I doubt it, because it would end up being a PR storm for Canada, just like this event. I have people who would want to know where I was. I might end up waiting weeks or months, though. It's hard to be sure without knowing more about Canadian law and enforcement norms.

No, it would not be a 'PR storm'.

This kind of stuff happens all day, every day, at every one of the major border crossings.

You'd be denied entry and that would be the end of it.

"I might end up waiting weeks or months, though."

The American embassy will tell you there's nothing they can do, and you'd be waiting in perpetuity in a hotel on the American side of the border.

Exactly. This topic has come up on HN before and we've had HNers tell even more horrifying stories than today and nothing comes of it. Getting an attitude and trying to appeal to your legal rights will just embolden some of these powertripping authority figures. It's best to come prepared, either with a TrueCrypt plausible deniability type solution or just by wiping / clearing out your OS beforehand. I chose the latter option when I flew into the US, because I'd imagine even FDE might look suspicious enough to warrant getting hastled or detained.

"Getting an attitude and trying to appeal to your legal rights will just embolden some of these powertripping authority figures."

The thing is, you may not have such 'rights', at least not in a legal sense. I suggest the duderinos at the border are well aware of what they can, and cannot do.

If you have a beef, it's with Homeland Security or Congress, not the border guy.

And if you're entering a foreign country ... well, your legal rights are pretty thin. So there's that.

I think the point was that it was an answer to the jail threat...

>I doubt it, because it would end up being a PR storm for Canada, just like this event.

PR Storm? This is the first I've read about it, and it's the NY Times. I don't see anything relating to it on CBC, Globe or National Post sites. Nothing on CBC Radio 1 in my drive to or from work, either.