IN THIS ISSUE Travel CARIBBEAN GEMS Finance TIMELESS WISDOM Health NEW TECHNOLOGY BORDER'S OPEN! AMERICA WELCOMES SNOWBIRDS BACK OFFICIAL NEWS MAGAZINE OF THE CANADIAN SNOWBIRD ASSOCIATION | WINTER 2021 | ISSUE 121
Heading South this Winter? Travel.gc.ca | Voyage.gc.ca AVIS AUX SNOWBIRDS CANADIENS! Il est impossible de prévoir les changements aux restrictions de voyage pendant la pandémie de COVID-19, et les voyages vous exposent toujours à des risques plus importants. Si vous voyagez, n’oubliez pas de prendre une assurance voyage, car vous êtes responsable de tous les coûts liés à la modification de vos projets de voyage. Obtenez les renseignements les plus récents sur les vaccins, les conditions d’entrée et la preuve de vaccination à : Voyage.gc.ca/soleil Les choses peuvent changer à tout moment, alors visitez notre site Web fréquemment. Numérisez le code QR pour vérifier dès maintenant! ATTENTION, CANADIAN SNOWBIRDS! Changes in travel restrictions are unpredictable during the COVID-19 pandemic and travel still exposes you to greater risks. If you do travel, remember to get travel insurance as you are responsible for any costs related to changes to your travel plans. Get the latest information on vaccines, entry requirements and proof of vaccination at: Travel.gc.ca/sun Things can change at any time, so visit our website often. Scan the QR code to check now!
Editor’s Message CSANews© is published four times a year and is Copyright WINTER 2021 by Medipac International Communications Inc., 180 Lesmill Road, Toronto, Ontario M3B 2T5. 416.441.7000. Subscription Price: $9.95 Canada; $20.00 U.S. and foreign. Single copy: $3.95. Prices include tax. Published by Medipac International Communications Inc. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and are not necessarily those of the CSA, Medipac International Communications Inc. or its affiliates, their Directors, Officers, or other employees or agents. Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement No: 40063603. ISSN No: 1195-2393 Barb & Ron Kroll Dr. Robert MacMillan Shari McIntyre David McPherson Andrew Moore-Crispin Rex Vogel Robert Wiersema Judith Adam Gabrielle Bauer Donna Carter Michael Coren Jennifer Cox James Dolan John Hardy Karen Huestis Ron Steeves Garry McDonald Ted Popel Wendy Caban Bob Slack James Leroux Mike Legault John Foster James Carl Simpson Johanne Blain Michael MacKenzie Wallace Weylie President First Vice-President Second Vice-President Treasurer Secretary Past-President Director Director Director Director Director Executive Director Legal Counsel CSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Editor CSA Editor President Art Director Director of Operations Marketing & Events Specialist J. Ross Quigley Karen Huestis Christopher Davidge Peter Prusa Paula McGovern Fran Castricone WINTER 2021 | ISSUE 121 CONTRIBUTING EDITORS We acknowledge the support of the Government of Canada. Merv Magus Illustrator I t was probably the largest prison break in history. Tens of thousands of snowbirds rushed for the Canada/U.S. border after enduring a 20-month lockdown. The border was open – it was November 8, 2021. After emerging from their homes, they were first greeted by a massive display of fall colours that made the escape evenmore memorable. The sense of freedomwas almost overwhelming. But the dreaded border crossing still lay ahead. Three-day lineups and cranky border guards were expected, but they were ready. That would be a minor inconvenience compared to the lockdown. But….SURPRISE! Sure, there were lineups, but they were very minor in nature and the lines moved quickly, perhaps faster than they ever have. AND the border guards were the most gracious and understanding that they have ever been. They were fast, efficient and they had a smile for everyone. Their most common statement was “Welcome Back.” I think that they may have missed us. Enjoy your new-found freedom andmay this Holiday Season and the New Year be your best ever. J. Ross Quigley Editor P.S.: We and CSA are working very hard to make our Spring return to Canada simple and uncomplicated. I think that we will succeed. CSANews | WINTER 2021 | 3
Talking about dragged-out border hassles with Brian Higgins. by John Hardy Table of Contents Features WINTER 2021 | ISSUE 121 OFFICIAL NEWS MAGAZINE OF THE CANADIAN SNOWBIRD ASSOCIATION Caribbean Gems These sunny, warm-weather getaways offer snowbirds plenty to see & do. by Barb & Ron Kroll 16 12 26 Travel Finance Timeless wisdom from the world’s most successful investors And how you can use it to become a successful investor yourself. by James Dolan Snowbird Profile 4 | www.snowbirds.org
Table of Contents Departments 42 Longevity by Jennifer Cox 43 Book Review by Robert Wiersema 44 Gardening by Judith Adam 46 Food & Drink by Shari McIntyre 48 Fun & Games 49 Grins & Giggles 50 CSA Update 52 CSA Application 53 CSA Benefits 54 Fast Facts 3 Editor’s Message 6 Snowbird Alert 8 Bird Talk 10 President’s Message 11 Government Relations Report 14 Insurance by J. Ross Quigley 15 Opinion by Michael Coren 36 Fitness by Jennifer Cox 37 Health Pulse 38 Golf by David McPherson 40 CSA Online by Andrew Moore-Crispin 22 32 A Year Later and the Land Border is NOW Open for Canadian Snowbirds! by Rex Vogel How Technology is Improving Our Health From machines to apps, advances in technology are assisting in the diagnosis and treatment of many health conditions. by Dr. Robert MacMillan RV Lifestyle Health CSANews | WINTER 2021 | 5
