VZCZCXRO3946
RR RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHOT #1126/01 1641252
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 131252Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5876
RUEAHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHDC
INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 001126 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAN and CA/PPT 
DHS FOR INTERNTIONAL AFFAIRS (Brown and Fontela) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECIN ECON SOCI PGOV PREL KHLS CPAS CA
SUBJECT: Ottawa to make it easier for Canadians to get passports 
 
¶1. Summary: In a relaxation from previous policy, Canadians will be 
able to renew their passports without submitting proof of 
citizenship or a guarantor declaration after August 15.  The 
"guarantor" process will also be simplified for first-time 
applicants so that most citizens can act as guarantors; now only 
professionals in certain occupations can do so.  The new application 
measures, announced June 8, are intended to simplify the process, 
and to allow Passport Canada to cope with increased demand triggered 
by WHTI.  Currently, mail-in applicants must wait an average of 
10-weeks for their passport.  Foreign Minister MacKay said he would 
ask Secretary Rice for more relief for Canadians from the 
requirements of WHTI. Ambassador Wilkins released a press statement 
on June 8 noting, for the record, that DHS/CBP continues to allow 
Canadians to fly into the U.S. based on other evidence of identity 
and citizenship.  End summary. 
 
¶2. The new application procedures for Canadians, that are aimed at 
easing a huge backlog of passport applications in the wake of 
announcement of the WHTI, include two important provisions: as of 
August 15 a simplified passport renewal policy that will allow 
Canadians who already hold a valid passport, and who meet 
eligibility criteria, to be able to renew it without submitting 
proof of citizenship or a guarantor declaration; as of October 15 a 
new guarantor policy that will allow most Canadian adult passport 
holders to act as guarantors for first-time applicants.  The new 
measures also include a series of "Passport Clinics" to be held 
across the country with a special focus on border areas and areas 
far from large urban centers. At these Passport Clinics Government 
of Canada (GoC) officials will be available to answer questions from 
the public about applying for a passport, review passport 
applications to ensure they are complete, and accept completed 
applications for processing. There are now about 170,000 
applications being processed in Canada.  For those who have applied 
by mail, the wait averages 10-weeks, some six weeks above the norm 
before the flood of applications received in the wake of WHTI 
implementation. 
 
¶3. As part of a broader effort by the GoC to modernize Canadian 
passport services and increase the capacity of the Passport Office, 
the government also pledged to hire hundreds of new passport staff 
and extend office hours in some cities. An additional 65 post 
offices and government service centers will now also receive 
passport applications.  According to Foreign Minister MacKay, the 
government has ruled out extending the validity of the Canadian 
passport to ten years from five.  In a press conference last week, 
he noted that "many countries are reducing the length of their 
passports to five years from ten."  (Comment:  We do not know which 
specific countries the Foreign Minister was referring to, because 
the worldwide trend seems to be moving from five-year to 10-year 
passports.  End comment.) 
 
¶4.  Earlier on June 8 after the announcement by the State Department 
to suspend the current rule requiring Americans to carry passports 
for air travel to and from Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean, NDP MP 
Libby Davies demanded that Ottawa press the United States to also 
suspend passport requirements for visiting Canadians. Davies said 
Canadians are seeing delays in acquiring passports that are just as 
long as those that Americans face.  In response, Foreign Minister 
MacKay said, "We are disappointed that thus far it (the USG) has not 
QMacKay said, "We are disappointed that thus far it (the USG) has not 
extended that to Canadians, and we are taking this matter up with 
officials in the United States in the hopes that we can bring about 
some greater alleviation with respect to the implementation of the 
Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative." He promised he would call 
Secretary Rice to discuss the matter. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
¶5. To clarify the USG policy Ambassador Wilkins issued an Embassy 
statement late on June 8 noting that "the U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection made clear that it has and will continue to exercise its 
current authorities in unique circumstances to allow Canadians 
subject to the WHTI requirements into the U.S. based on other 
evidence of identity and citizenship."  The statement added:  "I 
would still recommend to Canadian citizens that you get your 
passports, but under this provision, the U.S. government has shown 
its willingness to be flexible for Canadian air travelers." 
 
 
¶6.  Ambassador Wilkins spoke with Foreign Minister MacKay on June 11 
to reiterate USG flexibility for Canadian air travelers.  MacKay was 
appreciative and indicated they were studying the possibility of 
giving Canadians a receipt for their passport application which 
would allow for equal treatment.  MacKay said that Canadians who 
apply in person get a letter of receipt but those who apply by mail 
do not.  Currently MacKay thought that 80% of applicants had this 
letter-receipt.  Both privately and publicly, MacKay has said the 
new flexible rule would help an ailing Canadian tourism industry in 
making it easier for Americans to come to Canada. 
 
¶7. DCM spoke with Greg Goatbe, Vice President of CBSA and Canadian 
lead on WHTI to ask if Canadians were willing to accept US passport 
 
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application receipts for travelers here.  Goatbe said that all US 
citizens needed were their birth certificate, but when told that 
applicants handed in their birth certificates to get their 
passports, Goatbe said he would "study the matter" and get back to 
us. 
 
¶8. Comment:  Post will continue the public outreach and dialogue 
regarding WHTI requirements for Canadian citizens. 
 
Wilkins