Don't know if it matters to anyone, but this is the E-mail I sent to two reporters at the Calgary Sun yesterday.
I could be biased about the whole thing, so if it offends anymore, please know that's not my intention.
Thank you
Dear Mr. Dunn;
I am a regular reader of the Calgary Sun, and got your E-mail address from today's newspaper.
The story that I really want to bring to your attention is about the on-going strike that the PAFSO (the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers) has had for the past few months.
The unsuccessful negotiations between the PAFSO and the Treasury Board have led to a full walkout in all major Canadian visa offices around the world.
As the PAFSO has indicated itself, the cause of this irresponsible act is the uneven pay compared to similar government departments.
PAFSO has repeatedly emphasized the economical impacts of this trike on Tourism, Educational institutions, Airline companies and agricultural producers, and also saying that the whole issue could go away with 4.2 million dollars, only to leave the most innocent parties out of the whole picture:
The tens of thousands of applicants who are waiting to unite with their families in Canada through the Family Sponsorship program.
Or those students who are still waiting anxiously at home for their student visas.
The damages on these people cannot be converted to money, but the torturing affects can be converted to tears.
I take this strike very seriously and personally, because I am in the preparing stage of applying spousal sponsorship for my wife in China. And I am also reading lots of touching even piteous stories online from wives, husbands, sons and daughters. They have done their works, paid the fees, and are still been punished by this strike. The whole waiting process is already unbearable and exhausting, and this strike is putting more salts on the open scars.
I can't speak for all, but if money is the only problem, I am willing to pay more money on the application fee to cover their "uneven pay".
I sincerely hope you could write a column on this topic and make more people aware of this matter. And potentially apply more pressure on the PAFSO or the treasury board. I could be wrong, but I haven't seen any coverage by any major media outlets nation-wide regarding this strike.
As I do not know if you are correct taker of this E-mail, I have also send a copy to Kevin Martin at Sun media.
Thank you in advance for taking time to read this E-mail, and wish to hear back from you.
Best Regards
