Residents of the border town of Bellingham, Washington are calling for "American-only" shopping hours at the local Costco, which is routinely crowded with Canadian cross border shoppers. Around the world, the stereotype of the "ugly American" tourist is built on blundering offenses against local sensibilities. Canadians should remember that the towns they visit are somebody's home, take an interest in local festivals and community gatherings, reach out and get to know locals.

If the United States already accepts passport cards and EDLs as passport alternatives for border crossing to Canada, couldn't other options be explored to allow our border security personnel to quickly confirm traveler identities, using convenient devices many of us carry with us every day?