i did use the word "thief" in jest..if i had mentioned a pool stores name, i would not have used the word, just so you know! in regards to shipping to canada, unless it's a prohibited item (i.e. chemicals that you don't want to "mislabel" to avoid custom issues for example) it's actually not difficult at all. i've done over 180 transactions back and forth across the border via ebay or with fellow members of a computer site i hang around on.and no,i'm not a dealer..i just refuse to pay local retail on expensive items ranging from computer parts to guitars and amps to pool stuff when there is a huge price disparity. i've occasionally had items shipped by fedex..will not have them shipped by ups for many reasons. it's cost prohibitive in some cases to get fedex because brokerage fees increase along with the value of the item...but, i do my homework...nice thing about couriers is the great tracking systems they have. usps air is generally how i have things sent to me and i've only had 1 package go missing in those 180+ transactions..and i question whether it went missing or just an unscrupulous private citizen who got cold feet when i asked a lot of questions usps air has tracking, is inexpensive and best of all, no brokerage fees given that canada post and usps have an arrangement where they handle brokerage for items going into each country for each other. at most i pay 6% canadian government sales tax with usps..and sometimes, and i don't know why, they don't even bother charging me that..i'm not going to complain