21 May 2018
Simple privilege
Five minutes later, I was 20 francs poorer, but walked away with a confirmation of being a legal resident of Switzerland once again. From this moment on, all my voting materials, tax documentation, official notifications, social security receipts and so on will come to my new address. I am back.
No questions asked, no need to give reasons for settling, proof of income or employment, no forms to fill - by showing a Swiss ID, I had established my right of abode. Simple as that. The clerk even gave me a welcome pack containing useful information, a map, discount chits, a transit timetable and one official garbage bag for the town (no Canadian has ever heard of Sackgebühr).
Arriving in Canada nine years ago, this same process took much more time, money, visits to several government offices, and lots of paperwork. Part of this was of course due to my status, at the time, of a temporary worker. But it was also at least partly down to Canada not keeping a centralized register of its residents.
These days, I know that in not doing so, Canada is in good company: Amongst liberal democracies, it is Switzerland that it is the outlier. While the Swiss find it perfectly normal that they need to register with the local municipality where they reside, others would be aghast at the prospect of the government tracking their every move. It reeks so much of totalitarian surveillance that Brits don't even have ID cards. And I remember once trying to build a business case around Canadians abroad, only to find that the government has no reliable numbers on just how many Canucks live elsewhere.
Blessed with a history of good governance, the Swiss do not second-guess their system. Even Swiss living abroad are meant to - and do - register with the local embassy or consulate, enabling the government to publish precise statistics on how many citizens live where (26'109 in the Montréal district, moins moi).
Similarly, the Swiss are often puzzled about debates raging in other countries around voter ID requirements and "registration drives" before big elections. Much like the gerrymandering of electoral districts, these concepts simply don't exist in Switzerland. Districts never change, and their weighting is adjusted to the registered population.
If nothing else, having lived abroad offers another perspective on basic processes I have taken for granted. And it lets me better appreciate these simple, but massive privileges I enjoy.
Labels: politics, Switzerland
# posted by Oli : 13:58
10 September 2017
Nanny state
Inevitably, the opposition of the day decries such advertising as a colossal waste of public funds for partisan means - until it is their turn to govern, at which moment they do exactly the same. When the Liberals replaced the Tories, the focus of the messages changed radically, but their frequency did not.
Coming from Switzerland, where the tax-funded take-over of the airwaves is both much less prevalent and typically much more technocratic (the health ministry promoting safer sex, the firefighters informing about the proper use of candles on Christmas trees), Canada's government propaganda has always seemed a bit unseemely for a democracy.
But it wasn't until my recent visit to Singapore that I realized just how overbearing even a non-totalitarian government can be. It is an open secret that the political competition in the flourishing city state is, ahem, somewhat limited, and consequently the governing party may feel less of an urge to promote blatantly partisan causes. That doesn't mean the state stays out of your face, though.
Much more so than on any previous visit, I realized how ubiquitous public admonishments were. The buses I rode had no commercial advertising at all, but were plastered with signs telling riders where to sit, how to stand, where not to put their belongings, how to properly pay their fare and so on.
In parks, people were exhorted to pick up and recycle their garbage, not to waste water from the fountains, not to run and play outside of playgrounds, and to limit their use of pick-nick tables on busy days.
And at the signature hawker centers, into which Singapore has organized its street food vendors, nagging public hygene and behavior rules (always wash your hands! return and separate your waste!) left a bit of a sour taste, no matter the sweet cartoon characters used. The few days in this nanny state started to get to me.
Clearly, the tremendous success of the tiny, multicultural, clean and perfectly efficient country speaks to the effects of such campaigns, and its citizens must have internalized all the rules of proper behavior. So much so that when I swam at the public pool, where a broad section was reserved for lap swimming but I was its sole user, the pool attendant stopped me and pointed to a big sign: It explained how to properly swim up on one and down on the other side of the section. My objection of being the only swimmer present was dismissed with a bewildered look: "But these are the rules."
Well then. I for one am glad to be back on my way to Canada, where at least half of the political spectrum seems to mind government publicity at any one time. And the public reacts to it the same way as to any other advertisement: By tuning out.
