Ask Tom Pearson, owner of Camp Narrows Lodge and former president of the North Western Ontario Tourism Association, about what’s keeping tourists out of the area and he won’t hesitate to speak his mind.
“As past president, our major issue was the border,” he said Tuesday. “And that’s from everybody. You go to any meeting and that’s the number-one thing that comes up.”
Pearson said the major reason American tourism has taken a hit in the region in recent years is that many anglers and others are turned away for “minor criminalities”—crimes committed by young men that are held against them in their middle age at the border.
“Some people are crazy when they’re young,” he remarked. “If they started doing the same thing at the other side of the border to Canadians, it would be a big Canadian issue. . . .
“Think about it this way—if you couldn’t bring your family to Florida when you’re 45 for something you did when you were 20, there’d be a problem here.
“We’re the jewel of North America and we keep having [tourism] decreases,” added Pearson. “Northern Minnesota’s booming . . . and there’s so much more resources up here.
Current NWOTA president Jerry Fisher—though much more diplomatic and reserved—agreed. When asked why border crossings were down 20 percent in April, it didn’t take long for him to move past the soaring loonie and downturn in the American economy on his short list of factors.
“I would say that the border is having some negative impact on people crossing,” Fisher said Tuesday. “Just the way people are treated, and inconsistency of enforcement at the Fort Frances and Rainy River border.”
Fisher clarified that “this is not me speaking,” but the results of studies conducted by the NWOTA.
He mentioned a 2001 study that revealed two issues that shied away potential tourists from Northwestern Ontario—“one was the border, and the other was a lack of interest in our area.”
NWOTA would like to see a more “consistent enforcement” throughout Canada, stating Fort Frances is a “hot spot” for turning away tourists at the border, said Fisher.
Pearson echoed the need for consistency.
“[Border Services] say they’re just doing their job, which they are. So it’s a policy thing. Our politicians need to get the policy changed,” he stressed.
Greg Mercure, chief of operations with the Canadian Border Services Agency here, confirmed Tuesday the drop in April (18.9 percent is their figure) but added the drop in May was only eight percent.
He also noted Canadians returning across the border has sharply increased—a big enough gain to drive up the total number of cars passing through the border over that period.
Mercure said the smaller drop in numbers last month may mean fishing tourism hasn’t been hit as hard as some had feared, given fishing season doesn’t start until mid-May.
When asked if a high exchange rate and higher gas prices were taking their toll on bridge traffic, Mercure said he “would suspect that that’s part” of the drop.
When asked if a purportedly high number of turn-arounds at the border was a factor, he would not speculate.
“That’s a conclusion that’s made from Mr. Fisher and other representatives,” Mercure said. “I’m not able to comment on that because I can’t compare our statistics with those of other locations.”
He also declined to guess why a discrepancy may exist between regions in terms of denial standards.
“To what efficiency each location carries out [CBSA’s] mandate, again I can’t speak on behalf of other locations,” he said.
But Pearson insisted it’s a problem specific to this region.
“I’ve been to sports shows all over the country and nobody’s having the problem we are . . . half of them have never even heard what we’re talking about.”
He said the problem was serious enough that it has given the region a negative reputation in fishing circles—and that border hassles are “the number-one topic on every fishing website now about coming to Canada.”
“I’ve got piles of guests who don’t come anymore,” Pearson added. “We’re losing over the long run. So, all we’re doing is scrambling to try to find people.
“And we’re hearing that from every camp up here. It’s not just a handful.”
Mike Gate, chief pilot at Nestor Falls Fly-In Outpost, said Tuesday he’s heard plenty from others in the business—he knows of “two or three outposts by Red Lake sitting empty.”
And while his business is based on repeat bookings made during the winter months, Gate noted road traffic is “way down” so far this season.
He agreed the border is the “major” issue, and that he’s heard of a number of other businesses’ clients driving to Baudette to cross into Canada because of the reputation the port at Fort Frances has.
“It just seems like the middle-class guy who’s had a couple of hiccups along the way is the guy who’s getting hit hard,” Gate said. “Guys getting turned around for a DUI 15 years ago.”
He admitted Nestor Falls Fly-In Outpost didn’t have a lot of the same border problems as some outfits might.
“As far as our clientele, we’re a little different . . . not typical pork-and-beaners,” he chuckled. Still, he said the “bad publicity” over crossing the border has hurt a lot in the tourism industry.
“It’s getting to be a real hassle to cross in terms of the inconsistencies,” said Gate, adding confusion about the impending U.S. passport requirement has compounded the problem.
Pearson said the problem at the border is not a new one, and that the eight percent drop reported in May is “more like a 50 per cent” drop long-term with the number of border crossing falling steadily every May for several years.
Mercure conceded there had been a sustained drop, but argued it was far smaller—this year was the third drop in a row, but previous years had seen a drop of four percent between 2005 and 2006 and two percent between 2004 and 2005.
Between 2003 and 2004, the month of May saw an increase of nearly six percent, he noted.
Pearson insisted Border Services is doing an important job. “If it’s a major criminal offence, we don’t want those people,” he stressed.
He just wishes they’d use better discretion, and that border denials didn’t have such a profound impact on local business. He said now when prospective American customers call, he talks to them about their criminal record right off the bat.
“First thing I do, it’s almost an interrogation . . . it’s kind of hard to market a camp when you the first thing you’re doing is interrogating,” Pearson said.
“We’re spending piles on marketing and the provincial government is spending piles on marketing, and for what?
“But other than that, it’s a fairly good season,” he laughed.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
