fascinating. Too live across the street & your neighbor is in another country.

[@DarshilPatel95]

“So what’s you in for ?” “ oh you know... I did a good thing and saved my neighbor from choking and I helped him clean snow with my snow blower”

[@BarryMckockinner]

Great video wow incredible editing

[@PaliBhangoo]

going to CANUSA this weekend from montreal!! excited

[@WeyounSix]

The Romans could make straight lines for miles and two dudes from way after that fucked it up so hard

[@1717maxpo]

Cette situation à Standstead est fort déplorable. Il fut un temps où les choses étaient plus simples et humaines.

[@fictitiousfictitious8964]

Loved this documentary. The good hearted people, the music was perfect and the silly almost tragic predicament they find themselves in.

[@Arsenal4Ever2019]

This is so fascinating!

[@mattsmocs3281]

They should just change it so you only need to be at customs to leave town. This is just too broken.

[@TravelingTheWorld1993]

So if you live on the Canadian side , you walk to the U.S customs post and say that you want to visit your neighbor across the street on the U.S side and vice versa. Is that how it works?

[@GalenPhotography]

correct

[@marioluigi9599]

Or just dig a tunnel

[@GalenPhotography]

@@marioluigi9599 They have seismic sensors to detect that.

[@marioluigi9599]

@@GalenPhotography shudda digged it before they got them. Maybe there's still one of two secret tunnels left from those times

[@GalenPhotography]

@@marioluigi9599 There are, but I definitely will not say where on the internet.

[@blessedhighlyfavored701]

Oh my gosh I love it. This video was so much fun to watch. I couldn't even imagine what that would be like. Even though i love in arizona afew hundred miles from the mexico border its a completely diffrent story here. But this was a great video story of the town. Thanks for posting it

[@rayl3177]

This was wonderful.

[@ponraul1221]

Canada and USA should have EU-type borders.

[@zipzap4706]

I agree. Go one step further and amalgamate into 1 super-mega country. Then, as Canadians, we’d have rights rather than privileges.

[@deprogramm]

nah

[@johnmontoya8160]

Nope!

[@hypeninja4786]

@@zipzap4706 nah, cause then we’d have to deal with Quebec

[@ponraul1221]

@@hypeninja4786 Americans already deal with Louisiana lol

[@mrspeeddemon727]

The most ignorant thing I've ever heard. You'd think boarder laws would be lax for the residents in that town.

[@lapprentice]

Border needs to be redrawn. period. Laws and orders are meant to serve the people.

[@richardkralick3062]

Nope! America needs to make sure their citizens are safe from communist Canada.

[@MissStateFan]

@@richardkralick3062 Canada is not communist. 🙄

[@Jemalacane0]

@@MissStateFan I'm pretty sure Richard Kralick was joking.

[@MrDino1953]

He’s not talking about border laws, he’s talking about boarder laws. Very different things.

[@crappymeal]

Nice work

[@j.grandez6552]

I've been to that place..in Stanstead, Quebec..I came by bike from Granby and cross to Vermont. A very nice place.

[@Somd55]

The line across that library is really depressing

[@fzanetti2000]

Great video thanks for sharing this. It is a terrible shame that we tore these border towns apart by how we manage border security between two friendly countries that the US and Canada are.

[@dand2760]

Man..this must be a pain for door dash and Uber eats. Can you imagine being detained by Canadian law-enforcement for delivering a Burger King whopper combo?

[@puff6796]

That was the first thing I thought of.

[@gaia8187]

We had the same before the treaty of Schengen but in my case : France/ belgium, we were not arrest, they let us do, our shopping, haircut etc.

[@timmullens9479]

I know a guy who can build you a wall and get the other side to pay,,

[@tommyhunter1817]

At least there is a valid threat on that border.

[@blitzn00dle50]

I got a wall built by him and the people I was trying to keep out started stealing parts of the wall to use as home protection No I'm serious some fellas in mexico stole some of the border wall's defensive wire

[@tommyhunter1817]

@@blitzn00dle50 I do not doubt that.

