gnu, it isn't easy to exchamge foreign currency at banks in the US. They charge extra fees for it and it usually eats up a huge amount of the currency. I think they do this on purpose to discourage anyone trying. It's more work than its worth if you send Canadian currency, unless he has someone who will cash it out at par (maybe someone who would take it back to Canada when they go.) If he lived near the border there would probably be businesses that would do it.

SRS