Charley Crockett’s Ban from Canada for Weed Charge is Ridiculous
This is really what we’re doing, tolerant Canada? What, you pissed off because you got your nose pushed in at the Olympics in hockey by the boys down south for the Gold?
On Sunday night (2-22), only an hour or two before Charley Crockett was supposed to take the stage at Vancouver’s historic Orpheum theater, the show was cancelled due to what was initially announced as “unforeseen circumstances.” Those unforeseen circumstances turned out to be Crockett being denied entry to Canada, twice, due to a 10-year-old weed charge in the United States.
As fans who’d already arrived at the venue witnessed Charley’s semi-truck with his name emblazoned on the side pull up to the venue, they were excited for the night’s show. But Charley himself couldn’t make it, even though he’s toured Canada many times in the past with no entry problems to speak of.
“Everybody’s got a past. Mine’s still haunting me,” Crockett said Monday morning (2-23). “I tried to cross the Canadian border twice in 24 hours. After they denied me entry in Vancouver, I tried again in Kelowna and was rejected a 2nd time. I’ve been advised that it would jeopardize my freedom to try and enter again. I’m deeply sorry to announce the cancellation of my entire Canadian Tour.”
Charley Crockett was scheduled to perform eight dates all across Canada heading into early March. Now none of them will be fulfilled.
CANCELLED – 2/23 Edmonton, AB Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
CANCELLED – 2/26 Winnipeg, MB Burton Cummings Theatre
CANCELLED – 3/1 Windsor, ON The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor
CANCELLED – 3/2 Toronto, ON History
CANCELLED – 3/3 Ottawa, ON Hard Rock Casino Ottawa
CANCELLED – 3/5 Montreal, QC MTELUS
CANCELLED – 3/6 Niagara Falls, ON Fallsview Casino Resort – OLG Stage
Crockett went on to say, “Full refunds will be issued at the point of purchase. I know this doesn’t begin to make up for y’all’s time and hard earned money. I apologize to everyone affected. I know I let y’all down. Canada’s such a beautiful country with some of the best fans in the world, and I’ve had the time of my life playing shows for y’all. I ain’t one to quit and I aim to be back one of these days real soon. Yours truly, Charley.”
Crockett also posted a printout of his denial of entry under Canada’s “Subsection 44(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act,” refusing him entry due to a felony conviction on March 22nd, 2016 for marijuana distribution of over 5 pounds in the State of Virginia. Crockett was given 10 years probation for the offense. The document goes on to say that such an offense in Canada is considered “serious criminality” and that it would be “punishable by a term of life imprisonment”in Canada.
But this was only true in 2016, not today. Canada legalized the possession of marijuana in 2018, and anyone is allowed to posses as much as 30 grams at any given time without legal repercussions. They are also allowed to grow and transport marijuana in certain quantities.
Canada’s marijuana is regulated, but even individuals found with major amounts of unregulated marijuana are only subject to a fine of up to $5,000, imprisonment for up to six months, not life. Even the most serious distribution/sale charges carry a penalty of five years, less a day.
You break the law, you lose. But in this instance, it’s the fans in Canada who lose the opportunity to see Charley Crockett, including ones that paid for travel and hotels to see him. It’s the venues that lose the revenue they would have garnered by hosting the shows. The workers who were hoping for tips and pay on the night lose out as well, not to mention Charley’s crew and band who now have an empty hole in their calendar. This is just a lose/lose situation.
And even worse, it doesn’t bode well for American musicians attempting to cross into Canada to perform. Even if you have all your paperwork in order, artists and bands are going to be more reluctant to head to the frozen north, worried some wrinkle at the border will throw their entire tour in disarray. John Moreland cancelled his Canadian tour in 2025 due to similar concerns. Hypothetically, Willie Nelson could be denied entry since he has marijuana convictions.
This is also happening vice versa, with some Canadian bands deciding to forgo American tours due to tensions between the two countries, and more strict immigration laws.
Some are laughing at Charley Crockett for getting a taste of his own medicine after lashing out at the Trump Administration recently after the ICE operations in Minnesota. But ironically, Crockett’s comments came after ICE had already re-assigned top brass, and ramped down operations in Minnesota. Crockett also didn’t criticize the U.S. immigration policy. He instead strangely criticized Trump for being a draft dodger and a failed casino owner. He did say Elon Musk should be deported, though.
Either way, Charley Crockett should be allowed into Canada to perform shows, especially since any concern is over a decades old marijuana charge, and he’s been let in many times before. Clearly he’s no threat to the public, and denial of entry is punitive and breaks precedent. This only hurts music’s ability to create international good will, and impinges of creative commerce that benefits folks on both sides of the border.
Canada’s inconsistent action here should be overruled, and maybe Crockett can return after March 22nd when his 10-year probation officially is fulfilled in the United States.
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February 23, 2026 @ 11:24 am
This is all they have left, after we took hockey from them.
February 23, 2026 @ 11:34 am
I don’t know what he was actually charged with in Virginia, but the image of the letter says “>5lbs” (greater than five pounds). The article says “under 5 pounds.”
February 23, 2026 @ 11:53 am
In my universe, greater than five pounds would be symbolized by “<5lbs.” with the symbol increasing in volume as opposed to decreasing. But maybe this is why I’m a writer and not an engineer.