Labels: Asia, Canada, politics
# posted by Oli : 12:34
31 May 2016
Mojito
The sweet and the sour make for a delicate, and intoxicating, balance, in Cuba's national cocktail. And so it is for much of the country.1 teaspoon powdered sugar
Juice from 1 lime
4 mint leaves
1 sprig of mint
60ml Havana Cub white rum
60ml sparkling water
Keen to experience the socialist island before the impending (2nd) invasion by the yanquis, and prior to any changes that the eventual passing of the torch from the frail Castro brothers will bring, we decided to spend a few days in Cuba.
Not in the all-inclusive resort ghettos of Varadero and Holguin, mind you, but in the nation's emblematic capital Havana, where we stayed at a privately run casa particular, in itself proof of the small steps towards liberalization that the government has taken in the past years.
The experience in one of the last vestiges of communism was interesting, to say the least. Havana is steeped in history, little of it reflecting favorably on mankind. From its beginnings as a Spanish colonial port, through direct and indirect US rule, the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista to the 1959 revolution, the city's politics were seldom sober.
It remains very much in limbo, a state symbolized by the grand capitolio, which may look like the one in Washington D.C., but unlike it is under renovation and closed to the public. Some streets and plazas have been beautifully renovated, but many others are still wilting away in the tropical heat.
Yes, there are indeed plenty of vintage American cars from the fifties, including some very well kept ones. But while tourists pose with the Chevys and Buicks, the Cubans are thirsting for that '98 Peugeot breezing down the Malecón.
In a country with two currencies in circulation, a convertible peso pegged to the greenback and a national peso (in which salaries are paid), we got our hands on some of the latter. For the past few years, it has been legal for foreigners to do so, much like Cubans can now officially own convertible money - if they can get a hold of it. The few things we were able to buy with moneda national, such as ice cream, snacks and cigarettes, were incredibly cheap. However, they were also often unavailable. The government-run stores, even in downtown Havana, were repeatedly out of the most basic goods such as bottled water. And while we were able to fall back on our hard currency to spend two Cuban monthly salaries on a seaside dinner, the locals can only comfort themselves with cheap rum, which was always in stock.
The two undisputed achievements of the revolution are in health care and education. Cubans' life expectancy today is within a year of the 79.6 years enjoyed by the average American, with a per-capita expenditure that is a fraction of the Yankees'. And a comprehensive school system, rolled out nationwide, has produced a literacy rate unheard of in the Carribean. Indeed, we came across many basic, but functional schools attended by cheery kids in immaculate uniforms.
The most essential life skill, however, is not taught in school but on the streets: Making due. We witnessed incredibly creative ways in which the locals jerry-rigged everything from water pumps to mobile phone chargers and kitchen appliances. With conspicuous consumption unconspicuously absent, Cubans' inventiveness would make McGyver proud.
This unique society is bound to change, gradually in the best case and violently in the worst. Getting a first-hand impression of the island's reality today was very worthwhile, for what we saw was unlike the ideological fantasies peddled by aging European lefties or radical Republicans.
Cuba under the Castros is its own special mix. And those who find that hard to swallow can always change their order. To a Cuba Libre!
# posted by Oli : 22:01
09 December 2015
Question period
Do you know the answer? If you want to become a Canadian citizen, you should. For you need to answer 20 multiple-choice questions like this one in your citizenship exam, one of the steps on the path between permanent residence and naturalization. Helpfully, the government provides an official study guide for free. And yes, there's also an app for that.Which is Canada's only officially bilingual province?
a) Nunavut
b) New Brunswick
c) Québec
d) Ontario
The test, while admittedly not particularly hard, still is a sign of a political willingness in this country to demand a good level of integration from prospective new citizens. Not only is it exclusively available in French and English (and thus tests command of these languages as well as knowledge of the country), but it forces applicants to show at least some interest in the nation. While producing documents and filling in forms can be delegated to a cornucopia of immigration advisors, taking the test cannot.
Many European nations would shy away from such requirements, but Canada's entire immigration system is highly selective and overtly tailored to the nation's own best interests. Young, well-educated, healthy, employable candidates with command of at least one of the official languages are clearly favored in a points-based system that is transparent and objective. In applying it, the Great White North welcomes about 250'000 new citizens every year, a very respectable number on a population of 35 million. And it applies none of the implicit origin, racial or religious biases that often trump the agenda in other nations.