SnowbirdAlert Source: www.newscanada.com Flying has changed since your last holiday With many restrictions being lifted, at least here in Canada, people are finally able to travel again during the holidays. But you’re still going to notice some changes at the airport — new measures in place to ensure the well-being of travellers and staff. The first changes come before you leave for the airport. You’re now able to bring a larger bottle of hand sanitizer in your carry-on luggage, up to 355 millilitres. And, of course, you need to put on a mask before entering the airport. You’ll also need to show proof of vaccination. After you check in and get to the pre-flight security screening, you may notice extra hand-sanitizer stations at the entry to the checkpoint. Those are there for you. You’ll be happy to know that there are increased cleaning protocols in place in and around the screening checkpoint as well. You’ll also notice that lining up looks a little different. While in the queue and in the screening checkpoint, you must keep a distance of two metres between yourself and other passengers. You’ll also be asked to hold on to your own electronic or printed boarding pass while it’s scanned, to reduce touchpoints. You can check your departing airport’s website for the latest information about health and safety measures. Find more information about pre-flight security and packing tips from the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority. Check out their website at catsa-acsta.gc.ca. Now, more than ever, people are using online shopping to purchase the holiday gifts which they need from one convenient place – the internet. If you’re doing some online shopping this holiday season, whether it’s for the first time or the hundredth, here are some tips on doing it in a cyber safe way. Shop at familiar retailers It’s easier to stick to stores you know when shopping online. Verified retailers will have stronger cyber security practices to keep you protected. If you do find yourself on unfamiliar sites, make sure to verify that they are legitimate. Look out for websites that have “https” and a green lock bar before their address in your web browser; this indicates that those websites encrypt your financial data. Research reviews online and contact the retailer if you are unsure. If something seems too good to be true, such as those brand-name shoes on clearance, it probably is. Don’t save your credit card info in your web browser You know when you enter your credit card information, and your browser asks if you’d like it to remember that info? Click NO. It might cost you a few seconds the next time that you’re shopping online, but saving your payment information in a browser makes it more likely to fall into the hands of a cyber criminal. Check your bank statements regularly If you’re making online purchases frequently, even if it’s just around the holidays, check your bank statements regularly. Keep track of your purchases andmake sure that everything matches with your charges. If something doesn’t add up, contact the company immediately. If they can’t be reached, notify your bank right away. Use a virtual private network (VPN) on public Wi-Fi It’s so easy to shop online these days that you don’t even need to be in the privacy of your own home. But just because something is easier, doesn’t mean that it’s safe. If you’re making purchases outside of your home network, use your cellular data. If your data is unavailable, use a VPN to secure your information when using public Wi-Fi. Online shopping has made it easier to track down all of those hard-to-find holiday gifts. When you’re checking everyone off of your list this year, make sure that you’re checking out online securely. Find more tips about how to secure your accounts and devices at getcybersafe.gc.ca. Protect yourself from online shopping scams this holiday season 6 | www.snowbirds.org
BirdTalk Dear Bird Talk, FYI for you folks in the travel business, Lila and I finally left Vernon at around 1 p.m. yesterday (November 9) and drove to Osoyoos and the border crossing at Orville, Washington, arriving at about 5:30 p.m. It was dark then and we kept looking for the long line of tail lights that we were sure we would find waiting there, expecting at least an hour or two of delay getting across. Nothing...not one car, truck or bus...not a single other vehicle...contrary to everything we had heard. In fact, the border agent kept us there for an extra 10 mins to chat about deer and wild turkeys and ask us questions about living inMexico because he was bored. We laughed for miles. Rod MacDonald, BC and Mexico Ed.:We have been inundated with wonderful border stories.We will send a few off to the border security people, thanking them for their compassion and understanding. Dear Bird Talk, I continue to get conflicting opinions about how long I can safely stay in the U.S. One opinion is no more than 183 consecutive days or 183 days cumulative in a calendar year and the other opinion is 183 days per year, but calculated at 100% of current year days + 1/3 of the year prior days and 1/6 of the two years’ prior days. Barry Larson, Calgary, AB Ed.: Six months in any 12-month period – period! The calendar year and other calculations have nothing to do with how long you stay – they are tax rules. Obey the primary rule and you will never have to worry about the others.Where some people get caught is entering the U.S. in December one year and wanting to leave in November the following year. If they spend six months in the U.S., then leaving in November would mean that they would be in the U.S. for seven months of the last 12 months. Be careful about this, as the border guards can, and do, count months. Dear Bird Talk, Hi there! I went to theU.S. on Jan 14, 2021 and returned on July 1, 2021 (total 169 days) and I plan on going back to the U.S. on October 31 for another sixmonths (end of April). Am I allowed to re-enter the U.S., since it would be considered more than 180 days total for 2021? I looked into the taxes and spoke to a tax lawyer and he said that I just have to apply for the treaty exemption form before June 15, 2022 in order to avoid paying taxes in the U.S. for 2021. I’d appreciate any help/ suggestions regarding the immigration and/ or tax situation. Eva P., Toronto, ON Ed.:And here we go! Your suggested travel dates would total nine months in the prior 12-month period. Immigration allows you only six months, so you are breaking the law. When caught, and you undoubtedly will be, you will probably be banned from the U.S. for five or 10 years. As to the tax question, I am sure that your lawyer knows about the tax situations and can file for you. You should fill out a Form 8840 every year, though, as it simply declares your “Closer Connection” to Canada. Dear Bird Talk, We have just finished having our Canadian wills, POAs and directives done. Our lawyer advised that it would be best to have a U.S. POA done (in the U.S.), as a lot of places do not recognize a Canadian version and won’t allow them to be used. What are your feelings on this? Thanks. Ron and Jayne, Heritage Pointe, AB Ed.: Good advice from your lawyer. You do not need a U.S. will, but you should have a POA prepared in the jurisdiction where you will be residing. The reason is that you will want to