愛污传媒

Politics

    • Canada's passport, airport and immigration delays improving but still 'a lot of work to do,' ministers say

    Share

    The federal task force created to improve service delays says that after spending the summer addressing the significant lineups and wait times experienced by Canadians at airports, passport offices, and those waiting for immigration applications to be processed, the situation is starting to improve but 鈥渨e鈥檙e not out of the woods yet.鈥

    鈥淭here's a lot of work to do and in some cases, we aren't up to the pre-pandemic service level that Canadians expect and deserve,鈥 said task force co-chair, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Marc Miller during a press conference on Monday.

    Providing an update on the progress made so far, the government touted improvements including:

    • hiring more than 700 new staff for passport offices;
    • decreasing passport call centre wait times;
    • setting up more passport "pick-up services and triage measures";
    • hiring 1,800 more security screening officers at airports;
    • decreasing flight delays,cancellations and baggage woes; and
    • hiring 1,250 new staff to tackle the backlog and accelerate processing immigration applications.

    Miller acknowledged that the situation experienced by Canadians this spring and early summer "should never have happened,鈥 and that in some areas the federal Liberals were 鈥渟low in responding.鈥

    In assessing what prompted this service delivery crisis, task force co-chair, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth Marci Ien said Monday that it was the result of demand far exceeding the federal government's capacity to respond. It's a situation being experienced in other countries as well, she added.

    Ien cited an "unprecedented" surge in Canadians travelling; the impact of having to adjust to international travel restrictions and border closures; and government-wide reduced processing capacity during the pandemic as exacerbating factors. Though, Miller said the government is not looking to blame others鈥攚hether airlines or other unprecedented global events like the war in Ukraine straining government service demands鈥攂ecause 鈥渁 lot of the responsibility did lie on our shoulders.鈥

    鈥淭here's a lot of work to be done, and looking inwards and seeing how we can get that machinery of government back up and going to a service standard. And then looking at the long-term as to what we have to do to fix the problem, whether it is old systems that haven't been updated for decades, whether it is more people,鈥 Miller said.

    He added that these approaches have been taken over the summer to expedite fixes to see people get their passports more quickly, but questioned whether that鈥檚 the most effective way to provide a more systemic fix and break down the government鈥檚 鈥渟ilos.鈥

    Monday's press conference was held alongside the cabinet ministers who have responsibility for tackling the long lines at airports as well as passport and immigration offices: Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Karina Gould, who is responsible for Service Canada; Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra; Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser; and Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino.

    Taking turns highlighting statistics meant to indicate how the situation is turning around, the ministers said they will continue to work on further improving Canadians' access to these key government services.

    "We know that the wait is too long, and in many cases, we need to address it and to return the service standard that our clients鈥擟anada's future students, workers, permanent residents and citizens鈥 have come to expect," said the immigration minister about the backlog in processing those files, promising additional measures to help over the next few months.

    Asked when Canadians can reliably expect passport turnaround times to return to what they were before the pandemic, Gould said those who have travel planned within 45 days and go to a passport office will receive their passport within 10 days, barring specific security or other complications. She said the challenges remain more with the mail-in application system, often because these submissions don't have a specific upcoming travel date.

    "We're making considerable progress and we hope to be back to more normal service standards this fall," Gould said.

    In late June, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the creation of this task force鈥攁 committee comprised of 10 cabinet ministers鈥攁cknowledging the "unacceptable" wait times and delays Canadians have been experiencing with passport and immigration applications.

    The prime minister tasked the group with reviewing service delivery, identifying gaps and areas for improvement, and making recommendations to improve the quality and efficiency of government services.

    The task force has met 10 times since it was struck, and says it has been making changes along the way, but will also be making recommendations to the prime minister through cabinet.

    鈥淭hat is inevitably what will result in any sort of improvements that Canadians deserve,鈥 said Miller.

    IN DEPTH

    Opinion

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

    When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    A gargantuan gourd 鈥 affectionately named 鈥極rangina鈥 by the urban gardeners who grew it in the front yard of their Vancouver home 鈥 earned the massive honour of being named B.C.鈥檚 heaviest giant pumpkin Saturday.

    Ontario Provincial Police say a man has died after striking obstacles on the St. Lawrence River while driving a personal watercraft.

    Weeneebayko Area Health Authority and the Government of Ontario have awarded a $1.8 billion fixed-price contract to design, build and finance a new Far North hospital.