While the former Conservative government did tweak with the citizenship act to tighten some requirements (causing much headache for this frequent traveller), the criteria remained fair and equally applied. Neither end of the political spectrum in this country is fundamentally opposed to new arrivals, but there is also a consensus that immigration should be attuned to the country's needs and not a free-for-all.
Favorable geography makes it possible to pick suitable newcomers. Sharing a land border only with the US, Canada is largely spared uncontrolled waves of refugees showing up on its doorstep. The current government makes much hay of its decision to fly 25'000 (carefully screened) Syrian refugees here this year. Countries such from Turkey to Germany do not have the luxury to pick and choose like that.
This notwithstanding, even the newly welcomed refugees will presumably have to pass thei citizenship test should they ever wish to upgrade their status from permanent resident to citizen. They will then find themselves in the same stuffy classroom that yours truly sat in earlier this week, taking a stab at the 20 questions under the watchful gaze, from the picture frame on the opposite wall, of Canada's Head of State. Who is, of course,
a) Stephen Harper
b) Queen Elizabeth II
c) Tim Horton
d) Justin Trudeau
# posted by Oli : 21:55
30 September 2015
Game of Thrones
This week, I have received my instructions to vote. Twice.
The election in question does not take case in some banana republic, of course. But in two different countries, one day apart: On October 18, the Swiss elect their next national parliament. And on the following day, Canadians do the same.
Not only are the two forms of democracy different, but the rules of the game are, too, as the documentation in my mailbox illustrated.
The packet from Switzerland included a leaflet that said in bold letters No e-voting. Turns out that the Federal Council has rejected the electronic vote system that a coalition of cantons had been planning to use. Thus, it was back to paper for everyone, including citizens voting from abroad. At least, this time around I was able to receive and return my ballots by mail in time. Four years ago, the paperwork sat unused in Montréal while I was in Chile.
The Swiss system works on proportional representation, and elects both a lower and an upper house of parliament (hear that, Canada?) In each canton, a panoply of parties, both established and less so, compete for votes. The two newly elected chambers then pick the 7 federal ministers who form the executive branch, distributing seats roughly according to the share of votes each party got. A compromise-bound coalition ensues.
Each citizen has as many votes as there are seats to give out in his canton, either by simply picking the list prepared by the preferred party or by randomly assembling candidates from across all parties. The Swiss can even double their vote for the same individual. The system offers so many twists, it would not be out of place in a game show.
More straightforward, e-voting glitch aside, is how a citizen casts his vote. From birth, every Swiss citizen and his current residence are on file with the civil registry office. To this address, both the privileges (voting documents) and duties (tax forms, military marching orders) are being mailed. And the Swiss are perfectly aware and comfortable with continuously updating their records as they move around the globe. One of the first things I did after my arrival in Canada was to register with the Swiss consulate in Montréal. And ever since, I have received my ballot papers for elections and referendums in the mail.
Like the vast majority of Swiss residing in the home country, I cast my vote by return mail - all I have to do is fill in the ballots and sign a card. (Since I live abroad, I also have to stump up for postage in the absence of e-voting.) Signed, sealed, elected.
Compare this to the Great White North. “I can’t travel to see the client on the 19th”, said my boss. “It’s the election.” I looked confused. Would planes not fly on that Monday? Would there be a curfew and police roaming the streets?
Nothing of the sort. But as it turns out, in this vast and sparsely populated country, elections still take place like they did decades ago: On Election Day, citizens are requested to show up in person at their local polling station, stand in line to wait their turn, disappear into a little cubicle to fill in a ballot paper, and cast it right there and then. Since most people have other stuff to do on a Monday as well, employers are required to give employees a block of 3 hours of paid time to go to the polls. And while advance polling and polling by mail now exists, I have yet to meet somebody who has used these services. (Government figures suggest that only 14% of votes were cast through alternative means at the last election.)
Should a Canadian have moved since the last election, the responsible government body will not have been advised of this fact by the tax agency or the local municipality. Instead, it is up to prospective voters to re-register in their new district. And to prove that he is indeed an eligible citizen.
So while the process to cast a Canadian vote may be more cumbersome, the actual choice is dead simple. In each riding, there is precisely one candidate to elect, from a choice of 4 or 5: Each major party will present one contestant. In picking a person, you vote for the individual, the party’s platform and also for a prime minister, as it is understood that the leader of the party with the most elected candidates nationwide will become the next head of government. If you like your local MP but not his party leader… well, too bad.
