Manila Tread for English Speakers - join here!

[GoonerClank]

Hey Steph, Forget the food on the ferry... maybe you can pick up a Porsche!

http://www.torontosun.com/2013/05/23/porsche-abandoned-on-ferry-as-driver-takes-bus-home

 

[Tagum-N.B.]

Hey Steph, Forget the food on the ferry... maybe you can pick up a Porsche!

http://www.torontosun.com/2013/05/23/porsche-abandoned-on-ferry-as-driver-takes-bus-home

"B.C. Ferries spokesman Darin Guenette said the SPIRITS of Vancouver Island were consumed onboard by the driver, leading to his loss of his auto"

 

[the_14th]

It is supposed to be quicker if you pay it all upfront.

I paid the entire thing upfront but it doesn't seem to speed up my application. ???

 

[Tagum-N.B.]

I paid the entire thing upfront but it doesn't seem to speed up my application. ???

Really,,,,,if someone was repairing your car and said it would be fixed by next week and you paid them upfront,,,,,,another person came to get his car repaired and didnt even put a deposit on it,,,,,,,,,whose car would be repaired first,,,,,,,THEY ALREADY GOT YOUR MONEY

 

[Steph C]

Hey Steph, Forget the food on the ferry... maybe you can pick up a Porsche!

http://www.torontosun.com/2013/05/23/porsche-abandoned-on-ferry-as-driver-takes-bus-home

Apparently, the difference between that Porche and a Porcupine is nil - the prick is still on the outside.

 

[Steph C]

Awwww I can imagine this ;D so cute and funny. ;D
Congratulations again. Is he packed yet? What did you order from the Philippines?

I know he's such a weirdo : He's in full time packing mode now. I ordered some Starbucks mugs from all the Fil cities. A pair of jeans made for short people, in the largest size available :-X 31, and some Hopia for my family. He doesn't know about the mugs yet, they will be arriving to his house by mail.. SURPRISE!

 

[the_14th]

I know he's such a weirdo : He's in full time packing mode now. I ordered some Starbucks mugs from all the Fil cities. A pair of jeans made for short people, in the largest size available :-X 31, and some Hopia for my family. He doesn't know about the mugs yet, they will be arriving to his house by mail.. SURPRISE!

Steph, did you see the new Starbucks city/country mugs they just came out with? I like it better than the old ones. It has more color to it.

 

[the_14th]

Really,,,,,if someone was repairing your car and said it would be fixed by next week and you paid them upfront,,,,,,another person came to get his car repaired and didnt even put a deposit on it,,,,,,,,,whose car would be repaired first,,,,,,,THEY ALREADY GOT YOUR MONEY

I know, but hey... a lady could only hope for the best. I'm running out of positivity though.

 

[GoonerClank]

Article in the LaPresse today..

http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/national/201305/24/01-4653968-les-diplomates-canadiens-montrent-les-dents.php

Here is an English translation:

Canadian diplomats show their teeth

Used games scenes and coded messages, the Canadian foreign service officers abandon these days their diplomatic approach to be heard by the government of Stephen Harper. Since Thursday, nearly sixty of them have deserted their posts, sometimes in South America, sometimes in Ottawa.

Disengagement, decreed key diplomats working in embassies in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Santiago, Chile, and the Immigration Division of the High Commission of Canada to the United Kingdom in London. At headquarters, more than thirty employees were also asked to stay home until further notice.

These diplomats are not the first to disengage. For six weeks, the union representing the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers (PAFSO) organizes various means of pressure.

Last week, while Governor General David Johnston and Foreign Minister traveled to Africa, a first rotating strike took place in four of the African continent and Canadian missions in Mexico City and Ottawa. Fifty union were involved.

Pay Equity

In a phone interview, the union president, Tim Edwards, says its members are losing patience. The collective agreement for diplomats expired in June 2011 and negotiations with the Treasury Board, they are broken for 15 months. "As long as we do not have a call from the Treasury Board to return to the negotiating table, we will intensify the pressure tactics," says the union representative, with a strike mandate.

The main claim of diplomats is linked to the wage gap between their members and other professionals they work with government in Ottawa. "For the same work, professionals who are not deployed abroad are 3000 to $ 14 000 more than our members, says Edwards. And we do not have to look far, their offices are right next to us in the building of Foreign Affairs. We want equal pay for equal work. "The union, he added, has attained one of the main demands of the government by agreeing to limit to 1.5% annual wage increase for its members.

At the expense of Canadians?

Asked about the possible resumption of negotiations, the spokesman for the Treasury Board, Matthew Conway, was content to send to the press a short email in which he said that the government "negotiating in good faith" and despite the breakdown of talks.

Commenting on the rotating strike, Mr. Conway believes that "it is unfortunate that the union chose these measures at the expense of Canadians."

For his part, Tim Edwards said that 15% of its members are subject to the rules of essential service and that the union has chosen to organize the means of progressive pressure to limit the impact on services in embassies.

The office of Prime Minister Stephen Harper has not called us.

___________________________________________

AMONG THE DIPLOMATS 1300 REPRESENTED BY PAFSO

300 are assigned to immigration

500 trade

500 to Political business

 

[Steph C]

Is this really at the expense of Canadians when supposedly we pay our own processing fees? It doesn't add up.

 

[GoonerClank]

Is this really at the expense of Canadians when supposedly we pay our own processing fees? It doesn't add up.

I know... I saw that comment too. It is the government trying to get the the public opinion on their side.

 

[GoonerClank]

I know he's such a weirdo : He's in full time packing mode now. I ordered some Starbucks mugs from all the Fil cities. A pair of jeans made for short people, in the largest size available :-X 31, and some Hopia for my family. He doesn't know about the mugs yet, they will be arriving to his house by mail.. SURPRISE!

Are these them?..
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UNjGxFF_838/T7TXbR899dI/AAAAAAAAJYU/1lmlOIdezAg/s1600/Philippine+Trip+Loot.jpg

 

[Steph C]

Are these them?..
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UNjGxFF_838/T7TXbR899dI/AAAAAAAAJYU/1lmlOIdezAg/s1600/Philippine+Trip+Loot.jpg

Droool

 

[scos]

OK PEOPLE,,,,,i think ill get my mind onto something better,,,,,,ill give lessons on the tagalog language,,,,,wont gortandmugs wife be happy with him what he will learn 8) 8) 8) For my first lesson there are 28 letters in the tagalog alphabet ,,,,,,,mn(n~)(ng)opqrs,,,,, with (n~) pronounced as nyay,,,,,,(ng) pronounced nong (but the tagalog people would say they are spelt as ENYE NANG) ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? any and all criticisms are welcome on my teachings 8) 8) 8) 8) we wouldnt want him to say anything to his wife in tagalog that he didnt know what he meant (like he does in english)

It would be great if he learned. Then we could yell at HIM to speak English!

 

[scos]

I paid the entire thing upfront but it doesn't seem to speed up my application. ???

It doesn't "speed it up". But not paying it WILL slow it down.

The basic rule is this: Any time CIC/CEM have to ask you for something, add 1 month (at least) to your time.

So give them everything they NEED to process your application up front (but no extras, that slows things down too).