Federal Government & Politics II

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by harls

They usually are. Unless you changed your name or something.

I mailed my renewal and got it back in 10 days. Usually the delays are due to bad photos, old passport was mangled, or you didn't fill the form in correctly.

Yeah, but you don’t know there was a photo problem until somebody looks at it. My photos were rejected for being “too green” whatever that means. If I had not gone in person it would have taken weeks or months to sort out. Meanwhile in those weeks or months I don’t have a passport.

[casper]

Originally Posted by acottawa

Yeah, but you don’t know there was a photo problem until somebody looks at it. My photos were rejected for being “too green” whatever that means. If I had not gone in person it would have taken weeks or months to sort out. Meanwhile in those weeks or months I don’t have a passport.

But it was a professionally done photo. How could a professional photographer mess that up?

Last time I did a passport photo, it was in a Shoppers Drug Mart, the photographer (part time shelf stocker), pulled down the screen in the grocery area by the candy display and ended up taking the photo right there.

Ok, so maybe the professional photographer may miss the "too green" thing.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by theman23

How could you possibly know why others are waiting for in line for their passport renewal, or what they actually do or do not need?

I'm glad that Service Canada was able to offer you an appointment the next day in Timmins. When I renewed my passport last fall, the only appointment available within the next 3 months was something like 2500 km away in Winnipeg or Thunder Bay. This was well after the Liberals claimed to have "fixed" the problem.

How did I know what the other people were waiting for? I was talking with most of the other people waiting. Most were senior citizens and in no hurry. And an worker came out and asked everyone what they were there for and if anyone applying for a passport wanted to make an appointment. There was one person there for EI and everyone else was there for passports. I think the worker said that they could serve a few more people and she looked at our applications to see if anyone was travelling soon.

I will say that Timmins is a good place to live to get quicker service with Service Canada and Service Ontario. Places like Toronto or Ottawa are pretty bad as there aren't many offices for such large populations.

I once did need a passport quite quickly about 15 years ago and travelled to the big passport office in Gatineau QC. I went in the morning and had to wait 2-3 hours. I didn't complain and didn't blame the Harper government for the wait time. It wasn't an unusual wait time even back then. It was nice because there were chairs to wait in as we got a number and the person at the door said that if we needed to go to the bathroom or to grab a drink or eat that he would hold our place in line. It was in one of the Place du Portage buildings which has a nice food court.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by lio45

Indian Status cards? We're in 2024, not in 1824.

Well in 2024 the cards are still officially called that and have "Certificate of Indian Status" written on them. And the term "Indian" is still officially used because of the Indian Act.

I've mentioned on here before that I'm part Indigenous. I don't think I've mentioned that my Father is a status Indian. I could apply and get the card but I haven't yet.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by casper

But it was a professionally done photo. How could a professional photographer mess that up?

Last time I did a passport photo, it was in a Shoppers Drug Mart, the photographer (part time shelf stocker), pulled down the screen in the grocery area by the candy display and ended up taking the photo right there.

Ok, so maybe the professional photographer may miss the "too green" thing.

Sometimes there can be an issue with the printer even though the photo was taken properly.

I don't recommend anyone get a passport photo done at Shoppers unless you can't get it done anywhere else. Just a bit of inside info from me or rather a work colleague. I saw someone getting it done at one of our Shoppers locations and they pulled down the screen at the end of the refrigerated section where the drinks are. It was done in a hurry and there is probably a higher chance or errors happening.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by casper

But it was a professionally done photo. How could a professional photographer mess that up?

Last time I did a passport photo, it was in a Shoppers Drug Mart, the photographer (part time shelf stocker), pulled down the screen in the grocery area by the candy display and ended up taking the photo right there.

Ok, so maybe the professional photographer may miss the "too green" thing.

I am guessing it had something to do with the ambient lighting when it was taken. Or maybe I have a green hue? Point is there is no way to verify the photo by mail, so a mail application has a certain level of risk an in-person visit does not, which is why not all in-person clients are poor planners.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by acottawa

I am guessing it had something to do with the ambient lighting when it was taken. Or maybe I have a green hue? Point is there is no way to verify the photo by mail, so a mail application has a certain level of risk an in-person visit does not, which is why not all in-person clients are poor planners.