I have learned all this despite not being allowed to play the game: Since Elections Canada has no idea where registered voters live, they send their documentation to everyone in Canada. And what about Canucks outside Canada? A controversial law was recently upheld on appeal, limiting voting rights to Canadians living abroad for less than 5 years and having an intent to return to reside in Canada. Everybody else has no say.
If Switzerland applied the same rules, I’d be completely without a voice in this fall’s political season. As it stands, I can vote for the clowns providing the next four years of entertainment in Berne, but not for the gang running the show in Ottawa.
Is it more likely that by 2019, I will be allowed to show up at the polling station in Canada, or to vote electronically for Switzerland? With these odds, perhaps I'll just go play the lottery instead.
Labels: Canada, politics, Switzerland
# posted by Oli : 19:20
06 April 2011
Contempt
Neutrality can be a blessing and a curse. A blessing because it allows you to avoid making choices and to stay on good, or at least neutral, terms with everyone. A curse because it prevents you from taking a firm stand, speaking your mind and picking favorites. The Swiss have long been masters in neutrality.The upcoming election in the Great White North makes neutrality easy. Canadian citizens will have the unenviable choice of four national parties, with a good number of Québecois ritually plumping for their additional option of the Bloc Québecois. As a newcomer to the country, I was of course curious to see what the parties stand for, and which one would be most worthy were I to wield a vote. The proper, scientific way to assess this would be via the CBC's excellent Vote Compass. Much more fun, however, is to simply listen to the candiates' stump speeches: Although they all agree on Canada's need to get rid of its $40.5bn deficit, none of them feels much inhibition to pander to their special interests. Do you care for fighter jets? Home renovation credits? Unemployment insurance? Organic farming? Or simply more cash and less strings for la belle province? No problemo, there's a party for you!
Ascertaining that plausibility is optional, the alternative would be to simply opt for the hottest candidate. Unfortunately, I neither fancy graying men nor women in cowboy hats, and thus am grateful that I am not forced to pick.
Canadians, if nothing else, have plenty of practice in the voting game. With this being the fourth federal poll the country endures in seven years, Canucks make even the Swiss look lazy. Yet such are the perils of a British-inspired system of variable parliamentary terms. Whenever the government looses the confidence of parliament, a fresh election is called. And with the Bloc patently depriving any of the larger parties of a solid majority, confidence remains fickle. Stephen Harper's Conservatives have even managed to be found in comtempt of parliament, a rare achievement that set the stage for the latest election. As a neutral observer, one can only hope that amidst this brouhaha, the classe politique does not eventually find itself in contempt of its people!
# posted by Oli : 22:05
06 November 2010
Francophonie
International political summits always have a comical side to them - mostly involuntary, of course. Generally speaking, the more pomp and circumstances, the more potential for things to look funny. So when the not overly modest Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie gathered recently for their summit (don't look for the English version of their website) in the Swiss city of Montreux, non-francophone commentators struggled to keep a straight face. Much like FIFA claims to better the world through soccer, the OIF has decided that the cure to many of the world's ailments is the promotion of francophone language, culture and values.Switzerland was chosen to host the summit primarily thanks to its initiative of the agile and extrovert foreign minister, Micheline Calmy-Rey from Geneva. Unfortunately, by the time the summit actually came to be, it was no longer her holding the Swiss presidency under the annually rotating system. The job is currently held by Doris Leuthard, from the distinctively less international, and germanophone, Wohlen, Canton Argovia. Thus, the dubious honor of welcoming the delegates from French-speaking countries around the world, and to entertain them in the language of Molière, fell on her. With equally dubious results.
But what a wonderful example of a multilingual country, where people learn French and then use it on the diplomatic parquet! Uh-hum. There was of course also a certain other bilingual country attending. And it, too, was represented by a prime minister of questionable French parlance. Which led to the wonderfully absurd situation of Doris Leuthard and Stephen Harper holding press conferences in French, both visually uncomfortable while pretending to the contrary.
One wonders, then, if at least the private meetings between the parties, which took place as part of Mr. Harper's state visit to Switzerland, were held in a language mastered by everybody at the table. Or was it due to a misunderstanding that the Swiss signed away their coveted bank secrecy laws in a new agreement with Canada? Either way, Mrs. Leuthard's attempt to keep up appearances in this diplomatic defeat was more sad than funny.