[@rjchavers9267]

@@tommyhunter1817 there's a valid threat on our Canadian border considering what Trudon't has been doing in Canada. I'm rooting for the good Canadian people to get rid of Castro's son.

[@tommyhunter1817]

@@rjchavers9267 indeed he is a POS.

[@captainhargrove113]

Consider this: Crime to go across the street to pull your neighbor from a burning home, crime to assist an auto accident victim across the street, crime to perform cpr on a dying fellow human being, because a line painted on a street dictates it.

[@PaliBhangoo]

Absolutely wonderful place. Must visit!

[@asdfadfafsdfa]

I love how they always show thing I’m the north sitting the summer xD because 6month out of the year is covered in snow

[@cthoadmin7458]

We can’t be too careful in the US. First Canadian pizzas, next, well who knows?

[@wendellwhite5797]

Heck. You might people smuggling Poteen across the border. The horror of it!

[@vipahman]

First pizzas, next pitas, then chapattis, and finally tacos. Where are we headed? LOL

[@0623kaboom]

@@wendellwhite5797 poutine ... also known as fries with cheese curds and gravy

[@cthoadmin7458]

@@vipahman chapatis are lethal, especially with tandoori chicken and raieta. The Americans won’t know what hit them.

[@wendellwhite5797]

@@0623kaboom Yes, I do know that. I used to live up in Nothern Maine.

[@MarceloNunesPOA]

This is so easy to solve.. They could surround the city as a fair trade zone and add both Customs out of the town. One each side. This is how they do in our countries with peaceful relationships.

[@simplestatic3751]

That sounds too simple... Our government won't like it.

[@Brookehhxd]

This is really interesting.

[@dan003]

Surely there should be some kind of system set up whereby people can apply to be eligible to cross this particular border without being checked. Apply, they do a background check you can some kind of card or stamp in your passport. It's not giving people impunity to cross any US/Canada border, but just a particular stretch due to the location of their home.

[@markpowers5907]

It makes me feel incredibly sad to realize it has come to this. Our two great nations uneccesarily devided.

[@markpowers5907]

Pete Melon. Tell me something I don't know. Canada & USA - Demographically similar if not identical - CA & US are each others largest foriegn trade customer's. - Present trade issues include CA dumping cheap lumber into US, commercial fishing boundaries, export of natural gas from CA to US via Keystone Pipeline. - The historical big issue between has been smuggling (alcohol during prohibition) later drugs and weapons. - CA & US have been reliable military allies. Frozen northern border of CA buffers Russia directly across the Arctic Ocean. - Canada reacted quickly to Covid -19 and closed int'l entry to all nations including the US thru 10/2020. Trump responded a day later saying that he was the one who closed the border with Canada which was bulshit. - In October 2020, Canada partially reopened to some nations. But Canada decided to keep the US border closed "until the US can get a handle" on Covid-19. - so the problem has never been the actual US Canadian border. The recent problem has been in ignorant president who lied to the American people about Covid-19, the 2020 election hustle list that's much too large for this space.

[@markpowers5907]

Pete Melon You have bought into the lies of a con artist. Good luck...

[@markpowers5907]

-Trump duped you into believing that he won the 2020 election. -Trump duped you into believing that covid-19 was a hoax. - Trump conned you into believing global climate change isn't real. I could go on.

[@markpowers5907]

Pete Melon Why do you think that Canada's infection and death rate due to covid-19 is so much less than it is in the United States?

[@markpowers5907]

Pete Melon Sorry son... -The population of Canada is ~35 million, 90% of which lives within 100 miles of the US border. - US and Canada are demographically similar if not identical: European and Asian immigrants. Black citizens who sought escape from slavery. Indigenous native north Americans (Iroquois, Abenakee, Inuit etc)

[@hunsbergermatt]

It is sad how people just accept this nonsense bs....govmt bureaucracy bs

[@Farrell0208]

They’re forced to by bureaucratic BS. By force of hand by law. By threat of fine or jail time. Government strong arms its people regardless of what type of government it is.

