Louise Harpin and Jennie Bird discuss “After 911”

This videoclip is an extract from an interview recorded by Héritage Sutton in February 2020.

Louise Harpin: We make sure we always have our IDs, but anyway, I don’t go very very often now to the United States, but they will often ask the question when was the last time you crossed the border? So there you have to think. You practically have to keep note of when was the last time, because for them, it’s important. But normally I go there because I ride a bike, I go on the rail trail or that’s it, they’ll ask how long have you been? What did you buy? Is there anything else? I remember, last year, we went to Newport, Vermont, to eat, then when we went through US customs, they asked which Newport? Because there is more than one in the United States. But here we are practically in Newport, Vermont. It’s just to, like Jennie says, what they want is to see if you’re gonna…

Louise Harpin: And that was simple too. It was simpler and it was…warm. Today is a little bit chilly, as Jennie says. The customs officers have changed a lot and they change them constantly, so there’s no friendship being made. But, as she says, they are suspicious of everyone. I understand because there is so much going on around the planet. They have to be rigorous in their work to ensure that everyone is safe, but sometimes it’s a little pushed, perhaps. Like when they say, you’ve got an old bike strapped back to an old rack, to a rusting car, then they’re going to say are you going somewhere else? Are you sure you’re just going to ride a bike? It’s because… yes. I don’t have anything else, I don’t have an extra bag of clothes, nothing, then we come back after our bike ride, then… that’s OK, but it’s always the little suspicion. When we come back to Canada, they ask, what are you bringing back? How they ask the question, do you have gas? Do you have cigarettes?

Jennie Bird: I miss, I miss the connection of conversation at the border on both sides. That was always… fun to do and share stories, you know, uh… You don’t get that anymore; a lot of change with the US side especially.