By Taylor Breckles (Contributor) – Email
Print Edition: January 29, 2014
Earlier this month, a man was arrested for carrying a pipe bomb in his luggage in an Alberta airport.
Apparently, he made it as part of a travelling-unrelated hobby and accidentally forgot it in his camera bag when packing for a trip to Mexico. Accidents happen, we all have those “oops” moments, but the shocking aspect of this story is that after the pipe bomb was discovered, the authorities tried to give it back.
Even trained officers can make mistakes, and yes, after the initial mistake the bomb was noticed by another officer and the man was detained. But this occurrence does make you want to watch television shows like Border Security a tad more closely.
This incident provokes a deep, meaningful question of particular importance: what can you bring on a plane? Aside from the typical (and allowed) entertainment (books, magazines, iPods, laptops, etc.), less-than-100mL containers, a couple of snacks perhaps, what do you think you could sneak in if you tried?
Following this thought, a true craftsman could possibly sneak some crucial travelling items into his carry-on bag. Think of the possibilities! Have you ever wanted to bring, perhaps, 105mL of liquid? Some nail clippers for a last-minute trim? If you fly in Canada, you just might pull it off!
The clippers can fit into a lens cover for your camera — another occasion to pull out the “Oh no, I completely forgot about this photographically relevant item in my camera bag!” alibi. The liquids could be squeezed into a child’s toy (what kind of monster would cut open a plastic pink elephant?). That bottle of water that you bought just before going through security, which happened to cost you four dollars, can be placed in a prosthetic of some kind; after all, if Barbossa could fit rum into his peg leg, we can too.
This pipe bomb incident has not only made people question what they cn get away with, but has also added to the Canadian stereotype of being lax (although I’m sure we prefer the phrase “laid-back”).
But let’s look at the bright side: at least Canada might become popular over the internet for something other than Rob Ford and hockey riots. Honestly, if we have the option of being famous for drug-using politicians, sports violence, or dopey airport security, the third option might just be the least of three evils. Now that Canadians have the possibility of by-passing security, no traveller will have to do without nail clippers again.
Welcome to 2014. The future sure does look bright.