have a POA in the form familiar to the persons whom you have to deal with in the event of an emergency. In any emergency, time is of the essence and you do not want to be arguing with someone over the form, its validity and its contents. Dear Bird Talk, I have reached the age where I can no longer travel to Florida for the winter and must sell my manufactured home in Bradenton. I purchasedmy home in the early 2000s and believe that it is worth more now with the improvements I have made, but don’t want any trouble with the U.S. government with capital gain or profits from the sale. I have also heard that the title transfer people may withhold 10% for a year, but that I can apply to get that back a year later. Can you provide your thoughts on this please? D M Smith, Stouffville, ON Ed.: Assuming that your manufactured home is on rental land, such homes are treated like, and registered like an automobile. Any profit, after having deducted the costs of improvements and any costs of the purchase and sale, should be reported to the IRS as a capital gain and tax paid thereon.Tax withholding is the norm and you would get it back, so you do not have to pay tax in both countries. The tax would be graduated up to a maximum of 20%. Dear Bird Talk, As an owner in Palm Desert, California, I was advised by a U.S. lawyer to have a U.S. Revocable Trust set up. When I die, it is supposed to make it easier to avoid probate and make it simpler for my two children to manage and sell. My Canadian accountant thinks that I have made a mistake and that this will cause issues with the CRA. So now I am confused. Should I remove the Trust agreement so that I can sell the property? Any advice or suggestions would be most appreciated. Linda Seifred, Kelowna, BC Ed.:The U.S. lawyer is correct with respect to the issues that he has addressed, but may not be aware of the issues addressed by your Canadian accountant. I would be guided by the advice from your Canadian accountant, whom I would expect has had similar experience with other clients. 8 | www.snowbirds.org
a vehicle. Your Canadian insurer will not honour claims on extended-stay vehicles, so be careful. Dear Bird Talk, Like many Canadians, I received the AstraZeneca vaccine, which apparently is not approved in the U.S. Without documentation showing that one has been vaccinated with a U.S.-approved COVID vaccine, many of us may be unable to enter shops, restaurants, bars, clubs and other venues in the U.S. From what I read, the only option is to have a weekly COVID test with a negative result to gain entry, but that is unrealistic, especially for long stays in the U.S. And that avenue also may end, as we are starting to see a tightening of the rules under this U.S. administration. Is there any hope of the U.S. Government recognizing that AstraZeneca is a safe and effective vaccine that should qualify for the “vaccine passport”? Elaine Sturgeon, Penticton, BC Ed.: We almost hate to comment on COVID because all of the rules and regulations are changing so quickly. Individual provinces, states and countries all have their own “directives.”Also, the airlines and cruise lines all have varied rules. I recommend going directly to their websites to get the latest “Hot off the Presses” rules and regulations. Regarding AstraZeneca, I can say that the U.S. has agreed to allow anyone to enter with this vaccine and/or any vaccine approved by theWorld Health Organization or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. AstraZeneca IS approved by the WHO. We have had no reports of any vaccines being rejected by restaurants, clubs or any other venues in the U.S. On a final note, mixed vaccines are readily accepted and some say that these provide even better protection against the 41 different strains of COVID.They are starting to call the new strains COVID 21 instead of COVID 19 and I suspect that we will see COVID 22 before long. It is all a fine example of a Catch-22. BirdTalk Featuring the letters & concerns of our members SEND YOUR LETTERS TO Bird Talk, c/o CSANews 180 Lesmill Road Toronto, Ontario M3B 2T5 or by e-mail: csawriteus@snowbirds.org Bird Talk Dear Bird Talk, We are selling our condo and would like some legal advice. Do you have any recommendations of U.S. lawyers in our area whom we could consult? Is there an association that we can contact? We want to avoid any legal problems with this transaction. Nick Peluso, Ottawa, ON Ed.: The sale is very straightforward − all of the documentation and procedures of the sale are handled by a title company. Probably, there will be 15% of the sale price sent to the IRS as security for payment of any capital gains tax. In the year following the year of sale, a U.S. tax return must be filed at which time the tax is calculated and a refund of any excess held is requested. If you really do want a lawyer, then I would ask for a referral from your real estate agent or title company. Your condo association will also have a lawyer whom you could use. Dear Bird Talk, My husband and I jointly own a home in Florida, value estimated at $400,000. Do we need a separate will drawn up by an attorney in the U.S. or written in Canada and referred to as a U.S. property will? This would be in addition to our Canadian will? Margaret Dickson, Stratford, ON Ed.: As the property is presently in joint tenancy, upon the death of one of you, the property will go to the survivor by succession. The property is currently outside of any will. If the property ends up in single-person ownership, it would then be subject to a will. There is no need to have a Florida will to cover the property − a Canadian will works just fine. Dear Bird Talk, I submitted 1040NR for 2019 on Feb 22, 2020 requesting a refund of $3,726, which represents withholding tax on gambling winnings. Have been doing this every year since 2006. We have always got the requested refund. Heard nothing, so called on May 14, 2021 and they said to write − which we did − and still nothing. What can we do next? Susan Price, Devon, AB Ed.: Waiting is all that you can do. They have your forms, but the IRS is considerably behind in their procedures due to staff COVID issues. Do you give gambling lessons? Dear Bird Talk, After spending six months in Mesa, AZ we followed the rules set out by the Canadian Government. We had the required COVID testing prior to, during and after our mandatory, three-night stay in