YELLOWKNIFE - Marie Anna Theresa Roemer has a lot of first names, but the Yellowknife resident usually goes by Theresa.

However, her new driver's licence identifies her as Marie Anna. She is worried her licence could cause her complications while travelling through airports.

Maria Anna Theresa Roemer, with her temporary licence that identifies her as Marie Anna Roemer. The Department of Transportation told her it was impossible to fit her three given names on the document. Short of getting a new birth certificate from Manitoba, Roemer will now have to make do with the name issued on her permanent licence. - Jason Unrau/NNSL photo

"The problem is they've omitted my main name (from the driver's licence) that is on all my other documents," said Roemer. "It doesn't make sense, I had an NWT driver's licence for 19 years with Theresa on it and now I can't have it?"

Roemer's birth certificate lists her name as Marie Anna Theresa Roemer.

"All my credit cards, my marriage licence and even my NWT Health Card say 'Theresa,'" Roemer said.

"They say there's nothing they can do, 'You have to get your name changed.'"

After writing to the Department of Transportation asking that "Theresa" appear as her given name on the licence, the department's response - addressed to "Theresa Roemer" - said that in order to accommodate her request, she would have to apply for a new birth certificate from Manitoba identifying her as Theresa Roemer.

While Al Kaylo, the department of Transportation's director of road licensing and safety, said he sympathizes with Roemer's situation, he said the NWT's new driver's licences were developed in concert with Canadian and American security agencies. There are agreed standards that cannot be deviated from for risk of nullifying all new NWT licences, he said.

"It's not just the NWT making up the rules, we're part of a much bigger national program," he said. "In fact all jurisdictions in North America have agreed on what can be on the driver's licence."

And part of this standard is a maximum of two first names, as they appear on an applicant's birth certificate. Kaylo did note that short of applying for a new birth certificate, the driver's licence would be sufficient identification to pass through security at domestic airports, regardless of whether the name the holder goes by appears on the licence.

"This document should do it," he said.

Both First Air and Canadian North were unable to comment on the issue. They urged customers to contact them if they had any questions on what is necessary to board their aircraft in a timely manner at Yellowknife Airport.