American Green Card vs Canadian Permanent Resident Card

Canada Green Card is a term that is used figuratively to describe Permanent Residency in Canada.Officially however, a green card is uniquely American and is the popular name for a United States Permanent Resident Card. An American green card which, by the way, has not been printed on green paper since 1977, gives its holder permission to live and work in the United States.Instead of a Canada green card, Permanent Residents of Canada have the right to a Canada Permanent Resident Card as proof of their Canada immigration status.

Though you may be thinking that the distinction is only a question of semantics, there is a significant difference in the philosophies behind the issuance of a United States green card and a Canada Permanent Resident Card. Here’s the distinction: An American green card grants the holder the permission to enter and live in the United States. In contrast, Canada Permanent Resident status grants an individual the right to enter and live in Canada. In the context of immigration status, having permission and having the right are two very distinct claims.

Permission is akin to a privilege and, in the case of a green card, the privilege is granted by the U.S. government, speaking for the American people. A right is something more - it is a legal entitlement. It is inherent to the holder. True, both privileges and rights have limits and both may be revoked under certain circumstances, but that is not to say that they confer equal status. A simple example demonstrates this point. Permanent Residents of the United States must be in possession of their U.S green cards at all times and must be prepared to show them to U.S. authorities upon request. Canada Permanent Residents have no such obligation. Not only do they not have to carry around their Canada Permanent Resident Card, they are not even required to apply for the card.

Though useful to have, a Canada Permanent Resident Card is purely voluntary. The difference between United States and Canada Permanent Residency is really about attitudes and conceptions - how residents are viewed by their fellow countrymen. More importantly, however, the distinction between having permission and having the right to live in the United States or Canada can shape personal perceptions - how one sees oneself in the mirror - as Permanent Residents contemplate their place in society. Canada Permanent Residency is much more than a Canada green card...it is a fundamental entitlement.

Recent news from Immigration Canada

I recently found this article, its a few months old but i think its worth sharing

If you have been contemplating immigration to Canada, you would be wise to submit your application as soon as possible. Citing economic uncertainty and rising unemployment numbers in the country, Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has announced that Canada is considering reducing its immigration targets for 2009.

At the present time, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Canada (CIMC) plans to maintain its 2009 immigration numbers of between 240,000 to 265,000 new Permanent Residents. This makes it one of the only developed nations that has not contracted its immigration plans in the face of current global economic turmoil.
However, that may change by the end of March, once Minister Kenney meets with federal, provincial, and territorial officials to review economic data and to determine if modifications to immigration levels are needed.

“We don’t want people coming to Canada and facing unemployment. We need to be sensitive to the changing labour market, and if we need to make modifications, we will,” stated Minister Kenney.
Taking a longer-term perspective, he has expressed his preference to maintain current levels, noting that immigrants will be greatly needed to help fuel Canada’s economic growth once the economy turns around.

“We need to be flexible, prudent and ensure that our response to short-term conditions does not counter out long-term goals, in which immigration will play a significant role,” he said. “We don’t want to turn off the tap of the future growth that is represented by immigration.”
The Immigration Minister has the authority to make changes to the immigration selection system without any advance warning. In this case, he has signaled that an imminent reduction of immigration targets is a real possibility.

If you would like to immigrate to Canada, you should take the Immigration Minister’s words seriously. Now is the time to submit your Canadian immigration application. After the Immigration Minister’s meeting at the end of March, it may become more difficult for you to qualify or it may take you longer to realize your plans to come live and work in Canada.

Amidst the economic downturn, there are still hot spots for jobs in Canada

Though Canada has been less affected by the global economic downturn than the United States and other OECD nations, the national unemployment rate has increased slightly over the past several months. This has prompted Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to review immigration numbers to ensure that there will be enough jobs for newcomers once they arrive. Despite these trends, certain regions in Canada remain hot spots for jobs, where regional employers continue to seek skilled foreign workers to meet chronic labour gaps. Notably, the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Manitoba are still experiencing skills shortages and continue to recruit foreign workers to alleviate them.