a hotel (Hilton, very nice roomand good food) chosen by the government, and another test thereafter, plus a checkup four days after arrival fromU.S. by another government person, in person and phone calls. The cost was just under $1,500 for the hotel stay. Because we followed the rules, we did not run across the U.S./Canada border schlepping our various bags waving anxiously to connect withUber or alternative driver and thinking “will we be nailed”! Will the government reimburse us for our hotel stay??? Just asking :). Sandra Beaton, Cherry Valley, ON Ed.: I commend you on your patience and adherence to all of the government’s protocols. At this point, reimbursement is a “No,” but I would stir the pot a bit and send letters and your bills to the provincial health plan (OHIP, in your case) and request reimbursement. Also, send them to the federal minister of health requesting reimbursement. If enough people get together, it is amazing what can be accomplished. Dear Bird Talk, With the border closed, we are thinking of buying a car in Florida and leaving it there, so that we don’t have to rent every time we fly back and forth. Can we do that with Ontario driver’s licences? Any issues?We own a condo in Sarasota. Doug Rubbra, Gloucester, ON Ed.: I have owned various cars in Florida for more than 30 years. It is a great idea and very simple. Simply buy the car, put it in your name with your Florida address and insure it in Florida with a local broker. Make sure that he or she knows that it will be left for six months or longer. Do not buy a car in Canada and take it down − this is messy, more expensive and is really the importation of CSANews | WINTER 2021 | 9
President’s Message Karen Huestis CSA President Last winter, we estimated that approximately 70% of our members stayed in Canada and, for many of you, it was the first winter at home in decades. With the majority of snowbirds now fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and able to drive their vehicles to their winter homes for the first time in nearly 20 months, the lines to enter the United States on November 8 were some of the longest ever seen. For those of you still in Canada planning to fly to your winter homes as of November 30, you will not be able to fly without a federal government-issued vaccine passport with a QR code. This means that a negative COVID-19 test will no longer be accepted as an alternative to full vaccination. The new rule will not apply in cases where a person has been issued a valid medical exemption. As of November 30, the new document will be available for download to smartphones or printable as a hard copy in all provinces and territories. Along with the QR code, which will include your COVID-19 vaccination history, the document will also include the official logo of the province or territory in which you reside and the official logo of the Government of Canada. As the federal government advises, the vaccine passport does not guarantee your entry into another country. Before travelling, please check the entry requirements for the country to which you are travelling and any other country through which youmay have to transit on your way to your final destination. Youmay also contact the CSA for clarification if you’re unsure of the particular rules and regulations − we’re here to help. On November 12, Health Canada authorized Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for use as a booster shot. Earlier in November, they approved Pfizer’s MRNA vaccine for use as a booster. These are both an extra dose of the vaccine given after completion of the primary vaccine series and are designed to help people maintain their protection against COVID-19. Both booster shots are authorized in Canada for adults 18 years of age and older and are to be given at least six months after the second dose, in most cases. Different provinces are making these booster shots available to residents at different times and are staggering thembased on age and risk level. Many provinces have alreadymade these available to long-term care home residents and people who are immunocompromised. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) is officially recommending boosters for other high-risk groups, including adults 70 years of age and older. NACI has also recommended booster shots for all those who received two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, as the MRNA vaccines appear to offer a somewhat higher level of protection. It seems likely that most of us will be urged to receive a booster shot at some point in 2022, regardless of age. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have now authorized the use of COVID-19 booster shots for adults 18 years of age and older. These changes pertain to the MRNA vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna. People who received these vaccines can now get a booster shot six months or more after having received their second dose. People who received the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine are also eligible to receive a booster shot two months after their original dose. The CDC also recommends that people aged 50 and older should get the booster, while people ages 18-50 may choose to do so based on how they view their individual risk. In Florida and Arizona, booster shots are readily available at many drug stores and grocery store pharmacies. Although the eligibility criteria do not specifically mention Canadians, Canadian snowbirds had few problems receiving their initial vaccinations throughout the United States and we don’t anticipate that they will experience many problems now. If you have any concerns, please contact a health professional first but, if you’re on your way south and are looking for a booster shot, it should be readily available. It’s shaping up to be a busy winter of snowbird travel. Vaccinations, masks where appropriate, outdoor gatherings, washing your hands…all of the things that we’ve all been doing for so long in Canada are all still recommended as we head off to our winter destinations. Happy and safe travels. 10 | www.snowbirds.org
