Bird Talk Dear Bird Talk, Regarding Michael Coren’s article in CSANews 137, Winter 2025 Well said, Michael! Your article was a much-needed reminder that change begins with me. Much of our society is characterized by hate, at times even promoted by leaders. I find myself drawn into that pervasive toxicity rather than stepping back and asking whether what I am about to say, write or do will calm the waters or feed the fire. Passivity is not pacifism – we all have a moral obligation to stand against violence, hatred and injustice, but I will not be able to contribute to a more peaceful society until I learn to respect, yes, even love the people who think differently from me. Henry Vanderveen Langley, BC Ed.: Thank you for the kind words. Dear Bird Talk, If I contact my Ontario doctor while in Florida and he gives me a prescription, how can I get it filled in Florida? Has anyone done this? Anne Anstey Newcastle, ON Ed.: If you don’t travel with enough medication to get you through your trip, you can visit a local doctor to get a prescription that will be recognized in the jurisdiction you are visiting. It is also possible for Canadian snowbirds to have personal-use prescription medications sent to them while in the United States. The medication should be in its original packaging and accompanied by appropriate supporting documentation, such as a valid prescription or a physician’s letter. Dear Bird Talk, Need advice regarding how to fill out form 8840. Question 29 asks: In what Country or Countries were your investments located? I own mostly Canadian stocks in my Canadian stock account. I do own a few U.S. stocks in the same Canadian stock account. I also own a German stock and a Swiss stock in this account. How should I answer this question? Paul Bezanson Halifax, NS Ed.: For Question 29 on IRS Form 8840, you should list the countries where your investments are considered to be located, which is generally based on where the issuing companies are domiciled, not where the brokerage account is held. In your case, you would include Canada, the United States, Germany and Switzerland. Dear Bird Talk, With my husband severely disabled and losing his driver’s licence, we sold our southern home. So I didn’t bother to renew his passport. Now I have all kinds of bureaucratic problems requiring ‘valid, government-issued photo ID’. (His health card is the old kind with no photo.) My advice: keep your passport, even if you are no longer travelling. Gena Gorrell Toronto, ON Ed.: That’s good advice; thank you for sharing. Dear Bird Talk, We purchased a 2011 Honda CRV in AZ in 2013. We have our AZ home up for sale. We have collected a number of treasures over the years. We therefore have to drive the loaded vehicle back to Ottawa, instead of flying. Is there a useful government website where we can find the forms, etc. that we need to complete, as well as information regarding related costs which we will incur importing the vehicle to Ontario. Fred Serafin Ottawa, ON Ed.: You want to go to the website for the Registrar of Imported Vehicles, riv.ca. There, you can take the necessary steps to import your car into Canada. Please be aware that U.S. law requires that export documentation be submitted to U.S. Customs and Border Protection at least 72 hours before export. And you must cross the border at a port at which vehicle export and import transactions are conducted. More information about this topic can be found in the CSA Travel Information Guide. Dear Bird Talk, I know all about the 8840 form and complete it every year, counting all of the days we have been in the U.S. However, I am second-guessing myself regarding when we can return to the U.S. in the fall. We arrived on Nov 16/25 and will be leaving on April 30. So, would the first day on which we can come back be Nov 1? Because we already spent four months here? I know that there are two ways to look at the situation and now I am wondering. Sandra Koss Ardrossan, AB Ed.: The key consideration is that for the period from November 16, 2025 to November 15, 2026, you should ensure that you do not exceed 182 days of physical presence in the United States. Based on that window, a return on November 1, 2026 would leave you just under the 182-day limit, making it a safe date to attempt re-entry. 8 | www.snowbirds.org
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