What the ... gouging?!?!

According to the media oil prices will rise ... including gas and diesel prices ... because of hurricane Sandy. As far as I know New York and New Jersey are not, and have never been, oil producing states. So just how the hell are prices going up because Sandy hit them? It sounds like gouging as normal by the oil companies with the tacit approval of our Government.

Passport Renewal Rule Change

Damn ... they changed the rules. I don't need my birth certificate to renew my passport now. My brother did when he renewed his last fall. The last time I checked the website it said I needed it. That was probably last November or December. I should have checked again since it has been a while.

The other day a friend was talking about renewing her passport a couple of months ago. She didn't need her birth certificate. Sure enough, I checked the web site and voila the rules did change.

Now that doesn't diminish the tardery I have gone through with L'etat Civil and getting my birth certificate. It does make things easier though. :)

Getting a new Birth Certificate Part Deux.

I won't recap the bureaucratic bull shit I have already gone through trying to get a copy of my birth certificate. But the saga does continue.

I got a phone call from L'etat Civil today saying that they need yet another piece of information. A piece of information they DIDN'T ask for on their website or in the forms they finally sent me a couple of weeks ago. Now they need a copy of a bill, tax statement, or my bank statement to show my address. Now, that was supposed to be one of the reasons why I sent these Bureautards a copy of my driver's license ... it has the address and is an official piece of ID.

Then, surprise surprise, I was told that I could FAX the documents to them. What the kimchi?!?!?! One reason the process has taken so long until now is that I was told I could NOT fax the forms in and I am not eligible for using their online forms. That is why I mailed it in ... and why the postal strike delayed sending it in to them. NOW some btard says I could have faxed it in! And they wonder why people hate bureaucrats and dealing with the government.

So, I went to the bank to get a copy of my latest statement to fax. It doesn't look like a bank statement you get in the mail. It looks like something anyone could have whipped up on their computer. The clerk also gave me a cancelled cheque for my savings account. It has all the info needed as well. (My account is now set up so I can just get my e-statement and print it off. When it was set up 12 or so years ago there were no e-statements.)

The information is all faxed off to L'etat Civil and I have to wait again. Will I actually get my birth certificate? Will it come in a week? A month? Or will I get a call form them tomorrow asking for new information? Or a letter in a few weeks saying they need yet something else.

I actually find myself missing Korean Immigration or the Korean Pension people. They could teach our Bureautards how to run an office. Never thought I would ever say that.

Once I actually get the certificate I then get to deal with the Passport people. I am not looking forward to that because I just expect more bureaucratic bull shit.

What the ... bureaucratic insanity?!?!?

This story sickens me. It makes me wonder just how civilized a country Canada is. Or at least how civilized our Government is. It confirms all the negative stereotypes we have about government bureaucracy. Especially when they put money above the life of a special needs kid.

The Maeng family has been here 8 years. They have a business and contribute to the economy! Their eldest son is studying at Dalhousie University. Now, after EIGHT FUCKING YEARS in Canada, some bureaucratic asshole has decided they can't stay in Canada because their youngest son is autistic and has epilepsy. Something the family NEVER hid, and was a reason why they came to Canada from South Korea. So their son could get proper treatment.

There has got to be something that can be done to stop this. Their lawyer has filed an application to have them stay on compassionate and humanitarian grounds. Unfortunately, considering the Harper Government's right wing view of immigration, I doubt the Government will be of much help. Compassion and Humanitarianism aren't words that one usually associates with the Harper Government.

The Maeng family have been told to leave Canada by June 30th. If you are Canadian contact your Member of Parliament and tell them what you think of this bull shit. Here you have a family that contributes to Canada being shit on by the Government.

Something needs to be done to let the Maeng's stay here!

You can email the Prime Minister (or at least his office) or go to his website and send a message.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada has a website you can visit as well. I found it funny in a sick way to see the headline on their website to be "Protecting Foreign Workers" when I opened the page.

June 8th There is an update about this on What The Kimchi? including a link to an online petition.

June 13th Another ... hopefully final ... update about the Maeng's ordeal. It is over. The government has rescinded the order. :)