Model Expo

[Namabiiru]

Got an email from Model Expo today, telling me that because of the postal strike and the high cost of tariffs they stopped shipping to Canada. ?? Sadly I tryed different ways, sending to a sister in the U S, exchange rate, plus shipping and gas to go there, and back the cost is over 800. Canadain. So poop,that's depressing. Oh well I got a stash. But thank you Model Expo for your response
Bobby K

At least you’ve been able to get a response from them.

 

[Stuart Little]

I'm just the messenger.

HE'LL probably still shoot you!! (I guess you know whom 'He' is)

 

[MisterCA]

Bummer! Have you tried to do a Google search for the particular model you are interested in? Sometimes there are models on Amazon, E-Bay, or out there in general that might have your model for sale at a reasonable price and can ship it to you. You don't get the Model Expo excellent warranty and support stuff but at last you have the model you wanted.

 

[David50]

I would try Dry Dock Models of Canada or Cornwall Model Boats of UK. They should have most of what you may need.

Dry-Dock Models & Parts

Dry - Dock Models & Parts is providing high quality ship model fittings and parts

drydockmodelsandparts.com

Cornwall Model Boats Ltd

Suppliers of quality model boat and model ship kits, fitting hardware, radio controlled and static display model boats. Period ship specialist. A large range of model boat and ship kits, boat fittings, boat plans, building materials, books and modelling tools. Mantua Panart, Sergal, Amati...

www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk

I just ordered something from Dry Dock and they are good to go.I was given a due date on my order.

 

[DerekC62]

Got an email from Model Expo today, telling me that because of the postal strike and the high cost of tariffs they stopped shipping to Canada. ?? Sadly I tryed different ways, sending to a sister in the U S, exchange rate, plus shipping and gas to go there, and back the cost is over 800. Canadain. So poop,that's depressing. Oh well I got a stash. But thank you Model Expo for your response
Bobby K

A) There is no Postal strike, and none looming;
B) Why should ME care about tariffs paid by the importer? If you choose to pay a duty (which has always been in place on many, many imports to Canada) or a tariff that's your choice, not Model Expo's.

 

[Van]

Thus was in the news on June 19...

In a possible sign of progress for ongoing labour negotiations for workers at Canada Post, the Crown corporation says it has reached an agreement with its second largest union after 18 months of negotiating.

In a written statement sent to Global , Canada Post says the Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association has agreed to the terms of a new collective agreement, which spans Jan. 1, 2024, to Dec. 31 2026.

 

[Myhr99]

I was just thanking Model Expo , for thier response. I know the postal strike and the tariffs are not thier fault but it still sucks big time. Feeling the effects of tariffs, and don't like it. It is changing the way I shop for kits.
Bobby K

Bobby...Just work on other things in your stash. The strike and the tariffs should be over in just a coupla years.
(Unless you're retirement age, in which case a coupla years is a lifetime! )

 

[Bobby K.]

Myhr99 that's exactly what I will do, to the stash I go. The wasa is one of those ships that I would like to try. Seeing it on Model Expo for that price, I said ok, but it was not ment to be. No one's fault, just the way it is now. I will keep looking though. Something will come my way, then l will build that.
Bobby K

 

[Peter Gutterman]

I was just thanking Model Expo , for thier response. I know the postal strike and the tariffs are not thier fault but it still sucks big time. Feeling the effects of tariffs, and don't like it. It is changing the way I shop for kits.
Bobby K

Uncertainty, anxiety, bitterness, mutual distrust, endless grievance. All the U.S. policy du jour. This is not political opinion. It is inescapable reality and fact.
We are all up to the tops of our waders in the same swamp. (See above,)

 

[Norgale]

Model Expo's explanation aligns with the current situation: a Canada Post strike is causing major shipping disruptions, and high tariffs are making cross-border shipments more expensive. Many U.S. sellers have temporarily stopped shipping to Canada for these reasons. There is no U.S. postal strike, but the Canada Post strike and tariffs are real and are affecting U.S.-to-Canada

Based on current information, Model Expo's decision to stop shipping to Canada due to a "postal strike and the high cost of tariffs" is likely referencing two real and significant disruptions affecting cross-border shipping between the U.S. and Canada:

1. Canada Post Strike

• Canada Post received official strike notices from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) in May 2025, with strike action expected to begin as early as May 23, 2025 This has led to widespread warnings of shipping delays, fulfillment freezes, and suspended acceptance of new mail items by Canada Post during the strike period.
• U.S. sellers, including e-commerce businesses, have reported difficulties shipping to Canada as a result, with many suspending or rerouting shipments to avoid packages being stranded. High Tariffs
• In March 2025, the U.S. imposed a 25% tariff on most imports from Canada, and Canada retaliated with its tariffs, including a 25% import tariff on U.S. goods entering Canada. These tariffs have significantly increased the cost of cross-border shipping and goods, directly impacting both businesses and consumers
• Many retailers and shippers have cited these tariffs as a reason for suspending or reconsidering shipping to Canada, as the added costs make it less viable for both sellers and buyers.

This whole thing started when Canada refused to help the USA stop the influx of illegal people from all over the world and the influx of drugs from coming into the USA. If you guys won't help us then you'll just have to put up with the way things are. They will get worse as time goes on. I for one am in favor of vastly reduced costs of doing business with Canada but it's a two way street so you should find a way to help us get rid of the illegals and the drugs.

 

[Jimsky]

This whole thing started when Canada refused to help the USA stop the influx of illegal people from all over the world and the influx of drugs from coming into the USA. If you guys won't help us then you'll just have to put up with the way things are. They will get worse as time goes on. I for one am in favor of vastly reduced costs of doing business with Canada but it's a two way street so you should find a way to help us get rid of the illegals and the drugs.

...no politics, please.

 

[Peter Gutterman]

Mea Culpa.

 

[Vfordyce]

...no politics, please.

Amen!

 

[Norgale]

Sorry.

 

[Bob Cleek]

This whole thing started when Canada refused to help the USA stop the influx of illegal people from all over the world and the influx of drugs from coming into the USA. If you guys won't help us then you'll just have to put up with the way things are. They will get worse as time goes on. I for one am in favor of vastly reduced costs of doing business with Canada but it's a two way street so you should find a way to help us get rid of the illegals and the drugs.

Excuse me, Dear Friends, "not discussing sex or politics" is generally a valid maxim of good manners, but an unchallenged falsehood is no more justified by "not discussing politics" than is a rape by "not discussing sex."

“Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.” John Stuart Mill, 1867.

"The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance.” John Philpot Curran, 1813."

Facts matter. In this instance it is not a "two-way street." It's two one-way streets. Politics don't enter into it at all.

It's a practical matter. Canada and the United States of America share the world's longest undefended border. The responsibility for policing the US and Canada borderline lies with different agencies.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is responsible for securing Canada's bordersbetween all Canadian ports of entry and Canadian territory. The United States Border Patrol (USBP) is responsible for securing the borders of the United States between United States borders and all United States territory. In other words, Canada is responsible for who and what comes into Canada and the United States is responsible for who and what comes into the United States. Neither nation has previously been responsible to the other for what goes out of its territory. This is how border security works throughout the entire world because the principle of international sovereignty limits the jurisdiction of any nation to police its borders to its own territory.

It is for this reason that Canada has no border crossing checkpoints for traffic leaving Canada into U.S. territory and the U.S. has no border crossing checkpoints for traffic leaving the U.S. into Canadian territory. The U.S. border checkpoints are a short distance inside of the U.S. and the Canadian border crossing checkpoints are a short distance inside of Canada. Each nation is responsible for what comes into its own territory, but not what the other allows into theirs.

It is categorically not true that "Canada refused to help the USA stop the influx of illegal people from all over the world and the influx of drugs from coming into the USA." Canada and the United States have a long history of cooperative law enforcement partnerships. For example, in the maritime context, beginning on a "proof of concept" basis twenty years ago and now confirmed by international agreement, the U.S. and Canada have conducted Integrated Cross-border Maritime Law Enforcement Operations (ICMLEO), known also as the Canada-U.S. Shiprider Program. The Shiprider Program represents a cooperative approach to combating cross border crime on Canada's and United States' shared waterways. The Canada-U.S. Shiprider agreement removes the international maritime boundary as a barrier to law enforcement by enabling seamless continuity of enforcement and security operations across the border, facilitating cross-border surveillance and interdiction, and serving as both a force multiplier and, potentially, as a model for other integrated United States and Canadian cross-border enforcement and security initiatives.

