Most of my crossings into Canada have been in planes and buses. I used to cross by car on occasion but not lately.
Before the pandemic, getting into Canada by driving to Alaska is not something I would have considered. The United States purchased Alaska from Russia on October 18, 1867, a few months after Canada became a country .
The "driving to Alaska" reasoning has increased to get around the rules to enter Canada from the United States during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Americans keep getting caught in Canada vacationing instead of traveling to Alaska.
There is no way via public transportation to get to Alaska. Sailing on a cruise ship, flying, and driving are the ways to get to Alaska from the continental United States.
Before the pandemic, driving to Alaska would have been a boon for tourism in western Canada. British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and the Yukon would have had extra tourists and their dollars.
Driving to Alaska might be legitimate even in 2020 but the excuse clearly has been abused by some who have no intention to going to Alaska. Some may be heading to Alaska eventually but stopping off in the Canadian Rockies.
Americans trying this stunt should know that Canadians aren't happy with Canadians driving around with U.S. licence plates. They aren't taking kindly especially when Americans are behind those wheels.
A man in his 20s has been linked to a COVID-19 case in Nova Scotia and a case in Prince Edward Island. He had been in the U.S. and flew to Toronto and then Halifax. He reportedly did not self-isolate in Nova Scotia. He had a student visa to study on PEI, but did not have the necessary paperwork.
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I do have a friend who recently moved from Indiana to Alaska. Would love to visit this person. Haven't been to Alaska. I would find a different way to make that happen, as fun as the trip would be.
Gas is pretty cheap by Canadian standards lately. I would be tempted to drive up the Icefield Parkway between Calgary and Jasper on the way. Still, Canadians are trying to protect themselves from the horrible COVID-19 numbers to the south. Driving to Alaska is a legitimate purpose for a select few. Piggybacking on that to have a Canadian vacation is detrimental to the health of Canadians.
Trust has disappeared in the times of the pandemic. If you lie about traveling through to Alaska, assumptions will be made that you won't conform to wearing a mask or social distancing.
Indigenous areas in northern Canada are especially vulnerable to visitors since they don't have the resources to deal with a pandemic. In this case, the careless, clueless traveler is the smallpox.
Western Canada will still exist once this pandemic has subsided. The nature will still be there, whether you are traveling for that purpose or honestly driving to Alaska. We encourage travel to Canada during normal times. These times are not normal. Being patient is not easy but thinking Canadian might help you understand this.
Canada is more about society versus the United States' brand of individualism. These are generalities but in a pandemic, you have to think of other people. You really do. You don't know them but they are kind, gentle, wonderful people. They still keep the exception for driving to Alaska for those who are driving to Alaska. Don't take advantage of someone's good graces.
There might be international tension if Canada does clamp down on that exemption. That wouldn't be Canada's style. Then again, you have to do what you need to do in a pandemic.
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