So let's quickly return to the realm of laughs. If anything, the Swiss trump the Canadians in a light-hearted, and uncomplicated attitude towards the multilingualism in their country. The German and the French speakers wind each other up all the time, but separatism is not in the cards. Instead, the little rivaleries provide ample fodder for comedians. Have fun and a good weekend with those two clips - one from each side of the Röschtigrabe.
Frölein Da Capo - Röschtigrabö
Marie-Thérèse Porchet - Leçon de géographie
Labels: Canada, language, politics, Switzerland
# posted by Oli : 16:43
12 October 2010
Run for power
One of the first scenes, in the first episode of TV's polit-drama "The West Wing", shows the US President's spokeswoman, C.J. Cregg, exercising on a treadmill - at 4 o'clock in the morning. "The hour between 4 and 5 belongs to me alone", she pants while running. "This is when I can focus and be myself".When I watched the show (highly recommended!) in the months before the last US presidential election, I found this particular scene way over the top. Yes, a president's spokewoman must be busy, but surely she would not be getting up an hour early simply to spend it on a treadmill?
Today, I know that I was wrong and the show's creators were right on the mark. While Canadians have cheerfully stuffed their turkeys, I have once again taken the opportunity to spend a 4 day weekend in the US capital, which positively glowed in the soft autumn sunlight and wonderful temperatures around 25C. Conditions, in other words, that prodded the local population to run.
From dawn till dusk, anywhere I went, people of all ages were running past me. Students in Georgetown, diplomats at Dupont Circle, power brokers on the Mall, dog owners on the path along the Potomac - everybody zipped about in a very respectable pace, and sporting gear that makes you believe that they were serious about running. An impression confirmed by a local friend, who's slender despite being from Berne and therefore going about things at a more leisurely speed.
Clearly, Washingtonians are serious about running. Much like they seem to be serious about most things they do. Despite this being a weekend, people of my generation always made a respectable, purposeful impression. Immaculately dressed (anywhere between preppy and business casual, think Banana Republic meets Club Monaco), tapping away on their smartphones and carrying files and folders instead of Wal-Mart bags. On average, they also appeared to be much healthier and more athletic than the typical American - which made them very easy to distinguish from the throngs of tourists queuing up for security screening at the countless attractions.
"Work hard, play hard" is the tune of the town. After it is done with their rigourous exercise routine and merciless work days, the D.C. crowd (especially the subset with corporate credit cards) likes to eat well and have a good time until the wee hours. After enjoying culinary delights around Dupont Circle, my friend took me to the nightlife areas of Adams Morgan and U Street, where I was treated to great live Jazz.
And when it's time to get away from it all, the capital's residents head out to pittoresque Annapolis in the Cheasapeake Bay, where the well-a-do keep their boats and yachts. My visit coincided with the US Boat Show, an excellent opportunity to transport that D.C. competitive spirit ("mine's bigger than yours") onto the waters - the craftsmanship going into these boats were as exquisit as their price tags.
So while the US economy runs up record deficits, the population of its capital seems to merrily run down the soles of their sneakers. As I head back to socialist, but more laid-back Montréal, I can't help but wonder: Are those people all training to eventually run for office?
Labels: politics, sport, travel, USA
# posted by Oli : 00:34
09 June 2010
Capital
It's a compliment and a condemnation at the same time. A few years ago, when a good friend and I first visited the squeaky-clean Canadian capital, we both could not help but compare the city to its Swiss counterpart. Both cities are pretty, easily walkable, well-groomed, relaxed... and just a bit boring. They also both suffer from serious lack of international awareness. (Quick! Name the Canadian and the Swiss capital!)Crucially, they both owe their status to a 19th century compromise. In the case of Switzerland, the nascent confederation after 1848 had to pick between the candidate cities of Zurich (too big and flamboyant), Lucerne (centrally located, but small and catholic) and Berne (close to the French speaking areas and sleepy enough to suit a government ;-). Obviously, being chosen boosted the bernois self-esteem, and today's extrovert mayor frequently overlooks a small detail: In true Swiss modesty, Berne was bestowed the title of federal city, but not capital - Switzerland officially has none.