Yes but does it have to be this way? I applied for a passport abroad once and the photographer told me basically Canada is basically the only country that every rejects a photo he takes. This was awhile ago so he also commented how weird it was we had to have a guarantor also. I don't know this for sure but feel like we have a lot of quirks like this that slow many government services down.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

Yes but does it have to be this way? I applied for a passport abroad once and the photographer told me basically Canada is basically the only country that every rejects a photo he takes. This was awhile ago so he also commented how weird it was we had to have a guarantor also. I don't know this for sure but feel like we have a lot of quirks like this that slow many government services down.

I think in some ways it is the worst of both words. We have significantly phased out in-person services, yet our remote services are still cumbersome and dependent on things like a passport official's opinion of a paper photograph.

I would think the best option would be an app-based solution (to take advantage of the fact that everyone carries a high-resolution camera in their pocket) but I am sure it would be another cesspool of corruption and incompetence like ArriveCan.

[Marshsparrow]

Originally Posted by Hecate

A month before you leave for a trip isn’t exactly what I’d call last minute. Day before… that’s last minute.

I’m Manitoba it took six weeks for me to get a provincial health card. It is a piece of paper that’s printed with a number on it. What in that process takes six weeks?

Costco can issue a membership in minutes. Passports are not rocket science. Got a sin number, got a Liscence, get it done.

And this pretty much sums up the Cdn narrative... no one understands government service delivery and the same people when things are relaxed and things go wrong scream the loudest about how could this happen.

[Marshsparrow]

“When rules are being broken, clearly, when voters themselves have concerns about the process that they’re voicing and making complaints, I couldn’t in good conscience continue.”

Where there's smoke... if the Conservative Party can't run a clean nomination process (and we've seen suspicious behaviour in the party leader nomination process, the byelection in Oxford), how can they be trusted to run the country...

https://nationalpost.com/news/politi...ing-misconduct

https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/...mination-fight

[lio45]

In the news yesterday (pretty much all outlets covered it) was the confirmation that Justin Trudeau's Pet Scheme is working as intended: homelessness up nearly 400% in the Gatineau area and up over 100% in Sherbrooke.

https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/2...s%20campements.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by Marshsparrow

how can they be trusted to run the country...

In a nutshell, "because the bar is THAT low right now"!

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by lio45

In a nutshell, "because the bar is THAT low right now"!

Indeed. I mean, it couldn't possibly get any worse, could it????

[savevp]

Originally Posted by Marshsparrow

Where there's smoke... if the Conservative Party can't run a clean nomination process (and we've seen suspicious behaviour in the party leader nomination process, the byelection in Oxford), how can they be trusted to run the country...

[

Partisans in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

The Liberals allegedly knew about Chinese foreign students being bussed into Han Dong's riding to secure his nomination for the party.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/poli...that-csis-was/

Neither party can be trusted to run the country by tour metric. Mind you that's probably true

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Hecate

A month before you leave for a trip isn’t exactly what I’d call last minute. Day before… that’s last minute.

I’m Manitoba it took six weeks for me to get a provincial health card. It is a piece of paper that’s printed with a number on it. What in that process takes six weeks?

Costco can issue a membership in minutes. Passports are not rocket science. Got a sin number, got a Liscence, get it done.

Agree to disagree on timelines I guess. I'd be applying at least 3 months prior.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Indeed. I mean, it couldn't possibly get any worse, could it????

Depends on your situation. CPC MPs are currently part of an anti-abortion protest on Parliament Hill.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Depends on your situation. CPC MPs are currently part of an anti-abortion protest on Parliament Hill.

Still not party policy though. How many are protesting? No more than a handful I wager.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Marshsparrow

“When rules are being broken, clearly, when voters themselves have concerns about the process that they’re voicing and making complaints, I couldn’t in good conscience continue.”

Where there's smoke... if the Conservative Party can't run a clean nomination process (and we've seen suspicious behaviour in the party leader nomination process, the byelection in Oxford), how can they be trusted to run the country...

https://nationalpost.com/news/politi...ing-misconduct

https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/...mination-fight

LOL, yes because Liberal nominations are always so squeaky clean! Glass houses...

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by whatnext

LOL, yes because Liberal nominations are always so squeaky clean! Glass houses...

Whataboutism 10/10 no notes.

[Marshsparrow]

Originally Posted by whatnext

LOL, yes because Liberal nominations are always so squeaky clean! Glass houses...

So from a party that says they will do better, stand for democracy, no interference/influence, blah, blah, blah - NOT a good look. Do better.