The January unemployment rates for Saskatchewan and Alberta came in at 4.1 per cent and 4.4 per cent respectfully; both under Alberta Employment and Immigration’s ‘balanced labour market’ rate of 5 per cent. Though these provinces have been impacted by current economic events, economists claim that they have been faring much better than other regions - some saying that the job market in Alberta remains among the best in North America.

Indeed, for many years Alberta has been recruiting foreign workers and Canadians from other regions to try to keep pace with the rapid job creation in the province. The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) has been very effective at welcoming skilled foreign workers, and is constantly evolving to reflect current conditions. Its Strategic Recruitment Stream for US H1B holders (for which candidates do not need a job offer) has recently been reworked to welcome applicants with experience in new occupations, such as industrial designers, database analysts and web developers.

Alberta’s two major cities, Calgary and Edmonton, recorded very low unemployment rates last month, at 4.1 and 3.8 per cent respectively. The areas of the province with the lowest unemployment rates were the Camrose-Drumheller region at 3.1 per cent and the Medicine Hat-Lethbridge region at 4 per cent.

Skills shortages also persist in Manitoba, where the provincial Immigration Minister is looking to offer jobs to skilled foreign workers in biotechnology, healthcare, information technology, social services, and geothermal energy. Temporary foreign workers in these industries may eventually be able to qualify for fast-track Canadian Permanent Residency under Manitoba’s Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).

For those deciding where to live when immigrating to Canada, the take-home message from this is simple: To maximize your chances for finding work in Canada, keep an open mind and consider choosing a region where unemployment is low and where your particular skills are in high demand.

Canada-U.S. Border Crossing Check-List

To help keep the borders functioning in an efficient manner, here are a few guidelines and tips for a smoother experience when crossing the border into USA.

All Carriers:
Participation in programs such as Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT), Free And Secure Trade (FAST) and Pre-Arrival Processing System (PAPS) is one way to expedite the clearance of legitimate travellers and goods across the border.
Ensure your drivers are aware of and follow these instructions for required documentation when they arrive at the border.

N.B. To apply for a FAST card you must be either a Canadian Citizen or Permenant Resident.

All Drivers:
Have the required personal identification (including photo ID, driver's licence and/or passport - see below) ready for presentation at primary inspection before arriving at the booth. U.S. Customs officials advise that drivers searching for these documents when they arrive for inspection add to the time taken for clearance.

Drivers must turn on interior cab lights and open all interior drapes/blinds to sleeper area for easy inspection. Unnecessary personal belongings should not be carried by drivers, as they can lead to questions from Customs officials about where these items were obtained.

Ensure that all Customs paperwork is completed and ready for presentation to Customs officials at primary inspection before arrival. Port directors at all major border crossings report that about 35% of drivers show up at primary inspection without having properly completed paperwork, such as the carrier manifest and shipper's documentation. This is a major problem.

Be prepared to clear Customs and Border Protection at primary inspection. One of the easiest ways to be prepared is to communicate in advance with the shipper and the U.S. Customs Broker so that the information on the shipment is transmitted to Customs before the truck arrives at the border point (Pre-Arrival Processing System or "PAPS").

Be prepared to communicate with U.S. border officials in clear understandable English. This is the law in the U.S. under CFR 49, Part 391.11(b)(2).

Canadian Citizen Drivers:
At a minimum, carry photo identification (driver's licence) and your birth certificate or citizenship card, and have them ready for presentation at primary inspection. It is recommended that Canadian citizen drivers obtain and carry a valid passport.

Non-Canadian/U.S. Citizen Drivers:
Individuals who are not citizens of Canada or the U.S. must carry a valid passport and will be required by Immigration officials to complete an I-94 card, even if you qualify under the visa waiver program. I-94 cards are only available on-site at border crossings into the U.S. If you require an I-94 card, you will be instructed by officials at primary inspection to report to Immigration to complete the documentation. The cost of the I-94 is U.S.$6.00 payable by cash in U.S. funds (U.S. officials will not accept Canadian funds).

