(Updated 1:30 p.m., March 29)
Passport clinic attracts over 250 people
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online

Ottawa-Orléans MP Royal Galipeau sits down with a group of people waiting to have their passport documents processed during a passport clinic held at the Orléans Client Service Centre on Saturday. Fred Sherwin/photo

More than 250 people flocked to the Olreans Client Service Centre on Saturday to take advantage of a special passport clinic organized by Ottawa-Orléans MP Royal Galipeau.

People started lining up as early as 9 a.m. for the clinic which wasn't advertised to start until 10 a.m. A good number of the people who came out to the special clinic were interested in applying for their passports in anticipation of new border regulations which will require passports for entry into the United States this summer.

Natalie Auger and her husband had been putting off getting passports for themselves and their three children for the past several weeks even though they will soon be leaving for France on a one year sabattical.

"I was going to go down to the passport office on Albert for a couple of weeks now, but I was putting it off because I didn't want to deal with the parking and everything, but then I saw an ad in the paper for the clinic and I told my husband we had to go. It's so easy we just parked across the street and walked in. The whole thing took about 15 minutes," said Auger.

After the initial rush between 10 a.m. and noon, the average processing time was about 20 minutes. A crew of about 20 volunteers helped speed things along by checking everyone's paperwork and ensuring all the documents were in order. G.R. Martin Photo Studio was also on hand for people who needed to have their passport pictures taken.

There was the odd hiccup, but for the most part everything went smoothly. Of the 250 people who were processed, all but 40 passed the intitial check. Those people who required more information or a proper guarantor who knew them at least two years and held a valid passport, said they planned to either return to the next clinc on April 18 to complete the process, or they will drop off their completed forms at Galipeau's constituency office with is located on the main floor of the Client Service Centre.

Galipeau is already planning to do two more passport clincis on April 17 and 18 for anyone who didn't get a chance to come out on Saturday. He plans to hold additional clinics next fall for people who plan to go away for the Christmas holidays, and again next January or February for people planning to travel during the March Break.

"You know I had two clinics in 2007 and they were very successful," said Galipeau. "We didn't have any last year, but during the election it was the one of the things that people said they really wantred. They love the fact that it's so convenient and they don't have to take a day off or pay for parking. It's especially convenient for people with families. We even have a television in the theatre with a movie for the little ones."

The next passport clinic will be held on Saturday, April 18from 4:30 p.m. until 9 p.m. and then again on Saturday, May 2from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Anyone applying for a passport is advised to pick up their application forms before hand at any Service Canada desk or Post Office.

When they come to the clinic they must bring a birth certificate, a valid driver's license or health card, two passport photos and a person with a valid passport who has known them for two years or more who can act as a guarantor.

(This story was made possible thanks to the generous support of our local business partners.)

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