    Canada

    • Weeneebayko Area Health Authority and the Government of Ontario have awarded a $1.8 billion fixed-price contract to design, build and finance a new Far North hospital.

    • Some Manitobans are cleaning up Sunday morning, after intense winds barreled through southern parts of the province Saturday.

    • A gargantuan gourd 鈥 affectionately named 鈥極rangina鈥 by the urban gardeners who grew it in the front yard of their Vancouver home 鈥 earned the massive honour of being named B.C.鈥檚 heaviest giant pumpkin Saturday.

    • Ontario Provincial Police say a man has died after striking obstacles on the St. Lawrence River while driving a personal watercraft.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    • Travelling on a budget can be stressful, but there are ways you can ensure you're getting the best deal on flights as the holiday season approaches.

    • A five-seat sushi counter located inside another restaurant is the latest Vancouver eatery to receive a Michelin star.

    Sports

    Autos

    • A Pickering, Ont., student going to college to be a mechanic is shocked the engine in his two-year-old car will not be repaired under warranty after the dealership claimed he had been 'over-revving' the engine.

    Local Spotlight

    Weeneebayko Area Health Authority and the Government of Ontario have awarded a $1.8 billion fixed-price contract to design, build and finance a new Far North hospital.

    Bubi鈥檚 Awesome Eats, located on University Ave West took to social media to announce the closure on Friday.

    Some Manitobans are cleaning up Sunday morning, after intense winds barreled through southern parts of the province Saturday.

    Avry Wortman, 13, scored two touchdowns on Sunday during her team's win in the under 14 Greater Moncton Football Association.

    A gargantuan gourd 鈥 affectionately named 鈥極rangina鈥 by the urban gardeners who grew it in the front yard of their Vancouver home 鈥 earned the massive honour of being named B.C.鈥檚 heaviest giant pumpkin Saturday.

    Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.

    From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.

    A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.

    The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.

    • One person is dead after the driver of a pickup truck hit a bench where two people were waiting for the bus in Surrey Saturday afternoon, police have confirmed.

    • The calculus of predicting an election and identifying its key battlegrounds is complex enough in any race, but observers of the British Columbia poll this month are facing a pair of unknown quantities that make the math even more confounding.

    • A gargantuan gourd 鈥 affectionately named 鈥極rangina鈥 by the urban gardeners who grew it in the front yard of their Vancouver home 鈥 earned the massive honour of being named B.C.鈥檚 heaviest giant pumpkin Saturday.

    • The Archbishop of Toronto is among 21 new cardinals Pope Francis named Sunday and the lone new cardinal from North America.

    • There will be more subway service, bus routes and streetcar stops in Toronto, as the TTC has completed construction and increased its service.

    • Police are investigating after a suspicious fire broke out inside an Oshawa townhouse Sunday morning.

    • An investigation is underway after a collision that took place on Deerfoot Trail early Saturday evening.

    • An investigation is underway into a fire and explosion that took place Saturday night in northeast Calgary.

    • Nanton RCMP are on scene Sunday morning at a serious single-vehicle crash at the intersection of Highway 533 and Range Road 118.

    • Ontario Provincial Police say a man has died after striking obstacles on the St. Lawrence River while driving a personal watercraft.

    • The annual RBC Race for Kids raised $830,000 in support of a historic redevelopment for eastern Ontario's largest children's hospital.

    • Alexandre Look, a 33-year-old Montreal native, was among the concertgoers who were murdered a year ago Monday at the Supernova music festival during a brutal assault on Israel carried out by Hamas militants. He is among at least eight people, either Canadian citizens or with ties to Canada, who died during the Oct. 7 attacks.

    • Police released the identities of the mother and daughter who were killed after a fire tore through a 160-year-old building in Old Montreal on Friday.

    • Five Montreal firefighters were formally recognized Sunday for their heroic efforts to save people's lives during the major fire in Old Montreal last year that killed seven people.

    • An estimated four billion birds will navigate man-made environments as they travel south from North America during fall migration. Tens of million of them will die en route due to human-created hazards.

    • Highway 39 near Warburg was closed Saturday after a serious crash involving a motorcycle and a van.

    • RCMP in Sussex, N.B., are asking the public for help locating a missing 61-year-old woman from Wards Creek, N.B.

    • A broken wastewater pipe has prompted Halifax Water to ask Quinpool area residents to reduce water usage while crews make repairs Sunday.

    • The eight sons of Richard and Sarah Harvie from Gormanville, N.S., are believed to be the most siblings from one family, from either North America or the British Commonwealth, to serve in World War II.

