(no subject)

[frandroid]

I went to the Passport Canada (an arms-length Crown corporation, a "Special Operating Agency" that "operates much like a private sector enterprise") website, and found the list of eligible guarantors:

Eligible guarantors

Your guarantor must:

1. Be a Canadian citizen residing in Canada and must be accessible to Passport Canada for verification.
2. Have known you personally for at least two years.
3. Be one of the following:
* Chiropractor
* Dentist
* Geoscientist
* Judge
* Lawyer (member of a provincial bar association), notary in Quebec
* Magistrate
* Mayor
* Medical doctor
* Minister of religion authorized under provincial law to perform marriages
* Notary public
* Optometrist
* Pharmacist
* Police officer (municipal, provincial or RCMP)
* Postmaster
* Principal of a primary or secondary school
* Professional accountant (APA, CA, CGA, CMA, PA, RPA)
* Professional engineer (P.Eng., Eng. in Quebec)
* Senior administrator in a community college (includes CEGEPs)
* Senior administrator or teacher in a university
* Veterinarian

So while I didn't want to sound too alarmist in my previous post, I mean in general, even though this administrative task is annoying, it is usually painless and most Canadians don't have a problem finding someone on that list. But it's still a class-based permission system. If you've been on the news as a protestor, especially in a small town, who knows if you might run into trouble getting your doctor to back you up? Anyway, you can figure out a number of scenarios where your birthright as a Canadian to hold a passport might be interfered by the well-meaning holders of public propriety.

hsifyppah! You will be a guarantor! :]

It's interesting how your MP cannot be a guarantor, but your mayor can.

Next time I'm renewing my passport, I'm showing up at City Hall!

Props to seaya for finding this icon!

Comments

[seaya.livejournal.com]

Do you have to re-go through this every time you renew?

[frandroid.livejournal.com]

I believe so, although I didn't "renew", I actually had to re-apply because I lost my first passport. (Lost it in my apartment, of all places...)