Verified answer

You will not be turned away from the Canadian Border for failing to have a passport, provided you have acceptable identification on you.

If you share custody of the child with anyone, your will be required to produce a letter stating that the other parent (you) can take the child over the line. The child will also require birth certificate. (See below for the appropriate page on the Canadian Border Services web page for entry requirements...the part about required documents is about half-way down the page.)

As for re-ENTERING the US, the passport is not _mandatory_, it *is* however, *strongly* encouraged to expedite your return. In other words, unless your name is on the wrong watch list somewhere, the passport will probably shave your processing time at the US border by half or more.

Good Luck!

Yes. The rules were changed on 12 June 2009, since the everybody needs a passport. The change was made by the US so even if you could get into Canada without one you will be unable to return.

Ian

EDIT. My typo. The date should have been 1 June 2009

As far as I know, yes you do. This just changed in the past year or so. Not sure about the child. Here is a website to get you started on your research.

http://gocanada.about.com/od/canadatraveloverview/...

Yes! So don't leave your house without it. (if you're going to Canada)

yes.