Government Relations Report Ron Steeves First Vice-President After 20 months of continuous closure, on November 8, the U.S. land border finally opened to non-essential travel for fully vaccinated travellers. When arriving at a U.S. land border crossing, Canadian travellers should be prepared to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination and verbally attest to their reason for travel and COVID-19 vaccination status. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will accept digital and paper copies of provincial and territorial vaccination receipts. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), international travellers will be considered fully vaccinated two weeks (14 days) after their dose of an accepted single-dose COVID-19 vaccine, two weeks (14 days) after their second dose of an accepted two-dose series COVID-19 vaccine, or two weeks (14 days) after they received two doses of any “mix-and-match” combination of accepted COVID-19 vaccines administered at least 17 days apart. At the time of printing, the following vaccines are accepted in accordance with CDC guidelines: Janssen/J&J, Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Covishield, BIBP/Sinopharm, Sinovac and Covaxin. While Canadian travellers entering the United States at a land crossing are not required to present a negative COVID-19 test, all air passengers arriving to the U.S. from a foreign country are required to get tested for COVID-19 with a viral test nomore than three days before their flight departs. They must present the negative result or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 to the airline before boarding the flight. After arriving in the United States, the CDC recommends that travellers should get tested with a COVID-19 viral test three-five days after arrival. COVID-19 testing locations in the United States can be found on the following website, www.hhs.gov/coronavirus/ community-based-testing-sites/index.html. On Friday, November 19, the federal Minister of Health Jean-Yves Duclos announced that the requirement to obtain a pre-arrival COVID-19 molecular test would be eliminated for fully vaccinated Canadian travellers taking short-term trips abroad, which are no longer than 72 hours in duration. This new policy will come into effect on November 30, 2021. The pre-arrival testing exemption will apply to fully vaccinated Canadians and permanent residents, as well as accompanying unvaccinated children under the age of 12, who depart and re-enter Canada within 72 hours. Please note that at this time, no changes have been made for fully vaccinated Canadian travellers taking trips abroad which are longer than 72 hours. One of the CSA’s advocacy priorities is the elimination of the pre-arrival molecular COVID-19 test requirement for all fully vaccinated travellers returning to Canada, regardless of trip length. Back in May, the COVID-19 Testing and Screening Expert Advisory Panel recommended that the federal government eliminate pre-arrival testing for fully vaccinated travellers entering Canada, as travellers who have been vaccinated pose a lower risk of importation and transmission of COVID-19. We will continue to lobby the Government of Canada to adopt this recommendation from their own advisory panel. When returning to Canada, travellers must use ArriveCAN within 72 hours before their travel to enter their vaccination status, proof of vaccination, and travel information. In addition, travellers must enter their suitable quarantine plan into ArriveCAN regardless of their vaccination status. Travellers may be asked to explain their quarantine plan at the border. Given the fluid situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, these requirements are subject to change. We recommend that members visit https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covidprior to their return to Canada. The CSA is also focused on our Canadian retiree visa initiative to extend the length of time that retired Canadians are permitted to stay in the United States annually. With the land border closure lasting for more than a year-and-a-half, we have seen significant interest frommembers related to our Canadian retiree visa efforts. In the current session of Congress, we have bills in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate which, if passed, would increase the length of time that retired Canadians 50 years of age and older can spend in the United States to eight months. This is an additional two months from the existing limit of six months less a day. The House bill, H.R. 4856 the Canadian Snowbird Visa Act, now has 12 bipartisan co-sponsors from across the United States. The Senate companion bill, S. 2096 the Canadian Snowbirds Act, has three co-sponsors. Association representatives are also working on having our Canadian retiree visa provision included in additional pieces of legislation which will be brought before Congress. On behalf of Judy and myself, please stay safe. CSANews | WINTER 2021 | 11
Talking about Dragged-Out Border Hassles with Brian Higgins Finally!!! by John Hardy SnowbirdProfile For Canadian snowbirds, it’s a long-awaited Welcome Back. Liberation. Freedom. For Brian Higgins, the New York congressman and vocal advocate and his relentless 19-month push for the U.S. government to reopen the Canada-U.S. border, it is a colossal relief and a return to common sense. After all, border-hopping (for Canadians and Americans) is a taken-for-granted tradition. Almost a heritage. Whether it’s Canadian snowbirds driving to Florida, Texas or Arizona, Americans with family or cottages in Canada, or the popular trend of border-hopping shoppers in either direction. For most snowbirds and those fortunate to live within reasonable driving distance of those familiar Stop-on-Red-Light kiosks staffed with uniformed, bulletproof-vested question-askers, crossing the border is no big deal. It’s fact and it’s even quirky trivia. The 5,525-mile border between Canada and the U.S. is renowned as the world’s longest, unprotected boundary. A usually positive and bilateral bragging right with more than 400,000 people, 120 border crossings and more than $1.6 billion in goods crossing daily. When things are normal and good, crossing the border is fairly routine and uneventful. Unfortunately, the past 19 months have been anything but normal, good, routine or uneventful. For Canadian snowbirds and other border-hoppers, the world’s longest border became a frustrating and annoying controversy. InMarch 2020, in a sudden “you-don’t-knowwhat-you-have-until-it’s-gone” turn of events, the world’s longest, unprotected boundary was shut down and closed to non-essential