Photo permits in Alberta provincial parks

[KMOlender]

It appears that Alberta is proposing to extend permit requirements, with large liability insurance requirements and permit fees,  to all "for profit" photography, even for still photography that does not involve advertisement, models, crews, or special access in Alberta provincial parks.  This sounds similar to the flap in the US last year.  

I don't know all that much about the details, but didn't see anything here mentioning this and thought that many reading these forums would be interested.  If you want more information see the discussion at NatureScapes.net or contact Darwin Wiggett .

[WhiteDog]

Thanks for the post. I responded with the following on Naturescapes:

"I beg the forum members to check out the provisions of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, in which, in effect, government is prohibited frlom interfering with the making of a living without having an overriding reason for the bar. In my experience, local and provincial governments maintain a dismal level of recognition of this requirement, and do not like to be reminded of it.

The imposition of an insurance requirement not imposed on other visitors to the parks would qualify as unreasonable measure, in my opinion. Also review the requirement for equality before the law. I shall attempt to develop this idea.

IMO the posters here have been too kind to the nice government men. The reality in modern government is creative and predatory expansion with the internal promotions going to the "innovators," and the citizen always ends up paying."

[yukondick]

They have done a great job of selling Alberta scenery but you can do at least as well and without the hassles in British Columbia and the Yukon [look at Fritz Meuller[/URL]http://www.fritzmueller.com/] and Richard Hartmier to see what appeals to a couple of our better local pros in the Yukon]

Dick

[One Horse Studio]

This is a copy of the email that I sent to various officials in Canada. It may seem a
little harsh, but the treatment that I received when crossing into Canada was no picnic. The border agents kept questioning me about what I was going to do with the
pictures that I took. I felt like the missionary to some wild, exotic and primitive locale where the natives felt that I would be stealing their souls if I took their picture.
Maybe the Canadian government thinks that photographers are stealing the landscape or the animals....  

Don't take this personally Michael  .

"To whom it may concern:
I am an AMATUER PHOTOGRAPHER.

My last(and this may very well be my very last) trip to Alberta,Canada was
a very wonderful experience....that is after I had gotten through one
of the rudest interrogations at any border crossing that I have ever made.

I spent more than an hour while my vehicle was searched, my criminal record
was investigated, and I was made to feel very unwelcome by your very surly
and rude border agents. All this because I honestly told them that my photographic
gear was valued at more than ten thousand dollars.
My total expenses while in Canada exceeded four thousand dollars for food, gas
and lodging.

I took the same gear, declared the value upon entry to Mexico and was given
a very warm welcome. I guess the Mexican government appreciates the money
that I spend while in their country.


After being informed of your new policies that target anyone with what your uniformed officials determine to be "professional" photographic gear, I am now cancelling my plans to return to Canada next year. That is too bad, as I really enjoy the scenery and the people of Canada.

This does have one bright little light though......I can now rest assured that the United States doesn't have a monopoly on stupid, greedy government officials.

Yours Truly,
Greg Boyer"

[cottagehunter]

This is a copy of the email that I sent to various officials in Canada. It may seem a
little harsh, but the treatment that I received when crossing into Canada was no picnic. The border agents kept questioning me about what I was going to do with the
pictures that I took. I felt like the missionary to some wild, exotic and primitive locale where the natives felt that I would be stealing their souls if I took their picture.
Maybe the Canadian government thinks that photographers are stealing the landscape or the animals....  

Don't take this personally Michael  .

"To whom it may concern:
I am an AMATUER PHOTOGRAPHER.

My last(and this may very well be my very last) trip to Alberta,Canada was
a very wonderful experience....that is after I had gotten through one
of the rudest interrogations at any border crossing that I have ever made.

I spent more than an hour while my vehicle was searched, my criminal record
was investigated, and I was made to feel very unwelcome by your very surly
and rude border agents. All this because I honestly told them that my photographic
gear was valued at more than ten thousand dollars.
My total expenses while in Canada exceeded four thousand dollars for food, gas
and lodging.

I took the same gear, declared the value upon entry to Mexico and was given
a very warm welcome. I guess the Mexican government appreciates the money
that I spend while in their country.
After being informed of your new policies that target anyone with what your uniformed officials determine to be "professional" photographic gear, I am now cancelling my plans to return to Canada next year. That is too bad, as I really enjoy the scenery and the people of Canada.

This does have one bright little light though......I can now rest assured that the United States doesn't have a monopoly on stupid, greedy government officials.

Yours Truly,
Greg Boyer"
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=188356\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Well I guess that things are going both ways at the border thanks to our involvement on behalf of the U.S. government in Afganastan. I have traveled to the U.S. several hundred times over the course of my life and approximately 10% of the time I have been met with rude surly border officials and though I may be pissed at the time it certainly didn't convince me that it was Americans only someone who took their job to extremes. Maybe you didn't hear of the town which shares the Quebec/Vermont border and when there was a fire on the Maine side the Quebec side tried to send firetrucks to help our (as has been the case for several years) and the U.S. border agents refused permission so the town hall in Vermont burned down or the one where the border runs through a Quebec residents driveway and the U.S. border agents will not let him enter his car without clearing immigration. All this points to is that government agencies sometimes make decisions without thinking things through , look  what happened to New Orleans after Katrina.

Please come back and visit our country we would like to have you back.