If drivers clear Customs at primary inspection and require an I-94 card, they must report to Immigration to fill out the I-94 and receive "verbal clearance" from a U.S. Immigration official to proceed into the U.S.

If drivers require an I-94 card, do not clear Customs at primary inspection and are referred to secondary inspection to see their brokers, they must first go to Immigration before presenting their paperwork for Customs clearance at secondary inspection.

Remember - clearance from U.S. Customs is a "verbal clearance" or "verbal release." There is no stamp or receipt indicating that shipments have cleared Customs. Drivers should only proceed after being instructed by a U.S. Customs official that their shipment(s) has cleared.

In addition, some individuals may require a U.S. non-immigrant visa. Do not proceed to the border unless you know whether this requirement applies to you.

If travel documents are required (e.g. non-immigrant visas or passports), ensure that they are in order, easily accessible, valid and are ready to be presented before arriving at primary inspection.

If you are refused entry into the U.S. for reasons related to U.S. immigration law, you must report to Canada Customs as well as Citizenship and Immigration Canada on your return trip to Canada. U.S. Immigration officials have also indicated that if you are refused entry at one border point, the practice of "port shopping" will not be tolerated and individuals will be subject to penalties under U.S. law (which can include vehicle seizure and permanent banishment from the U.S.).

Above All:
Be patient and professional
Do as instructed by U.S. customs, U.S. immigration and bridge officials
Do not argue with U.S. customs, U.S. immigration and bridge officials

These requirements are considered to be accurate at the time of preparation. U.S. Customs and Immigration requirements may be changed at any time.

Please note all of these photos were taken from the internet.

Canadian Health Care System

Does Canada have a national health insurance plan?
Canada does not have a single national health care plan, but rather a national health insurance program, which is achieved through a series of thirteen interlocking provincial and territorial health insurance plans, all of which share certain common features and basic standards of coverage, with slight differences. Under the Canada Health Act, our national health care program is designed to ensure that all residents of Canada have reasonable access to medically necessary hospital and physician services on a prepaid basis, and on uniform terms and conditions.

Who is eligible for health care in Canada?
Our national health insurance program is designed to ensure that all residents of Canada have access to medically necessary hospital and physician care on a prepaid basis. Residence in a province or territory is the basic requirement for insured health care coverage. The Canada Health Act defines a resident of a province or territory as:
"a person lawfully entitled to be or to remain in Canada who makes his home and is ordinarily present in the province, but does not include a tourist, a transient or a visitor to the province."
Each province and territory is responsible for determining its own minimum residence requirements with regard to an individual's eligibility for benefits under its health insurance plan. The Canada Health Act gives no guidance on such minimum residence requirements beyond an initial three-month waiting period to establish eligibility for and entitlement to insured health services. Provinces may require minimum residence annually in the province, and evidence of intention of returning to the province for that minimum residence period each year.

• 
  The federal government is responsible for:
  setting and administering national principles or standards for the health care system through the Canada Health Act;
  assisting in the financing of provincial health care services through fiscal transfers;
  delivering direct health services to specific groups including veterans, native Canadians living on reserves, military personnel, inmates of federal penitentiaries and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police; and
  fulfilling other health-related functions such as health protection, disease prevention and health promotion.
  
• The provincial and territorial governments are responsible for:
  managing and delivering health care services;
  planning, financing, and evaluating the provision of hospital care;
  physician and allied health care services; and
  managing some aspects of prescription care and public health.
  What health care services are insured by the provinces and territories?
  Under the Canada Health Act, provincial and territorial health insurance plans are required to provide coverage to their residents for all medically necessary hospital and physician services on a prepaid basis.

What other health care services do provinces and territories provide?
Provinces and territories may also offer "additional benefits" under their respective health insurance plans, at their discretion, and on their own terms and conditions. While these services vary from province to province, some examples include prescription drug benefits, dental care, optometric services, chiropractic services, hearing aids, transportation services and home care programs.

