Each year, thousands of Iowans flock to Canada for vacations but now there may be a catch. Rose White, spokeswoman for Triple-A Iowa, says some Americans are being turned back at the northern border. White says "The Canadian government considers driving while under the influence of alcohol an extremely serious offense, so much so, if you have been convicted of this crime in the U.S., you may be prohibited from entering Canada."
White says this could really impact those Iowans who head to Canada for fishing trips. White says "A lot of people head up to the Boundary Waters area, groups of fishermen, and we have heard of a few cases here recently where one or more of them have been denied access to Canada and simply had to return for their trip home." She says it doesn’t matter if you’re driving your own vehicle or not, as passengers in vehicles are not immune.
White says "We’ve heard of buses even, heading into Canada, every one will be searched and their records checked and if there is anyone who had a DWI offense in the past few years they may be pulled off and may have to rent a car to get back home." She says other crimes, like shoplifting and assault, could prevent you from entering Canada as well.