travel. The busiest border crossings immediately felt the crunch. Especially heavily travelled ones such as Ontario’s BuffaloNiagara Falls, the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, the Thousand Islands Bridge, Quebec’s Champlain-Rouses Point, the busy Sweetgrass–Coutts Border from Alberta into Montana, the Peace Arch and the Pacific Highway between Vancouver and Seattle. For reasons that have still never been explained, the U.S. allowed Canadian leisure travellers to fly into the country. Before the shutdown, American politicians including Florida’s Marco Rubio and Rick Scott and New York’s Elise Stefanik chiselled out an exciting, Canadian-boosting border plan to allow snowbirds a 30% longer stay in the U.S. When the border shut down, those Canadian snowbird-friendly grand plans were put on hold. For 19 months, together with a chorus of local politicians such as the mayors of Niagara Falls, Windsor, Vancouver, Buffalo and Detroit, Congressman Brian Higgins protested, pushed and nudged every chance he got. He lobbied Ottawa, Canada’s Public Safety Minister, U.S. Homeland Security and all the way to theWhite House. He launched a crusade, urging officials to “listen to the science” and reopen the world’s longest and a vital border. When Canada was still humming, hawing and hesitating before reopening the land borders for Americans, Higgins was staunchly outspoken, fed up and angry about Canada’s red-tape delays. “The Canadian government foot-dragging was bulls***!” he vented. “There were no other words for it, other than disrespect toward the people of the United States and Canada. Nobody suggested that it be done arbitrarily, even though Canada did make an exception for hockey players last year. All we asked for was a safe opening by simply following the science. “For areas like Western New York, a trip across the border has always felt like a trip across the street. And after more than a year divided,” he emphasized, “we badly needed a plan to reconnect with our Canadian neighbours. The pandemic created challenges but working together, we needed policies that protected and benefited communities on both sides of the border.” 12 | www.snowbirds.org
TheWashington November 8 announcement is a long-awaited and welcomed green light, but some snowbirds are a bit concerned and leery about two aspects of the reopening fine print. While “fully vaccinated” specifies vaccines approved by either the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the World Health Organization (WHO), U.S. officials say that there’s no worry because Oxford-AstraZeneca, a common vaccine in Canada that never received U.S. approval, is approved by theWHO. So, the 227,000 Canadians who received two doses of the AstraZeneca will be considered fully vaccinated and, with the FDA’s recent okay about mixing and matching vaccine doses, proof of mixed vaccine doses (including Astra Zeneca) is also acceptable. Although − for the time being − a COVID test is still required for entering or re-entering Canada, federal public health officials don’t rule out the possibility that the requirement may be eliminated at some point in the future. So, returning snowbirds will have to monitor the Health Canada rules before they head back home. Despite the much-awaited November 8 victory, border crusader Congressman Brian Higgins shakes his head and shrugs. “It’s inexplainable why the dragged-out U.S. land border closure for snowbirds and other vaccinated Canadians got so delayed and difficult. It was a long time coming. It should have happened six months ago.” SnowbirdProfile In August, when Canada took the lead and allowed vaccinated Americans to cross, disappointingly and still without explanations (particularly for Canadian snowbirds), the U.S. did not reciprocate and stayed closed. Border experts candidly speculated (although U.S. officials neither confirmed nor denied) that the touchy, no-comment culprit was the unique two-border problem. Bruce Heyman, the respected former U.S. Ambassador to Canada explained that, “Canada only borders the United States, but the U.S. borders Canada and Mexico. When decisions are made about the two borders, it’s highly complicated to say, ‘On one of our borders we’re doing X, and on the other border we’re doing Y.’” Another factor, and a likely cause for Washington’s delayed reopening decision-making, has been Mexico’s low vaccination rate combined with the aggressive U.S. spread of the Delta variant at a time when barely half of eligible Americans are double-vaccinated. According to rumour, the Biden administration feared political blowback if the U.S.-Canada border had a head start in reopening. Brian Higgins calls the U.S. procrastination “incomprehensible and arbitrary in light of what public health authorities are saying about the effectiveness of the vaccines. It flies in direct conflict with what all of us, on both sides of the border, have been told for the past 19 months: Follow the science! Even with the Delta variant, fully vaccinated people still have a very high level of immunity against giving or getting COVID. That had to be acknowledged. The dragged-out closure to vaccinated Canadians has been completely unnecessary, absurd, unjustifiable and aggravating,” Higgins roared with exasperation. “A robust cross-border exchange between the United States and Canada is fundamental to our binational relationship and mutually beneficial to our nations’ citizens, businesses and economies.” At long last, after intense pressure on the Biden administration to remove travel restrictions for non-essential border-crossers, it’s a go! The early November reopening after the 19 months of closed borders includes a requirement that non-essential, fully vaccinated travellers fromCanada andMexico will now be asked about their vaccination status at land crossings. Only the fully vaccinated are allowed through. Document proof of vaccination is a requirement only if selected for random screening. Now that it’s over, even though the drive-up kiosks are reopened and many Canadian snowbirds are revving their engines for the eager getaways to Florida, Texas, Arizona and the Coachella Valley, re-hashing the draggedout border commotion is important, because whether it’s a fourth wave or another health crisis, closing the world’s longest, unprotected border could happenagain. CSANews | WINTER 2021 | 13