What health care services are not covered by provinces and territories?
Services not covered are generally those considered not to be medically necessary. Some examples include: cosmetic surgery, health examinations for employment purposes and tattoo removal. However, there can be exceptions; for example, the removal of concentration camp tattoos or reconstructive cosmetic surgery following a trauma.

Are alternative forms of health care (i.e. chiropractic, acupuncture, herbal medicines) covered under my medicare plan?
Although Canada's current health care system is based on the practice of traditional western medicine, this does not mean that there is no room for alternative forms of health care. Some alternative health care is covered, at least partially, by the provincial and territorial health insurance plans. Under the federal health insurance legislation, the Canada Health Act, the provinces and territories are required to provide medically necessary hospital and physician services to all their eligible residents on a prepaid basis. In addition to the provision of medically necessary hospital and physician services, provincial and territorial governments may also offer "additional benefits" at their own discretion. Chiropractic, acupuncture and naturopathy services are examples of the additional benefits provided by the provinces and territories on their own terms and conditions.

How do I replace a lost provincial health card?
The provinces and territories, rather than the federal government, are primarily responsible for the administration and delivery of health care services. You should contact your local provincial Ministry of Health office - the number can be found in the blue pages of your phone directory. That office will assist you with your enquiry. Alternatively, you could visit your provincial Ministry of Health web site to locate the information there.

Who do I contact for a change of address for my provincial health care?
The provinces and territories, rather than the federal government, are primarily responsible for the administration and delivery of health care services. You should contact your local provincial Ministry of Health office - the number can be found in the blue pages of your phone directory.

Do I need private health care coverage when travelling within Canada?
The portability criterion of the federal health insurance legislation, the Canada Health Act, requires that the provinces and territories extend medically necessary hospital and physician coverage to their eligible residents during temporary absences from the province or territory. This allows individuals to travel or be absent from their home province or territory and yet retain their health insurance coverage. Individuals should seek prior approval for out-of-province health care services from their home province insurance plan for non-emergency health care services. Within Canada, the portability provisions are generally implemented through a series of bilateral reciprocal billing agreements between the provinces and territories for hospital and physician services. These agreements are interprovincial, not federal, and signing them is not a requirement of the Canada Health Act. The rates prescribed within these agreements are host-province rates, and the agreements are meant to ensure that Canadian residents, for the most part, will not face point-of-service charges for medically required hospital and physician services when they travel in Canada.

Reciprocal billing is a convenient administrative arrangement, and it is but one method of satisfying the portability criterion of the Act. A requirement for patients to pay "up front" and seek reimbursement from their home province or territory also satisfies the portability criterion of the Act as long as access to a medically necessary insured service is not denied due to the patient's inability to pay.

The provision of prescription drug benefits outside hospitals falls within the range of "additional benefits" that provinces and territories may include under their respective health insurance plans, on their own terms and conditions and are generally not portable outside one's home province/territory.

Do I need private health care coverage when travelling outside Canada?
In relation to out-of-country health insurance coverage, the federal health insurance legislation, the Canada Health Act, requires provincial and territorial health insurance plans to provide portability of coverage for insured medically necessary hospital and physician services when temporarily outside one's home province or territory. The portability criterion of the Act does not entitle one to seek services in another country, but is more intended to entitle one to receive necessary services in relation to an emergency when the absence is temporary, such as on business or vacation. However, because of the high costs associated with health care in some foreign countries, reimbursement for emergency health care by a province or territory may not be made at the full amount. Therefore, it is recommended that when travelling outside Canada, individuals are encouraged to purchase private insurance to ensure adequate coverage. Individuals who seek treatment out-of-country without prior approval from their provincial or territorial health insurance plans may be required to bear the cost of the services received.

Eating Out In Lethbridge

One of the things you will love about Lethbridge is the fact that it is small enough to be "Small town friendly" yet still big enough to be "Big City Convenient". When you want to eat out in the City there is plenty of choice when it comes to, both type of food and theme of restaurant.


