In the gift exchange thread Don (Big D) asked about how to deal with items being sent to Canada... well, I��ve been dealing with the money-grabbing buffoons at Customs Canada for quite some time now, as many of the parts and items that I need for my car can only be sourced from the US. Today I am once again having to deal with them on an issue, and I am STEAMING MAD!!!! I thought that I would share.

Here��s the situation: A friend of mine recently had Jackie Sewart sign a T-shirt for me as a surprise gift (J. Stewart drove the Mustang Pace Car at the 1979 Indy, so this is really something for a 79 Pace Car fan such as myself). He packaged it up and mailed it off clearly marked as ��GIFT��. When they asked him what the value of it was (assured for replacement valuation only) he estimated it at around $200US. Fine. Well, Friday I get a notice from the post office to come pick up a package and when I get there they say it will cost me $50Cdn in taxes and customs charges to release the package. HUH??? I finally got them to tell me who it was from (I had no idea there was something on the way), and that it was declared as a ��T-shirt�� on the customs form with an assessed value of $318Cdn. Holy crap!!

Now, does it make ANY sense for them to charge ME taxes on an item that I DID NOT PURCHASE?? It��s a GIFT for #$*(&)#&%) sakes!! Gift, as in I didn��t BUY it. Someone, out of the kindness of their heart sent me something and now the bloody money-grabbing federal government wants ME to pay TAXES on it. Grrrrrrrrrr... I��m so mad at this point that I could SPIT.

Now I am thoroughly embarrassed as I had to contact my friend down there and ask if there was anything else in the package that would "up" the value of the T-shirt (I had no idea that it was signed by J.S.), and the surprise was spoiled. Also I have to figure out what to do�� pay the ba$tards their blood money; send it back to Customs Canada for reassessment (which could take months, and chances are that they would just come back and say ��too bad��, you pay anyhow); or have the whole package sent back to my friend, so that he can then RE-SEND it to me with a declared value of $30 or less so that I won��t get assessed duty/taxes (how embarrassing, plus I don��t want him to be out of pocket any more than he already is, or go to any more trouble).

So, FYI for those sending items to us Canadians�� make sure that you keep the declared value down on all but very expensive and/or important items (below $30 is usually ok). Even though it may be sent clearly marked as a gift, our greedy federal government will still try to lighten the wallet of the recipient on this end.

Now I need a double Jack Daniels and a smoke to calm down.

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Cheers,
Ian
M&M Member #395
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'79 Mustang Indy 500 Pace Car
Ian's Pace Car Website
Vancouver Island Mustang Association Website
Indy Pace Car Registry of Mustangs Official Website

"If you get to thinking you are someone of some importance and influence, just try ordering another persons dog around." - Author Unknown

SCOOP

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65 coupe,351w,RPM intake,Carter625,shorty headers,2.5 exhaust, Flowmasters, C4,open 8" 2:80,Big Boss 429 hood scoop,Crager SS,Black Suede.
MEM#1240

Dave & Terri

So, I guess my post office will know what to do to send the package to BC...