Handloader1,
The reason Zeiss scopes are so expensive in Canada is that there is only 3 retailers in western Canada who are selling the Zeiss conquest line, and the 3 of these dealers SIR, Wholesalesports, and Farmers Supply often fix prices when ever possible. Even when you take into the exchange rate, paying $1000 CDN dollars works out to be $689.80 US based on rates from March 31/03. That is why many Canucks living within a couple hours of the US border will purchase optics in the US, because there is NO duty on American made or assembled telescopes, binoculars or rifle scopes, thanks to N.A.F.T.A. Unfortunately there is a lot of bullsh*t flying around bulletin boards which suggests Canadians are not permitted by neither the US or CDN governments to export/import rifle scopes into Canada. A person need only phone the local customs office to get it from the horses mouth. Thus if a CDN orders a 3.5X10-44 Zeiss Conquest through a mail-order house in the US, ie Bearbasin, and has it shipped to a mail box at the border they would only pay $744.31 CDN or $499 US for the same scope. Plus they would save an additional $24.50 CDN on the GST which would come close to covering the cost of gas.