Canada, however, does. Ottawa was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1857 as the capital of the Province of Canada, and even the mighty Queen had compromise in mind. She was trying to strike a balance between the rivalling anglophone Upper and francophone Lower Canada, between which the capital had tumultously shifted back and forth. The small logging and shipping town on the Ottawa river had two added benefits: It sat at the entrance to the strategically important Rideau Canal, and was further away from the American border than Montréal, Toronto or Québec. With the war of 1812 still fresh on British minds, a safe distance from the rebellious Yankees down south was deemed a wise precaution.
Queen Victoria's pick transformed the sleepy city into... ahem, a beautiful and expensively built sleepy city, complete with it's own mini-version of Westminster. Even the bells on the parliament's tower sound like their big brothers back on the Thames, and must have been a comfort to colonial masters on their northern adventure. Visitors today, such as my German friends and I this past weekend, can marvel at lampposts ornated with golden Maple Leaves, enjoy a selection of well-appointed museums or wander through streets in the Embassy neighborhood, eventually ending up at 24 Sussex Drive, the Canadian couterpart to 10 Downing Street.
Other than lobbists, tourists and the students attending the city's two universities, it is mainly government employees that can be seen around town. Right upon the first visit, I noticed that the fashion accessory of choice during lunch break on Sparks street was the government picture ID dangling from your belt. And when I attended a wedding reception in town this weekend, a significant percentage of the other attendees were employed by the big Maple Leaf and had followed the call to Ottawa from all corners of Canada. Though technically, the happy couple does not actually live in Ottawa, Ontario, but across the bridge in adjoining Gatineau, Québec. And while the two cities are very closely linked, there is no doubt that a provincial border separates them: In Gatineau, the Maple Leaf lampposts are replaced by... typical Québec potholes!
Labels: Canada, politics, Switzerland
# posted by Oli : 19:56
14 May 2010
Walk in
When a Canadian comedian, living in Hollywood like most of his celebrity compatriots, was asked what he thought about the United States' health care system, he had this to say:American health care is like American snow: sporadic, unreliable and distributed unevenly among the population.Compare this of course to the Great White North, where not only the flurry white stuff evenly covers the land from coast to coast (I woke up to snow flakes last Sunday!), but an equally solid blanket of
The beginnings were promising. Shortly after my arrival last year, I was made to apply to the provincial health plan, which in my province is yet another Q-acronym. And after a three month hold-out period (a polite way to say "quarantine", I thought), the mailman delivered a credit-card sized health card, which despite its tacky look (the sunset of life, perhaps) came with the promise of unlimited access to free health care. I tucked the card into my wallet, sat back and gleefully looked south, where Mr. Obama valiantly fought his battle to introduce Canadian-style socialist health care with death panels.
I also stayed healthly. Just in case, you know. For one of my close Canadian friends had shared with me the following nugget about government health care:
Oh, it's absolutely wonderful. As long as you're well.Obviously, it was only a matter of time until I had to find out first hand what it is really like. And this week, the moment of truth had come. I read through the glossy directory of health services in my neighborhood, which the city has distributed earlier on, to find a place to see a doctor. Fortunately, my case was a very benign one: Upon preparation of the documents required to apply for permanent residence, I came across my vaccination records. They sported a little sticky note, reminding me that 2010 was when to get two booster shots. If I chose to continue roaming the streets of Montreal as the walking biohazard I had become, I would not stand a chance of being accepted to this country on a permanent basis. So I picked the clinic closest to my place, glanced at their website and gave them a call for an appointment. By which I probably made quite a fool of myself. "Oh no", chirped the lady on the other end of the line. "We are a walk-in clinic".
A walk-in clinic! I'd heard of them... in stories from England I believe. But I'd definitely never been to one. Until this week, when I, err, just walked in! I drew a number, sat down and started reading things I brought from work. After about 20 minutes, my number was called, an imprint of my health care card taken and a file opened. Fast forward another 20 minutes, and a friendly but no-nonsense doctor had seen me and written my prescription. One more wait before a nurse competently administred the two booster shots.
Wow! That went really well. I was quite impressed - until the nurse told me to stop by the reception once again on my way out, to take another card imprint. Except this time, it was one of my credit card! Turns out that the legendary free health care covered for the doctor's visitation and the nurse, but not for the actual vaccine the Canadian immigration guidelines wanted me to get. Outrageous! Of course, there was only one thing I could do in protest: I staged a walk out...
# posted by Oli : 21:32
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