AUSUITTUQ/GRISE FIORD
The federal government's recent no mail-in policy for issuing Canadians their SIN cards has created a debacle in the High Arctic where there are no Service Canada offices and citizens rely on Canada Post.
Since December, residents of Grise Fiord and much of the High Arctic would have pay more than $6,000 in airplane tickets to travel to the nearest Service Canada office in Iqaluit to acquire a SIN card - a free item, necessary for employment in Canada and simple enough to get in most parts of the country.
"That seems to be the expectation of feds for us to fly down there to get a SIN card," said Grise Fiord senior administrative officer Marty Kuluguqtuq, whose daughter is currently trying to get a SIN card. "Now we're trying to time it to get it on medical leave or vacation to apply in person, but heck, we're not going to do that."
The change requires Canadians go in person to the nearest Service Canada centre - a needless hurdle not just in Grise Fiord but for anyone in a remote part of the country, said Kuluguqtuq.
"We came across this barrier not too long ago," he said, adding the hamlet brought it to the attention of Quttiktuq MLA, Ron Elliott, during a recent constituency visit.
"He's our go-to guy on these kinds of issues and once again he did a good job in assisting us and getting our voices heard."
Elliott raised the issue Feb. 26 in the legislature, stating the new rules were not only a needless barrier to equal access of government services, but that there is no such barrier created for passports, which may still be mailed through Canada Post. Elliott pointed out that the nearest Service Canada Centre for Grise Fiord, Resolute Bay and Arctic Bay is in Iqaluit.
Canadians outside of Canada may still apply by mail for SIN cards.
"Allowing Canadians outside Canada to apply by mail but disallowing Canadians inside Canada the same option is discriminatory and implies Canada Post is not a secure means of shipping information," Elliott stated in an e-mail to Nunavut News/North.
"Sometimes policies are made that don't necessarily reflect communities and constituents bring these issues back up."
Nunavut News/North was unable to reach Service Canada by press time. Elliott said he's talked to bureaucrats with the department and it looks like a change is in the works.
"At this point nothing has changed. They'll still have to go in, in person. It looks hopeful that something will change," said Elliott, who added it takes a while in with any bureaucracy for decisions to come to fruition.
Kuluguqtuq said the best solution would be to trust Canada Post and return to how Service Canada issued SIN cards before December.