[@ianprince1698]

@@Farrell0208 i dont think the irish will accept it

[@captorangeski]

2 garbage self serving tyrannical govts.

[@immaculatesquid]

@@captorangeski and yet theyre on the freer side of things on a global scale. what does that tell us?

[@captorangeski]

@@immaculatesquid dunno about you but it tells me the usa drove off a cliff post ww2 and has been falling faster and faster. I'm 29 and as a lifelong american have never lived in a free country. People are sheep and when it was possible to slow this down or maybe even stop it they didn't, to late now, enjoy the show.

[@damiengarcia8981]

Imagine getting hurt and the nearest hospital is on the other side of the boarder

[@lmp_photography]

I find all this wild, fascinating and entertaining.

[@LucianoMMatias]

The border between Belgium and the Netherlands goes trough houses and commerce in some places. It creates very funny situations (funny not dramatic like this one).

[@michiellombaers3198]

That's Baarle-Nassau (NL) and Baarle-Hertog (BE). Much more chaotic and confusing but we don't make a fuzz about it.

[@truckerdaddy-akajohninqueb4793]

They tarred and feathered the customs officer? What a bunch 😂

[@john_hatten2862]

Serious question, how do they deal with outside people wanting to cross the in that town?

[@vacciniumaugustifolium1420]

A minimum wage worker on one side could earn $7.25/hour and another one doing the same job would be paid $10.31/hour. Thats crazy! (both in $Usd)

[@christophermiller3031]

The only border that really matters is the one between our planet and the emptiness of space

[@volkhen0]

This is so hilarious looking at it from EU perspective where there are no borders. There is hundreds or thousands of villages, towns and cities that are split by the border. People can travel freely.

[@dsutton777]

Pretty neat for sure 👌

[@dennisbakker5262]

Remember a street between belgium and the netherlands being the same

[@mittfh]

Border controls would be a nightmare in Baarle-Hertog / Baarle-Nassau, a complete mess of Belgian and Netherlands enclaves and exclaves within the same town. Belgium also has the Vennbahn, a former railway line partially running through Germany, but legally the railway alignment is entirely in Belgium, creating a handful of German exclaves on the West Side of the line.

[@dennisbakker5262]

@@mittfh so it can get worse🤔

[@volkhen0]

Ironically because of Covid-19 crossing borders in Europe is much more difficult now.

[@Bart-dg6qv]

So it's completely opposite to Europe. I remember armed guards at the border crossing years ago and today it's only a sign with an information about border. Oh, and people talk in a different language. Quite amazing feeling for older people.

[@martianmurray]

So if the border splits your house do you have to check in with customs to go to your kitchen?

[@flaminglaughter]

So Canusa Ave is a one way street in each direction

[@Atlantjan]

Actually you can drive on both sides, just take the correct exit. Tried and tested. It's highly supervised so that's a thing

[@certifiedyaminspector-dadd6224]

This is definitely where that Tony meets Ezekiel bit comes from.

[@nicolejanine4060]

LOL one of my friends growing up was excited to go to private school with the line dividing up Quebec and the US. It’s called Stanstead College, just a little north of the library with the line in between. That kid lied to me, that library wasn’t part of her school 😂

[@wuzzy5894]

It's the line, the separation in the library for me 😆

[@YouNeedM3]

8:57 lady says it all. Fear. The only thing that has changed and the locals have submitted. It's only a problem now because no one stood up and said this is bollocks. No one stood until the insurance companies. Someone needs to set up an insurance company locally.

[@AZDesertExplorer]

It’s things like this that governments love to waist money on rather than fix the error.

[@KBowWow75]

What if your trash cans blow across the street after a storm, do you gotta go tell customs first? What about when you back out of your driveway? Do you gotta turn right everytime? I'm assuming the town has multiple schools too.

[@xWhiteRice]

genuine question: can americans only go westbound on main st and canadians eastbound?