    • Some Manitobans are cleaning up Sunday morning, after intense winds barreled through southern parts of the province Saturday.

    • It鈥檚 1998. Google was just born, and dial-up was the primary way to connect to the Internet. New sites were being developed daily on any number of topics, from recipes to shopping. David Yanciw, however, was thinking big - big things, that is.

    • Communities outside of the perimeter aren鈥檛 immune to the housing and affordability struggles seen in Winnipeg.

    • The Saskatchewan Roughriders have clinched a playoff spot thanks to a win over the Edmonton Elks.

    • Saskatchewan's two major political parties made campaign stops in Moose Jaw Saturday with both promising to invest into the city if elected on Oct. 28.

    • A wind warning was issued for parts of southern Saskatchewan, with gusts of up to 100 kilometres per hour (km/h) possible in some areas on Saturday, Environment and Climate Change Canada says.

    • According to police, officers responded to reports of a stabbing in the area of Victoria Street North and St. Ledger Street around 5:30 a.m. Sunday.

    • The Huron Ontario Provincial Police said they responded to a 鈥渄owned airplane鈥 just after 11 a.m. Saturday.

    • Emergency services were called to the area of Stone Road West and Chancellors Way around 1:20 a.m. Sunday for a report of a single motor vehicle collision.

    • The Saskatchewan Roughriders have clinched a playoff spot thanks to a win over the Edmonton Elks.

    • The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation hosted a virtual election forum on education Thursday evening, giving candidates in the provincial election a chance to share their thoughts and answer questions on issues teachers find most important.

    • A permanent memorial at the site of the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash is about to be a step closer.

    • Weeneebayko Area Health Authority and the Government of Ontario have awarded a $1.8 billion fixed-price contract to design, build and finance a new Far North hospital.

    • Permanent funding provided to London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) and other hubs hopes to improve quality of life for patients on ventilators.

    • The London Knights continue to get players back from NHL training camps but while the roster takes shape, wins have been tough to come by in the early season.

    • OPP were seeking assistance in their search for a 30-year-old man in Orillia, who has since been located safely.

    • The first Sunday of October was also the first Sunday of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which meant hundreds wore pink and attended the CIBC 'Run for the Cure' event in Barrie.

    • Provincial police are investigating a collision along Highway 400 in Tay Township Friday afternoon.

    • This morning just before 7:00 a.m., OPP responded to a collision in which a vehicle struck a pedestrian on the roadway.

    • The Windsor Lancers dropped their first OUA football game of the season 45-40 Saturday in Guelph.

    • Bubi鈥檚 Awesome Eats, located on University Ave West took to social media to announce the closure on Friday.

    • The calculus of predicting an election and identifying its key battlegrounds is complex enough in any race, but observers of the British Columbia poll this month are facing a pair of unknown quantities that make the math even more confounding.

    • Police on Vancouver Island have made an arrest in the case of a 78-year-old woman found dead in her home almost two years ago.

    • NDP Leader David Eby is promising to offer a $75-million loan forgiveness program to entice doctors, nurses and heath professionals to expand health-care services in rural British Columbia.

    • Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.

    • NDP Leader David Eby is promising to offer a $75-million loan forgiveness program to entice doctors, nurses and heath professionals to expand health-care services in rural British Columbia.

    • Three young suspects have been arrested in connection with a swarming attack on a teenager in B.C.'s Okanagan last week 鈥 and authorities have asked the public to stop circulating disturbing videos of the incident.

    • While the summer may be over, construction season in Lethbridge is not.

    • Lethbridge police executed dozens of warrants and laid numerous charges in another targeted enforcement project in the downtown area.

    • A person was airlifted to hospital following a serious crash in Taber, Alta., on Friday morning. Taber RCMP responded to the scene on Highway 864 around 10:30 a.m., for a crash involving an SUV and a semi-truck.

    • A drug raid on a home on the Far North Attawapiskat First Nation last week resulted in two local residents being charged and more than $50,000 in suspected narcotics, including methamphetamine, being seized.

    • The Ontario College of Family Physicians has presented awards to 750 doctors based on comments from patients, including eight physicians who are part of the Group Health Centre in Sault Ste. Marie.

    • Two teens, ages 14 and 19, have been charged with arson in connection with a July 14 fire in Cat Lake First Nation that destroyed $500,000 in construction materials.

    N.L.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 愛污传媒