Canada-U.S. Shiprider involves vessels jointly crewed by specially trained and designated Canadian and United States law enforcement officers who are authorized to enforce the law on both sides of the international boundary line. Working together, armed Canadian and United States law enforcement officers are able to transit back and forth across the border to help secure it from threats to national security, as well as prevent cross-border smuggling and trafficking. Specific enforcement activities consist of detecting, monitoring and potentially boarding vessels in either Canadian or American waters. In Canadian waters, Canada-U.S. Shiprider operations are subject to Canadian laws, policies and procedures and all operations are undertaken under the direction and control of the RCMP. RCMP vessels designated as Canada-U.S. Shiprider vessels have a member of the USCG on board and are able to enter United States waters to enforce United States laws under the supervision of the USCG member. Likewise, USCG vessels designated as Canada-U.S. Shiprider vessels have a member of the RCMP on board and are able to enter Canadian waters to enforce Canadian laws under the supervision of the RCMP officer. By authorizing these officials to operate on either side of the border, the USCG and RCMP have developed a more efficient means of securing both sides of the border without violating the sovereignty of either nation.

These are facts. The rest of the issue, which I have no intention of discussing, is "politics."

 

[Roger Pellett]

The two countries share a series of beautiful lakes that run along the border between the northern border of the American state of Minnesota and the Southern Border of the Canadian Province of Ontario. I have made several trips to fish these waters.

When staying at one of the many resorts, fishing is usually done with a guide who furnishes the boat. Border formalities used to be handled on the honor system. After crossing the border, the boat docked at the nearest resort where everybody filled out the necessary paperwork and bought Canadian Minnows (these are apparently different from American ones.)

There are also many full time residents who live on the shores of these lakes. During most of the year they travel back and forth by boat to visit friends. In the winter it’s by snowmobile. I don’t believe that either country has the ability to regulate this traffic if and when borders are crossed.

One reason for being concerned about unregulated border crossings was emphasized this past winter. An entire family of immigrants from India was found frozen to death while attempting to reach Chicago. They had been abandoned on the Minnesota side of the border by human traffickers.

I often wonder how the two countries intend to deal with this uncontrollable border area in an era of increased tensions.

Roger

 

[Dematosdg]

My order from ROPES OF SCALES, located in Canada, have been in Customs since June 19. Shipped using Canada-USPS postal services. Did another order, now shipped with FedEx and arrived in ~1 week.

 

[Jimsky]

Excuse me, Dear Friends, "not discussing sex or politics" is generally a valid maxim of good manners, but an unchallenged falsehood is no more justified by "not discussing politics" than is a rape by "not discussing sex."

“Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.” John Stuart Mill, 1867.

"The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance.” John Philpot Curran, 1813."

Facts matter. In this instance it is not a "two-way street." It's two one-way streets. Politics don't enter into it at all.

It's a practical matter. Canada and the United States of America share the world's longest undefended border. The responsibility for policing the US and Canada borderline lies with different agencies.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is responsible for securing Canada's bordersbetween all Canadian ports of entry and Canadian territory. The United States Border Patrol (USBP) is responsible for securing the borders of the United States between United States borders and all United States territory. In other words, Canada is responsible for who and what comes into Canada and the United States is responsible for who and what comes into the United States. Neither nation has previously been responsible to the other for what goes out of its territory. This is how border security works throughout the entire world because the principle of international sovereignty limits the jurisdiction of any nation to police its borders to its own territory.

It is for this reason that Canada has no border crossing checkpoints for traffic leaving Canada into U.S. territory and the U.S. has no border crossing checkpoints for traffic leaving the U.S. into Canadian territory. The U.S. border checkpoints are a short distance inside of the U.S. and the Canadian border crossing checkpoints are a short distance inside of Canada. Each nation is responsible for what comes into its own territory, but not what the other allows into theirs.

It is categorically not true that "Canada refused to help the USA stop the influx of illegal people from all over the world and the influx of drugs from coming into the USA." Canada and the United States have a long history of cooperative law enforcement partnerships. For example, in the maritime context, beginning on a "proof of concept" basis twenty years ago and now confirmed by international agreement, the U.S. and Canada have conducted Integrated Cross-border Maritime Law Enforcement Operations (ICMLEO), known also as the Canada-U.S. Shiprider Program. The Shiprider Program represents a cooperative approach to combating cross border crime on Canada's and United States' shared waterways. The Canada-U.S. Shiprider agreement removes the international maritime boundary as a barrier to law enforcement by enabling seamless continuity of enforcement and security operations across the border, facilitating cross-border surveillance and interdiction, and serving as both a force multiplier and, potentially, as a model for other integrated United States and Canadian cross-border enforcement and security initiatives.

