Hey guys,
Sharing my horrific experience I had after long years of waiting for citizenship and then applying for passport.
On XX at about noon I showed up at the Passport Canada Office in Montreal at Complex Guy-Favreau in order to apply for a new passport (never had one before). At the register I explained that I wanted to pick up a new passport at another Passport Canada Office location in BC. The lady at the counter went to verify and told me that it would not be a problem if I paid $45 transfer fee. The same information was given to me a week ago over the phone by the representative of Passport Canada at this number: 1-800-567-6868.
So, the lady gave me the queue number B650, and I waited for about 1.5 hours. When I was called to the window #9 at about 1:30 pm, another lady again went to verify if this is possible and again confirmed it, but asked to go to another window #5.
At that window a gentleman presented himself as Luis told me that he could not do that. At this point, I insisted that 3 people before him confirmed that it is possible and I asked him if I could talk to the supervisor of the branch about the situation. After these my words Luis aggressively interrupted me and said that he is the one who takes decisions and that if I insist to see the supervisor again he would "call the guards to kick you out", he then asked "is it clear?" pointing his finger at my face. I note that my behavior was calm and respectful and the only thing I quietly asked for was to talk to a branch supervisor since I was consistently given conflicting information from different employees.
The employee named Luis then refused to accept my documents giving the explanation that "the transfer is different thing" and that one cannot apply for passport in Montreal and pick it up in BC.
On XXX I filed a complaint with Passport Canada Program online. On XX I received a call from Martin, assistant manager at Montreal's office, from a number 514-283-4792. He told me that what I had asked for was actually possible and that the employee Luis wanted to call guards on me because he "did not feel safe". He did not explain or apologize for the aggressive tone of his employee, neither why my application has not been accepted.
I find the behavior of this employee discriminating and harassing. I am of a foreign ancestry and neither English nor French are my native languages which was clear from the way I spoke. I just obtained a Canadian citizenship a week before the incident. The conversation was in English. The employee refused to listen to me and declined my request to talk to a supervisor. I was refused service at the public federal office because of the way I speak and appear, and because I insisted on these my rights I was subject to verbal violence under a threat to be physically assaulted by the guards.
The matter is currently at Canadian Human Rights Commission. Be aware of what is awaiting for you after you think all your struggles with bureaucrats are over.
Sharing my horrific experience I had after long years of waiting for citizenship and then applying for passport.
On XX at about noon I showed up at the Passport Canada Office in Montreal at Complex Guy-Favreau in order to apply for a new passport (never had one before). At the register I explained that I wanted to pick up a new passport at another Passport Canada Office location in BC. The lady at the counter went to verify and told me that it would not be a problem if I paid $45 transfer fee. The same information was given to me a week ago over the phone by the representative of Passport Canada at this number: 1-800-567-6868.
So, the lady gave me the queue number B650, and I waited for about 1.5 hours. When I was called to the window #9 at about 1:30 pm, another lady again went to verify if this is possible and again confirmed it, but asked to go to another window #5.
At that window a gentleman presented himself as Luis told me that he could not do that. At this point, I insisted that 3 people before him confirmed that it is possible and I asked him if I could talk to the supervisor of the branch about the situation. After these my words Luis aggressively interrupted me and said that he is the one who takes decisions and that if I insist to see the supervisor again he would "call the guards to kick you out", he then asked "is it clear?" pointing his finger at my face. I note that my behavior was calm and respectful and the only thing I quietly asked for was to talk to a branch supervisor since I was consistently given conflicting information from different employees.
The employee named Luis then refused to accept my documents giving the explanation that "the transfer is different thing" and that one cannot apply for passport in Montreal and pick it up in BC.
On XXX I filed a complaint with Passport Canada Program online. On XX I received a call from Martin, assistant manager at Montreal's office, from a number 514-283-4792. He told me that what I had asked for was actually possible and that the employee Luis wanted to call guards on me because he "did not feel safe". He did not explain or apologize for the aggressive tone of his employee, neither why my application has not been accepted.
I find the behavior of this employee discriminating and harassing. I am of a foreign ancestry and neither English nor French are my native languages which was clear from the way I spoke. I just obtained a Canadian citizenship a week before the incident. The conversation was in English. The employee refused to listen to me and declined my request to talk to a supervisor. I was refused service at the public federal office because of the way I speak and appear, and because I insisted on these my rights I was subject to verbal violence under a threat to be physically assaulted by the guards.
The matter is currently at Canadian Human Rights Commission. Be aware of what is awaiting for you after you think all your struggles with bureaucrats are over.
