Ezzie

OBO, you will have absolutely no problem driving your Mexican plated car along with your Mexican driver's licence while in Canada. You may get a few "looks" and some friendly inquiries though as it is not a common sight to see a Mexican plated vehicle in Canada (I get it all the time when visiting up there). Couple of things to remember though, you are not allowed to keep it there for more than six months. If you are coming in and out of Canada with the vehicle in under six months it is not an issue. Technically you are a "tourist" if doing this. If you plan on staying longer than six months, it is highly unlikely that you could "import" it into Canada and register it in BC. The only way it would qualify for importation is if it is on Canada's RIV list of eligible vehicles AND you updated it to comply with the Canadian regulations that were in effect at the time of its manufacture - probably at least the addition of daytime running lights, maybe more stuff. The OP is in a different situation since her car originally came from Canada and as such should still be in the province's database. You should also talk with your insurance provider here in Mexico to make sure you have the optional rider on the policy which provides liability coverage during travel through the US and Canada. If you want additional insurance coverage (such as comprehensive and collision or upset) you should contact ICBC to see if they will add this additional coverage for you.

Nope - been doing it for years with my Mexican plated vehicle (purchased here). I still have "Residency" status and a valid Canadian driver's licence but prefer to use my Jalisco driver's licence. This way, you don't need to worry about getting or paying any tickets you may receive as a result of a traffic violation in Canada. Mexican driving habits acquired here tend to result in attention from the cops up there (parking in the wrong places, rolling stop signs, speeding slightly over the limits, etc.). Christiane, I know of no law that requires you to give up your legal "residency" status in Canada when you become a permanent resident of Mexico. Whether someone holds Canadian "resident" status or elects to declare "non-resident" status has more to do with what property you still own in Canada, how long you are there in a given 12 month period and your resultant tax bracket.

Aragon and his sons are probably the best go to guys operating Lakeside. They once duplicate an ignition key for my late model Ford and had all the equipment to program the chip in the replacement key as well as get into the CANBUS of the car to set it up. I was very impressed, far less expensive than going to the stealerships..

Yes, the State of Guanajuato seems to be much further along with social development than the State of Jalisco. Also a big difference with the condition of the general infrastructure (eg. condition of roads). Maybe it has something to do with the employment situation with all of the new industries thriving in the Guanajuato region??

If you don't mind doing the searching yourself, there is an excellent web site for used cars which has a very nice search engine to narrow down on specific criteria (year, make, model, options, etc.). www.soloautos.com.mx You can also filter by private sellers or used car dealers. There are many nice low mileage vehicles available in Guadalajara - Zapopan cars tend to be nicer since it is a more upscale part of the city. The last used vehicle I purchased came from that area and I am very happy with my purchase. I am not a big fan of dealing with anyone in the car business here at Lakeside - the options are quite limited and some of the business practices I have seen are concerning.

I was reading the other thread about the intention of Canadian Border Services to provide tracking data to various government departments to "flag" potential fraud with some of Canada's social programs. The other thread headed off into a different direction with a discussion on health care. What I am interested in and frankly confused about is why living here in Mexico on a permanent basis would have any impact on OAS and GIS eligibility. If you are a Canadian citizen and lived in Canada all your life (until at least age 60) and then moved out of the country to spend your retirement years in a country that offers a lower cost of living and great weather, why should this be an issue for the Canadian government? I can't see how maintaining residency or declaring non-resident status should have any bearing on this other than how a person's income from Canadian sources is taxed.

I am a Canadian citizen and frequently drive Canadian, US and Mexican plated vehicles into Texas - mostly other people's vehicles. Never had any issues nor have been asked for any paperwork on the vehicles, just my passport.

Gabapentina. There is a 300 mg./tablet dose under the name of BaPex or a 400 mg./tablet dose under the name of Gabapentina available at Farmacia Guadalajara.