44th Parl. 1st Sess.
June 17, 2022 10:00AM
- Jun/17/22 11:23:22 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, Passport Canada’s narrow definition of “need” for expediting a passport is very troublesome.
If people have an upcoming ticket to Disney World, they can get an expedited passport. If they are pleading to expedite their passport so they can fly to say goodbye to their dying parent or go to Europe to help their scared, elderly mother escape from Ukraine, that is not really an urgent need according to Passport Canada.
If the minister cannot be competent, can she at least try to be compassionate?
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- Jun/17/22 11:24:01 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, I would like to be clear that those clients and Canadians who need to travel for humanitarian reasons or other compassionate purposes, such as critical illness or other emergencies including the death of another person, can obtain a passport within two business days with proof of travel or need. This standard is being pressed upon and upheld from coast to coast to coast at every Passport Canada counter across the country.
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- Jun/17/22 11:44:35 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, the chaos at Passport Canada and Service Canada is past being temporary. It is worse than ever. The lawn chair lineups are now starting at 4 a.m., 3 a.m. or 1 a.m. in many cities.
Our office alone is handling dozens of transfer requests, each and every day, of people who are going to leave the country in the next day or two and still do not have their passports, despite applying months ago. Each time people call, they are on hold for a minimum of two to three hours. The chaos never had to happen in the first place. Each time the Liberals offer a remedy, we get longer lines and longer phone call delays.
Can the Liberals even admit what their actual service standard is now or are they too afraid to tell Canadians?
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- Jun/17/22 11:45:20 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, since December, Service Canada and our passport agents have been preparing for what we have now. The surge is unprecedented, and we continue to work through the process. Just as an example, 600 new employees have been hired and are on the job. Another 600 employees are in the process of being put into place. Every counter across this country is open.
We know there are long lines, and that is why Service Canada agents are going through those lines, checking passports and travel plans and making sure that seniors, those who have children and those who have work times are being accommodated within two business days for immediate travel.
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- Jun/17/22 11:45:59 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, let us talk about those new employees. It now takes nine weeks to get a passport. Let me repeat that: nine weeks. Someone who submits their application today can expect to get their document in mid-August, if they are lucky.
The minister says she has already hired 600 people, and another 600 are coming to the rescue. There is a labour shortage at the moment. Businesses in my region are struggling to hire a single person. The minister expects us to believe that she has found 1,200 people in the blink of an eye.
When will the minister take immediate action to address this unprecedented crisis?
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- Jun/17/22 11:47:11 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, my staff tell me that the passport backlog is an absolute horror show. People are crying and freaking out when they call us, distressed that they are about to lose thousands of dollars of money spent on upcoming trips. At committee, the minister responsible for Passport Canada said, “Have thou no fear, MPs have a direct hotline to passport services.” Well, the hotline is cold. My assistant waited five hours on Wednesday to get through.
Will the minister responsible acknowledge the Liberals' absolute incompetence?
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