We hope that you are nowwhere you belong, at your winter home. Enjoy your newfound freedom, but you must still be careful. There are many unvaccinated people out there and they do pose a risk to us. I would always wear a mask in crowds, and social distancing is still a great idea. This COVID-19 garbage is with us for good now, so we just have to get used to it and cope as best we can. We have made it this far, through plagues, natural disasters and the millions of other things that could have stopped us. We will deal with this COVID-19 inconvenience, too. Just so you know, we have written more travel insurance in the first three months of this travel season than we have written in any prior year. The pent-up demand for travel is unbelievable and now that the handcuffs are off, I expect it to get even more frantic. Of course, our policy includes coverage for COVID-19, as it always has, and that may account for our substantial increase in business. We insured about 25,000 snowbirds last year, most of whom flew to avoid the land borders, and they all had a very healthy year. There were a fewCOVID-19 claims, mostly minor, but the flu claims in prior years were much worse. I believe that everyone has now built a better and safer lifestyle for themselves and this has assisted us in keeping claims, and thus prices, down. I would also like to reiterate the importance of paying attention to your health. Several years ago, my wife and I went to a transient medical bus to have some tests done, mostly for fun. I think it cost $149. We met them in a drug store parking lot and they took us apart. It was very safe, unobtrusive and actually quite interesting.They, literally, savedmy life.They said that I had to see my doctor right away as I had a huge aneurysm inmy aorta, and I did. There were no symptoms of any kind but, if it had burst, which they eventually do, I would be dead. It was a horrible operation to fix it, but here I am seven years later. The best $149 I ever spent. A simple ultrasound found it. To celebrate our newfound freedom, I bought a painting at Waddington’s Auctions by my childhood friend, Tom Hopkins. Tom went on to be the head of the Fine Arts Department at Concordia University in Montreal for many years. I was asked to verify my credit card charge as it was more than my normal small charges, so I called the bank. After an hour-and-a-half on hold (which, at the beginning of the call, was stated to be three minutes), I finally gave up and hung up. While I was wiling away this wasted time, I decided to click on their travel insurance sales link. Nowhere did they state that they did NOT cover COVID-19. The word COVID-19 did not exist. In their “What is Not Covered” section, the last item basically said that if there is a NonEssential Travel Warning in place, there would be no coverage for the cause of the warning – brilliant, but very devious wording for the policy. Why do they just not tell the unvarnished truth – there is NO coverage for COVID-19. Hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of clients will buy their insurance thinking that they will be covered for COVID-19. There really should be a law against this. I expect that the other banks and certainly some of the other travel medical sales groups have the same “problem.” Please be very careful when purchasing travel medical insurance. The devil really is in the details. Have a wonderful holiday and a wonderful winter in the sun. N.B. Canadian travellers should take note that, at the time of writing, a Non-Essential Travel Advisory remains in place only for cruise travel. Please carefully review any travel insurance policy which you are considering. Medipac continues to insure its policy holders for COVID-19-related illness regardless of their method of travel, including cruises. J. Ross Quigley CEO Medipac International Inc. Insurance 14 | www.snowbirds.org
In late September in Christ’s Church Cathedral in Hamilton, Ontario, I was ordained as a priest in the Anglican Church of Canada. I was made a deacon two years ago, and that followed three years of academic theological studies at Trinity College, University of Toronto, accompanied by several placements in churches and a gritty but glorious curve of learning like no other in hospitals, street support, food banks, and generally with those too-often-forgotten, if not completely ignored. I’m asked why I gave up various lucrative positions in media in my mid-50s to return to university and seek ordination. The answer, I suppose, is that I’d either lost my senses and had some sort of mid-life crisis, or that I believed the Christian story to be true. I may well have lost my senses, but I also believed it all to be true. I realize that many of you reading this may be confused by the whole thing. Why on earth would he do such a thing, and isn’t he still a journalist? I am still a writer, and what is known as bi-vocational, which sounds much more sexy than it actually is! I’m a priest, but I still write columns, publish books, sometimes appear on radio and TV. Because of my media work, I’m allowed entry into public life that very few other clerics are permitted, and that matters a great deal to me. Because the church, the faith and the image of Christianity have seldom been as grim as they are now. Anti-vaccination zealots holding crosses as they scream ignorance and conspiracy theories, supporters of Donald Trump justifying their extremism with scripture, anti-choice obsessives praying ostentatiously. The list goes on. Of course this is only a right-wing fringe of the international church, but the loudest noise is often in the shallowest end of the swimming pool, and these guys know how to splash. So, when I promised on that Sunday to “love and serve the people among who you work, caring alike for young and old, strong and weak, rich and poor” and to “declare God’s forgiveness,” I was taking on quite a bit. Every week on social media I’m accused of being a child abuser or screamed at for worshipping a “sky fairy.” It’s standard stuff from angry God-haters, but has as little connection with thoughtful atheism as Jesus does with Trump-adoring fundamentalism. Stephen Fry, one of the most brilliant atheists in the world, wrote to me before last Sunday with the most beautiful words of encouragement. Our humanity should define rather than divide us, and if we can’t disagree within a community of organized