The Canadians are coming! The Canadians are coming!

Neighbors to the north still don't need a passport to visit US
Passports cost each Canadian $250 - that's $1,000 for a family of four

By Walter Brooks 

Have you been hearing more French Canadian accents around here lately? Eh? Although people from the Canadian Maritime Provinces have always been the Cape's largest segment of foreign visitors, the drop in the Canadian dollar exchange rate in the past two decades has slowed that flow.

But that is changing. 

The reasons are economic - our friends to the north can drive here without getting a Canadian passport which cost $250 for each member of the family.

And the recent drop in the dollar's exchange rate has made the difference between our money and theirs less. 

From 76¢ to 90¢ in two years

In July 2004 Canadians got 76 cents US for their dollars, but by close of the money markets Friday, that had increased to 90 cents US, an 18% increase in the Canadian exchange rate. 

All this is illustrated today in a story in the Manchester NH Union-Leader which reports that not only are the Canadians coming, some chambers of commerce are making innovative moves to encourage them.

 The story reports that the Mount Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce is luring Canadians with "at par" offers, meaning they'll accept Canadian currency at the same rate as the dollar. "The Mount Washington Valley sees a lot of Canadians because they love the tax-free factory outlets, so they come to go shopping," said Marti Mayne of the chamber. 

What's the difference between a canoe and a Canadian? 

The only negative about our French Canadian visitors comes from area waiters who insist that because the tip is included in the menu price in most French menus, our northern visitors tend to forget that it isn't included in ours.

The local waiter's riddle has it:

Q.)  What's the difference between a canoe and a Canadian?"

A.)  A canoe tips.