The Member of Parliament for Brandon-Souris says a mobile passport clinic he has hosted since 2014 is all about improving access to federal government services.
MP Larry Maguire will host one of three, planned 2018 passport clinics this Saturday at the Oak Lake Community Hall on North Railway Street West in Oak Lake, Man. The service provides staff to assist area residents in either renewing or applying for a new Canadian passport.
“We provide a one-stop shop where you get your passport photos, receive assistance filling out the paperwork and we will then mail them on your behalf,” Maguire told The Westman Journal last week.
“In such a large constituency, we know not everyone can go to a Service Canada Centre. When we show up in a community, there are people who have never applied for a passport and they feel very comfortable coming into our clinic and know that they will get one-on-one assistance from our staff.”
Maguire added that the clinics also provide constituents with an opportunity to approach him about other issues they wish to discuss with their parliamentary representative.
Maguire has hosted three to four passport application clinics per year in various Westman communities since he was elected MP in November of 2013. Over that time, he says they have served 150 to 200 people per session adding up to more than 1200 since taking office.
“We’ll probably end up doing three this year,” he said. “We’ll probably do the other two in the southeast and southwest corners of the constituency. We chose Oak Lake as there are around 4000 individual households within a 30 minute drive from the location.”
Other communities that have hosted a passport clinic include Virden, Deloraine, Melita, Souris, Killarney, Pilot Mound, Holland, Boissevain, Baldur and an event for senior citizens in Brandon.
“My staff and volunteers come and help. In the past, representatives from Service Canada will also come and give a hand,” Maguire said. “We have such tremendous Service Canada staff that work in Westman and I cannot say enough about their high quality service and professionalism.”
Maguire suggests residents attending the event to apply for a passport be prepared with valid supporting documents required to fulfill the application process. These include a driver’s license or government issued photo ID; your original birth certificate or Canadian citizenship card; and a copy of any legal documents that support a change in name.
Applicants must also have a guarantor with them or have the guarantor fill in and sign the relevant section of the application, the back of one of your photos and a photocopy of your identification.
“We certainly don’t want people having to drive home because they forgot their birth certificate or government issued document to support a change in name, or didn’t bring a credit card,” Maguire said.
“As well, if people can fill out the paperwork to the best of their ability ahead of time, that will also speed up the process. We will thoroughly review each and every one of them and answer any questions.”
Residents requiring more information about Saturday’s passport clinic may contact Maguire at (204) 726-7600 or by email at [email protected].
