[pct-l] slight change to Canada Immigration policy

[david at emeraldlake.com (David Plotnikoff)]

Hello from a long-time list-lurker and section hiker.

Not having anything better to do today (after cutting all my groundcloths
for the coming year, re-seam-sealing the tent, etc...) I called Canada
Immigration in Abbotsford, BC -- (604) 504-4688 -- the Canadian agency
responsible for adminstering PCT trail entry into Canada at Manning Park.
The nice gent on the phone, who said he handles the majority of the PCT
applications for entry, told me that, no, contrary to what's currenlty
printed on the form, I *do not* have to stop at the RCMP detachment in
Hope, BC, on my way home. I can just hand the form to the Canada
Immigration official at whatever border crossing I use, and it will
eventually make its way back to him. He hopes to update the instructions on
the form soon.

This is significant  because many others have reported some confusion on
the paperwork issue. PCT guidebook author Jeffrey Schaffer's account of
being sent in a complete circle by various government functionaries is a
particularly comic take on the situation. More often than not, whomever is
manning the Mounties' front desk in Hope has no clue what the form is or
what to do with it, leading to some quizzical looks and head scratching.

Maybe this will save some folks a needless post-hike detour.

Could someone be kind enough to cross-post this to the PCT06 Yahoo group?
Thanks.

DP