>>Well I did NOT pay the government. In one case it was UPS that I paid $41.xx customs clearing and GST collection (GST forming $3.50 but the service fee for that being $8.00!!!). In the other case it was a call from some unknown company and they only charged $28. or so, and I forget details on the other ones.
>>I'd say 2/3 of the shipments came with added costs and one third came through unscathed. I have no idea HOW this happened, but I do know that I was not the only one. Whil stopped shipping to Canada because of numerous similar events.
>>My personal guess is that the law, or possibly a specific reading of the law, permits this and some companies take advantage.
>>
>>So what is it that you disagree about, GIVEN THESE EXPERIENCES???
>
>I am for free trade. If it was costing Whil more to ship books to Toronto than it was to Los Angeles, when Toronto is geographically closer, then that is a barrier to free trade.

I think you misunderstood my initial comment.
I too wouldn't mind "free trade" if that's what it really was. But my personal experience says it is NOT - at least as regular folks are concerned.
BUT I am decidedly NOT for 'globalization' that includes outsourcing and manufacturing moved off-shore just to exploit some poor souls who essentially have NO CHOICE in the matters of work environment and pay scales.

As regards the Whil thing, it was not Whil's costs that went up. It was people who had experiences like mine ASKING Whil to try other routes and Whil bending over backwards trying to do so but not succeeding.
His customers were being forced to pay LARGE extra costs for no sensible reason given "free trade" and he tried hard to help us avoid them.

cheers