Damn, a former president is banned from entering more countries than I am. That's fucking wild and make me feel slightly better about some of the places I'll never see again.
Not funny at all, actually. I got a DUI a month after turning 21. Fortunately, nothing terrible happened. There are many countries that either consider a DUI a felony (Canada) or just don't want you endangering their populace (Japan). There's quite a list, but it's less than 37, lol.
I honestly have no idea why Canada sees this as enough of a problem to prohibit you from visiting.
It's not like we don't have people here, who live here, who have DUIs. We do. Lots of them.
Honestly, while it's bad, it's not like you're coming over the border while driving under the influence. It just feels like something that should, at the very least, fall off, after a few years. Like, you get a DUI in 2020, you can't visit until 2025 or something like that.... As long as you don't get another DUI or other felony, sure, why not?
If I understand correctly, there's a way to get permission to enter if it's been a certain amount of time after the conviction and it was a non-violent offense.
I spent six years there as a kid and experienced quite a bit. I really wanted to revisit as an adult, but that's not in the cards now. I will always cherish the memories of my time spent there, and I'm glad my parents made a point to see as much of the country, people, and culture as possible.