Getting a passport to get into Canada doesn't bother me really. I know it is a bit of an expense, especially if you have a large family. But still, I would think Canada would want to know who is coming in as much as the US does.
We have 5 kids...and ack...the prospect of filling out forms, getting kids to hold still for a blurry free picture...eeeekkk very daunting. We don't live close to Canada any more, but I would love to get up there someday again soon. But I guess if we want to go to Mexico we would have to do the same thing.
I too, think they should have done it years ago. It was just too easy for a criminal from the US or from Canada to slip over the boarder.