February 23, 2026 @ 12:21 pm
A friend sent me an article earlier. It was greater than 5 pounds (I believe 6.6 pounds). a few interesting side notes:
1) the probable cause to search Charley’s vehicle was that arresting police officer smelled marijuana. That’s no longer enough cause in the state of Virginia.
2) the arresting officer said that Charley was incredibly polite and cooperative and took at his guitar and started playing while they searched his vehicle.
3) the arresting officer claims that when they pulled the suitcase containing the marijuana out of the trunk, Charley started playing Willie’s “The Party’s Over.”
4) Charley has said in interviews that he played “The Party’s Over” but has claimed he froze up and that’s the only song he could remember.
February 23, 2026 @ 11:40 am
As a Washington State resident this sounds about right. If you had a single DUI twenty years ago you can’t get into Canada.
February 23, 2026 @ 11:59 am
As some have pointed out, Jelly Roll has been allowed to tour Canada though he’s been to jail/prison 30 times, and has multiple violent felony convictions.
There is a very, very ordered and vetted way these international tours are booked. I’m sure the first time Crockett wanted to tour Canada, they had to reach out to embassies for dispensations and to get the paperwork in order. That happened, because he was allowed entry on multiple occasions. I don’t know if they double checked this time, but I do know that sometimes you’re at the whim of whoever is on duty at the border crossing, and how they feel about the matter. And once you’re denied at one crossing, that’s going to be flagged across the system, and they won’t allow you entry anywhere.
The law says what it says. But to engage in commerce in a different country, they paperwork is different, and so is the vetting process. This issue here is the gross inconsistency.
February 23, 2026 @ 12:36 pm
Convicted felon, Jelly Roll is pals with Prince Harry.
He gets into Canada on special orders of the Crown.
February 23, 2026 @ 12:34 pm
Yup, Vancouver especially. First time I got my Canadian work permit ( had a minor DUI) I was advised to to fly to Calgary instead of driving to Vancouver. “Well the drinking age is 18 in Alberta, so you would have been fine here. Welcome to Canada Son”
Too bad for Charley.
February 23, 2026 @ 11:44 am
It’s stupid, but no more stupid than Canadians being turned back at the border after admitting they once smoked weed when border guards ask, “Have you ever done drugs, even smoked a joint?”
We live in bizarro world. 😂
February 23, 2026 @ 11:55 am
Canada is very, very strict. If you had a DUI 50 years ago, they will not let you in. Because they think that you will come into their country. And have a drink and kill somebody. They’re very strict. If you’re ill like you come through the airport on crutches or with a cane, they will ask you for your medical insurance to make sure that you are covered.That way, if you get ill in canada, you don’t use their money
February 23, 2026 @ 11:57 am
Canada also requires people to be able to speak either French or English to become citizens. Despite Canada’s reputation, it’s not an immigration free for all. The U.S. public school system is now absolutely full of students who don’t either speak or understand English – much less their parents – but U.S. taxpayers are still required to foot the bill. In my state, average cost per student was over $17,000 a year, and that was five years ago. That’s a lot of money to someone like me.
February 23, 2026 @ 12:02 pm
Trigger, you said this action by Canada was “punitive.” Is Charley being singled out for some reason, or is this just the policy for Canada? Or maybe it’s a policy that is randomly enforced and it was just Charley’s turn in the barrel this time.
February 23, 2026 @ 12:21 pm
Charley Crockett is booked by CAA, which is a massive talent agency that has entire divisions dedicated to working through the logistics of international touring and travel. I keep seeing people talking about how you can’t cross into Canada if you have a DUI. Charley Crockett is crossing the border with a semi truck and two massive tour vans. It is a huge financial expenditure just to get all this to the border, let along have it be inspected and cross it. All this stuff is worked out logistically many months in advance, including supplying the names and passport information of everyone on the crew, most importantly Charley Crockett, especially since he has a felony on his record.
Charley Crockett has already toured Canada five or six times. There’s a whole dispensation process for entertainers to go through to make sure they get in okay. I don’t know for a fact that this all has to do with someone who had a bad day and decided to put their foot down at the border for the big American entertainer. But it sure feels that way. It’s that, or someone at CAA or Charley’s management didn’t do their job to double check everything would be okay.
Either way, someone at the border could have looked at the situation and said, “Is this guy really a threat to society? Let’s let him in to play his stupid country shows like he’s done many times before without incident, and warn them to double check their paperwork next time before assuming entry.” Charley Crockett is not going to commit violent felonies and Canada, and he’s not trying to immigrate.
February 23, 2026 @ 12:12 pm
A lot of this falls on Crockett’s tour management and their Canadian counterparts for not getting this sorted before the tour.
There are many avenues for those with criminal offenses to enter Canada, but it is my (limited) understanding that you need to apply for before entry each time you try to go to Canada under a TRP. With Crockett’s case, he would need a Temporary Resident Permit since he is not eligible for “rehabilitation” yet.
They (management and their Canadian counterparts) should have been working on this for months to avoid being denied entry.
February 23, 2026 @ 12:23 pm
Finally, some objective, fact-based explanations on this matter that manage without silly ice hockey connections. Thank you.
February 23, 2026 @ 12:44 pm
What’s wrong with making fun of them and their ice hockey?