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the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-eight years and a million words

Tokyo, 2010.04.16

The Canadian government is polling for advice on the adoption of e-passports such as the ones that the Japanese government issues.

I think it's an okay idea, I don't see any big advantages or disadvantages worth commenting on. The only real feedback that I had was that there's a real discrepancy in the process for applying for a passport inside Canada and the one for applying from outside Canada.

When applying for a passport within Canada, we have to provide a signature from a third party reference—someone who's a doctor or professor or other notable party. This isn't required when we apply for a passport outside the country. Why keep the requirement inside Canada? It seems outdated and an unnecessary burden.

Also, I don't think it actually suits the purpose of proving that I'm a respectable party due simply to knowing someone with a doctorate. When I was in University fifteen+ years ago, I happened to ask a professor to provide my reference despite the fact that I'd taken a grand total of 1/2 of one class with him and barely knew the fellow. I did this because the professor with whom I took classes every semester was out of the office that day. Last year the latter professor was thrown out of his job on charges of possession of child pornography.

My guess is while the second professor is not signing too many passport applications these days, he might well have been up to the hour of his dismissal. Does this invalidate his reference on those passport applications, or just make the entire process look pretty flimsy and out-dated?

rand()m quote

One day you will take a fork in the road, and you're going to have to make a decision about which direction you want to go. If you go one way, you can be somebody. You will have to make compromises and you will have to turn your back on your friends. But you will be a member of the club and you will get promoted and get good assignments. Or you can go the other way and you can do something [...] for yourself. If you decide to do something, you may not get promoted and get good assignments and you certainly will not be a favorite of your superiors. But you won't have to compromise yourself. To be somebody or to do something. In life there is often a roll call. That's when you have to make a decision. To be or to do.

—John Boyd, US Air Force