This is from the Canadian Gov site:
Are you inadmissible to Canada?

Are you inadmissible to Canada?

Please read the following information carefully:

In general, people are considered to be criminally inadmissible to Canada if they were convicted of an offence in Canada or were convicted of an offence outside of Canada that is considered a crime in Canada. In order to enter Canada, these people must obtain Approval of Rehabilitation or a Temporary Resident Permit at a Canadian Consulate or Embassy.
Offences involving operation of a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs will, with very rare exceptions, render persons criminally inadmissible to Canada and therefore in need of Approval of Rehabilitation or a Temporary Resident Permit to enter Canada for any purpose and any length of time.


Approval of Rehabilitation
Approval of Rehabilitation may be granted if you can show that you have a stable lifestyle and that it is unlikely that you will be involved in any further criminal activity. You may apply for rehabilitation if five years have passed since the end of your sentence. Periods of probation are considered to be part of the sentence as are payment of fines and restitution of a driver's licence.
Approval of rehabilitation permanently overcomes inadmissibility arising from the offence declared.


Temporary Resident Permit
If you are inadmissible to Canada for criminal, medical or other reasons and there are compelling and urgent reasons to allow you to enter or remain in Canada, you may apply for a Temporary Resident Permit.
Offences involving operation of a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs will, with very rare exceptions, render persons criminally inadmissible to Canada - and therefore in need of Approval of Rehabilitation or a Temporary Resident Permit to enter Canada for any purpose and any length of time.
A Temporary Resident Permit temporarily overcomes inadmissibility.


Authority to Return to Canada
Use this application if you are seeking authority to re-enter Canada prior to the expiry of an Exclusion Order or you are seeking authority to return to Canada because you are the subject of a Deportation Order.


Note: If you have urgent and compelling reasons for entry to Canada within the next 6 months and are eligible to apply for Approval of Rehabilitation (i.e. beyond the 5 year prohibition), we encourage you to submit your Approval of Rehabilitation and Temporary Resident Permit applications at the same time.

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Jackie had posted this in the Chat/Chat thread. Felt it was worth having a thread of its own. This is an FYI type thread.

This was not posted on our board, but on another Alaska trip, I thought it important enough to move over and let everyone know about this situation. Better prepared, than disapointed.

Posted by: tiggerman101
On: October 11th, 2009 04:21 PM

Unfortunately, I had to cancel this cruise today. I am pretty upset about it. I am embarrassed to admit that I have a DUI on record from 9 years ago (I am a recovering alcoholic with 7 years sober). Due to the new ease of sharing information with Canada, I will not be let into their country and most likely be stopped from boarding the ship. It is a long story, but I have done a ton of research on it all in the past week. I post this to advise anyone with even a minor record to check to make sure that they will not be flagged from entering the country. This is a major issue since the cruise ends in Vancouver. It is also an issue I had no idea about until I stumbled upon it in another thread

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I'd heard about the restrictions in Canada too. Here's some additional information I found:

"Members of Inadmissible Classes include those who have been convicted of MINOR OFFENCES (including shoplifting, theft, assault, dangerous driving, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of illegal substances, etc.), or of INDICTABLE CRIMINAL OFFENCES (including assault with a deadly weapon, manslaughter, etc.). As well, those who have been convicted of DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED (DWI) are considered Members of an Inadmissible Class. Driving while under the influence of alcohol is regarded as an extremely serious offence in Canada.

From the Canadian gov. website:
Canada Border Service Agency Officers at the Port-of-Entry will determine if you will be allowed to enter Canada. They may prevent the entry of persons:

• who fail to establish their identity and/or status in the USA
• who fail to establish that they will be able to support themselves and their dependants while in Canada
• whose willingness and means to return to the USA are in doubt
• who have a criminal conviction - including DUI/DWI convictions

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