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child benefits in Canada (our government is crazy)

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

Applying for the child benefit program (a subsidy of $100/child under 6) in Canada is ridiculously difficult.

In the end, I had to provide copies of:

1. Kenny's passport

2. Kenny's citizenship card

3. Mari's passport

4. Mari's PR visa

5. our lease

6. A signed document from the clinic where Kenny was born stating that he'd been born

7. The application form

8. A form for Mari's permanent residency (why??)

9. A notarized translation of Mari's family registration document (from Japan) listing all of us as family members.

Still absent from the mix: any letter from an authorized party indicating that they know Mari to be Kenny's primary care-giver. To whom could I go for such a thing??

Why is this such a freak show?

That said, here are three good things that happened today:

1. Farking excellent weather this afternoon!

2. Tax return is sent. It was easy(ish) and cheap.

3. Was in a really interesting meeting with a potential business partner of my employer, today; talking about the broad strokes of the financial industry's slim future in this country.