Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services
Wednesday, July 25, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - A longtime Yellowknifer is upset after being asked to get a letter from her husband as proof of residency so she could renew her driver's licence.

Cindy Rowe said she was shocked and dismayed after going to the licensing branch Monday for what she thought would be a routine renewal but left red-faced and empty-handed.

She was told her licence could not be renewed until she could prove her place of residence, even though her address is clearly stated on her current driver's licence and on the 45-day notice of its impending expiry that she received in the mail. She also had her birth certificate to provide as ID.

Rowe said the clerk told her that if she couldn't produce any documents, such as a utility bill with her name and address on it, she could use a letter from her husband verifying her address.

"I said, 'So I need permission from my husband before I can get my licence?'" said Rowe.

"She just smiled and said, 'No, no, you just need a letter from him stating that you really do live with him.'"

The notice she received doesn't contain a checklist of items needed for a renewal although it does point to a website address where people can look for it. Rowe said the clerk didn't offer her a printed list of acceptable documentation.

The Department of Transportation's website tells drivers they need to bring three kinds of identification: proof of birth date and legal name; photo ID; and proof of residency.

Proof of residency can include a utility bill, mortgage or lease agreement, tax statement, or a bank statement. A signed letter from a parent, guardian, roommate or landlord is also acceptable as long as you also have proof of their residency. The list makes no mention of obtaining a letter from a spouse.

The last time she went to renew her licence Rowe said all she had to do was "smile and have a new picture taken."

"What if (my husband and I) had a really big fight and he was a controlling man?" said Rowe.

"What if he said, 'No, she ticked me off. I'm not going to let her have her licence'?"

"Or what if he was in the military and away on course or duty for three to six months?"

As it happens, her husband is out of town.

Monday evening she rummaged through documents at home and found a bank statement with her name and address on it.

She brought it to the licensing branch yesterday and was able to renew her licence.

Harry Beaulieu, acting director for road licensing and safety for the Department of Transportation, said that people have had to adjust to a "real learning curve" since the department adopted more stringent proof of identity requirements last year. He said the changes were necessary to address international concerns about security and identity theft.

"People are getting better and they're getting more comfortable with the requirements," he said.

And while an old licence was all that was needed to obtain a new one in the past, more proof of identity is needed today, including proof of residency, said Beaulieu, even if the listed address on the licence is still valid.

"With the new driver's licence, we have to mail the document to the client," said Beaulieu. "It became crucial that we had the correct address information."

For now, Rowe is chalking up the incident as one of life's little lessons.

"Maybe this is a warning to all women: when you're living common-law or married, make sure every single thing is in your name as well as his name," said Rowe.