goodness, we have no hope. I fully understand apathy and often anger towards churches. I myself have written numerous times about the failings of Christian institutions and, while my own denomination may not be the greatest sinner, we all have bloody stains on our hands. My father’s family were east-European Jews, and they saw precious little compassion from a body ostensibly based around a Jewish messiah who preached peace, equality and justice. But that makes what I do, what we do, more significant than ever. Christianity and churches matter. Some people might doubt that but, if you could shadow me on an average week, you’d understand. The state, and God bless public medicine and social support, simply can’t cope with every demand. A lot of what I do is helping people with rent, food and health challenges, and they come to us because they know that they’ll be received. Interesting how people who are struggling often have much more affection for the church and Christianity than do those who are comfortable. But at the philosophical foundation of this is my faith in a man who 2000 years ago, in a largely unnoticed part of the world occupied by an imperial power, sang an exquisite but challenging melody of love, change, hope and grace. I’m not a fool, I’m not unworldly and I’ve kicked away at faith for years. The fighting stopped, the resistance ended, I gave in. I think I’m a different person from who I was eight years ago, and I suspect that the growth will continue. Jesus called for the revolution of the self as well as of the world. Is that political? If it is, so be it. I’m his for life, and the day I stop trying to make the world a better place is the day I’ve failed him. I hope that explains. Opinion with Michael Coren CSANews | WINTER 2021 | 15
CARIBBEAN GEMS Are you considering an idyllic Caribbean island for your next winter trip? We are too. Just thinking of the Caribbean conjures up memories of spectacular sunsets, pristine beaches, swaying palm trees, enticing resorts, tropical flowers and vibrant cultures. During numerous visits, we’ve enjoyed African, British, Dutch, French and Spanish influences in the islands’ foods, festivals, music and attractions. Here’s an alphabetical roundup of some of our favourite islands with two suggestions for don’t-miss activities on each one. Check tourist board websites for vaccination and Covid-19 protocols at the time you plan to visit. For Antigua’s best view, drive up to the 150-metre-high Shirley Heights Lookout. From the restored military fortifications, you’ll enjoy spectacular bird’s-eye views of the island, especially at sunset. A restaurant in a former military building serves a mouth-watering barbecue on Sunday evenings. Try the jerk chicken and ribs. Pending Covid-19 restrictions, the venue hosts Sunday evening parties with live steel band music and dancing enjoyed by both tourists and locals. Antigua is known for its 365 beaches – one for every day of the year. Especially pretty are the cameo-pink beaches on Barbuda, Antigua’s sister island. The best way to see these is on the twiceweekly day tours operated by Barbuda Express. They include the 90-minute ferry ride from Antigua and a visit to the western hemisphere’s largest frigatebird colony, where you can observe male frigates puffing up their crimson chest pouches to attract females. www.visitantiguabarbuda.com These sunny, warmweather getaways offer snowbirds plenty to see & do Story and photos © Barb & Ron Kroll Antigua & Barbuda 16 | www.snowbirds.org Travel
Although you can observe butterflies, crocodiles, sharks, parrots, peacocks and other birds at the Cayman Turtle Centre: Island Wildlife Encounter, sea turtles are the prime attractions. At the Breeding Pond, view swimming green sea turtles and look for beach nests where females lay their eggs from May to October. Check the box office for times when staff feed the turtles or buy a package of turtle food to feed them yourself. For even closer encounters, visit the turtle touch tanks or swim and snorkel with them in the turtle lagoon. Hell is only a pitchfork’s throw from George Town, Grand Cayman’s capital. A field of jagged black limestone engendered the small town’s name. At Hell Post Office, you can mail postcards and shop for satanic souvenirs, including mugs, hot sauce and T-shirts proclaiming: “I’ve been to Hell and back!” The road to Hell is signposted with good directions. www.visitcaymanislands.com/en-ca Located 80 kilometres off Florida’s east coast, The Bahamas is comprised of 700 islands and cays, with 16 unique island destinations. Among its numerous resorts, Atlantis Paradise Island – a 10-minute drive from Nassau – must be seen to be believed. In addition to three beaches, 11 pools and many hotel amenities, it features the world’s largest resort marine habitat. More than 50,000 aquatic animals represent 250 marine species, ranging from sharks to stingrays. A 141-acre water park includes thrilling water slides for the grandkids and a meandering Lazy River Ride where you can leisurely float onmulticoloured tubes through tropical landscapes. A golf course, spa, casino and evening entertainment ensure that you won’t run out of things to do. To shop for duty-free items and Bahamian souvenirs – ranging from handmade straw hats and bags to conch shell jewellery – visit Nassau’s huge Straw Market. Haggling is part of the fun! www.bahamas.com At the Barbados Wildlife Reserve, 20 minutes from the capital of Bridgetown, dozens of frolicking, chattering green monkeys are not in cages. Neither are you, as you stroll through their forested domain. They’re called “green” because their brownand-grey coats have an olive-green sheen in the sunlight. The best time to see them is during their afternoon feeding time. Barbados celebrates everything from rum and golf to reggae music and field hockey at year-round special events. For dazzling costumes, steel band music and street fairs, it’s hard to beat Barbados Crop Over, which marks the end of the sugar cane harvest. Festivities include parades, calypso performances, dancing and traditional foods and drinks. Costume competitions are explosions of colour, with sparkling sequins and feather-covered headpieces. The designers’ creativity will amaze you. www.visitbarbados.org The Bahamas Barbados Cayman Islands CSANews | WINTER 2021 | 17 Travel
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