Canada-U.S. Shiprider involves vessels jointly crewed by specially trained and designated Canadian and United States law enforcement officers who are authorized to enforce the law on both sides of the international boundary line. Working together, armed Canadian and United States law enforcement officers are able to transit back and forth across the border to help secure it from threats to national security, as well as prevent cross-border smuggling and trafficking. Specific enforcement activities consist of detecting, monitoring and potentially boarding vessels in either Canadian or American waters. In Canadian waters, Canada-U.S. Shiprider operations are subject to Canadian laws, policies and procedures and all operations are undertaken under the direction and control of the RCMP. RCMP vessels designated as Canada-U.S. Shiprider vessels have a member of the USCG on board and are able to enter United States waters to enforce United States laws under the supervision of the USCG member. Likewise, USCG vessels designated as Canada-U.S. Shiprider vessels have a member of the RCMP on board and are able to enter Canadian waters to enforce Canadian laws under the supervision of the RCMP officer. By authorizing these officials to operate on either side of the border, the USCG and RCMP have developed a more efficient means of securing both sides of the border without violating the sovereignty of either nation.

These are facts. The rest of the issue, which I have no intention of discussing, is "politics."

Here is my frustration: I feel upset when someone reacts so aggressively after a polite, reasonable request. This response is long, combative, and laced with passive-aggressive righteousness disguised as fact-sharing. All I did was ask for a conversation without politics, and instead got a lecture with moral grandstanding.

I understand that you feel strongly about this subject. However, my original request was simply to avoid political discussion in this space. Not because I dismiss the seriousness of the topic, but because I believe this forum is better served by keeping our focus on shared interests and treating each other with kindness and respect, regardless of differing opinions.

Your message, while framed around facts, was not just informational; it carried a tone of judgment and moral comparison, which is exactly the kind of energy I hoped to avoid here. I’m not asking for silence or censorship, just for courtesy, and for space to connect without being pulled into confrontation.

Thank you for understanding.

 

[Bob Cleek]

One reason for being concerned about unregulated border crossings was emphasized this past winter. An entire family of immigrants from India was found frozen to death while attempting to reach Chicago. They had been abandoned on the Minnesota side of the border by human traffickers.

I often wonder how the two countries intend to deal with this uncontrollable border area in an era of increased tensions.

That's an excellent example of the simple geographic practical impossibility of impenetrable national borders. The state of the world being what it is these days, particularly with respect to the unequal distribution of wealth, I think we all need to focus more on our common humanity and less on our nationalistic instincts. It seems there aren't enough lifeboats and those of us lucky enough to be in one aren't going to be able to beat enough of the swimmers off with our oars without being swamped.

 

[Jimsky]

The two countries share a series of beautiful lakes that run along the border between the northern border of the American state of Minnesota and the Southern Border of the Canadian Province of Ontario. I have made several trips to fish these waters.

When staying at one of the many resorts, fishing is usually done with a guide who furnishes the boat. Border formalities used to be handled on the honor system. After crossing the border, the boat docked at the nearest resort where everybody filled out the necessary paperwork and bought Canadian Minnows (these are apparently different from American ones.)

There are also many full time residents who live on the shores of these lakes. During most of the year they travel back and forth by boat to visit friends. In the winter it’s by snowmobile. I don’t believe that either country has the ability to regulate this traffic if and when borders are crossed.

One reason for being concerned about unregulated border crossings was emphasized this past winter. An entire family of immigrants from India was found frozen to death while attempting to reach Chicago. They had been abandoned on the Minnesota side of the border by human traffickers.

I often wonder how the two countries intend to deal with this uncontrollable border area in an era of increased tensions.

Roger

Roger, I appreciate you sharing your experience. Those lakes truly are beautiful, and the region has a unique history of peaceful coexistence. That said, I’d like to gently reiterate something I mentioned earlier: I believe we all benefit from keeping this space free of political discussions, even when they’re wrapped in personal stories or factual observations. The tragedy you referenced is heartbreaking. But again, I respectfully suggest that these topics, border policy, immigration, and international regulation, are best discussed in a forum dedicated to those complex and emotionally charged issues. Here, I’d simply prefer we focus on what brings us together, not what may inadvertently divide.

Thank you for understanding,