I guess this foolishness and lack of respect is happening on both sides of the border.
The incident of the defacing was actually by a US Customs official, not Canadian as stated in the topic heading, but in the posting from Bonnie K Hunter cancelling her Canadian teaching trips she did have some difficulty with Canadian Customs.
Looks like it depends which country is your home. Americans get hassled by Canadian customs and as a Canadian although I'd love to travel to the US someday I am frankly terrified by the horror stories I've heard of US Customs.
Bummer all round. I certainly agree that US Customs should be liable for the defacement of the quilts in question. Surely there's an easier way. With digital cameras and the internet it seems that pictures could be taken of each quilt on the way into or out of the country and the pictures compared to the 'real thing' on the way back. Shouldn't matter which point of entry because digital pictures are only a mouse click away from anywhere. Shame on both our Customs departments.