Here are some reviews of two of our favorites:




Montanas Cookhouse
This is a western ranch style restaurant franchaise that specialises in ribs, steaks and chicken. When you walk inside the first thing you notice is the decor, one half of the eatery is split into wooden boothes or tables, the table cloth is a sheet of paper and crayons are provided to the kids (and some of the mums & dads) can amuse themselves playing noughts and crosses or sketching.
The other half is a bar area with televisions all round the bar, usuallyshowing hockey games.

The food is western orientated and theres plenty of it, the prices are very reasonable.




La Mezza Luna
This ristaurante is located on the intersection of Mayor Magrath and Scenic Drive. It is Italian themed and is split into two separate rooms, this review deals specsifically with the restaurant area.

You cannot help but be impressed as you walk through the large carved wooden entrance door, the reception staff were attentive and after a few seconds we were being shown to our table. Despite our first impressions of what we thought was quite a posh place, we noticed the customers were mostly families, some quite large groups and everyone seemed to be having a great time.

The food was fantastic, the beef barley soup was more like a beef stew and the halibut was perfectly cooked, it seemed as though it had been poached then flame seared. The steak was also perfectly cooked, the vegatables to were well presented too.

When the bill was presented i was pleasantly surprised, this is one place we will be going to again.

Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)

WHATS IN YOUR WALLET !!

The Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) is a vital security measure that will ensure individuals who pose a threat do not gain unescorted access to secure areas of the nation's maritime transportation system.
TWIC was established by Congress through the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA) and is administered by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.S. Coast Guard. TWICs are tamper-resistant biometric credentials that will be issued to workers who require unescorted access to secure areas of ports, vessels, outer continental shelf facilities and all credentialed merchant mariners. It is anticipated that more than 1 million workers including longshoremen, truckers, port employees and others will be required to obtain a TWIC.

What is TWIC™?
A Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC™) is a biometric credential that ensures only vetted workers are eligible to enter a secure area of a Maritime Transportation Security Act-regulated port or vessel unescorted.

What is the enrollment process?
The enrollment process consists of the following components: optional pre-enrollment, in-person enrollment, security threat assessment and notification of the results, and issuance of the TWIC to the applicant. Applicants may pre-enroll online to enter all of the biographic information required for the threat assessment and make an appointment at the enrollment center to complete the process (although appointments are not required). Then applicants must visit the enrollment center where they will pay the enrollment fee, complete a TWIC Application Disclosure Form, provide biographic information and a complete set of fingerprints, and sit for a digital photograph. The applicant must bring identity verification documents to enrollment and in the case of aliens, immigration documents that verify their immigration status, so that the documents can be scanned into the electronic enrollment record.

What documents do I need to enroll?
All applicants are required to bring appropriate documentation to the enrollment center in order to verify their identity (click here for a list of approved documents). Applicants can provide any one document from list A or two documents from List B, one of which must be a government-issued photo ID. A good example of appropriate documentation from List B is a state-issued driver’s license and a social security card.

What documentation is an applicant required to bring to the enrollment center if he/she is a U.S. citizen, but was not born in the United States?
Applicants should bring one of the following documents:

Department of State - Certificate of Report of Birth (Form DS-1350);
Department of State - Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240); or
U.S. Passport.
Note: If the Certificate of Birth Abroad, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or an expired U.S. Passport are presented, additional documents will be required to verify identity; see list of acceptable identity documents. If a current (unexpired) U.S. Passport is presented, it is the only identity verification document required.

How much does a TWIC cost?
The fee for a TWIC card will be $132.50 and the credential is valid for five years. Those who hold a valid MMD issued after February 3, 2003, MML issued after January 13, 2006, HME issued after May 31, 2005, or a FAST card, may pay a reduced fee of $105.25. Those applicants choosing to pay the reduced fee must present an MML, MMD, HME, or FAST card at the time of enrollment. If the reduced fee is paid, the TWIC expiration date will be 5 years from the date of the supporting MML, MMD, HME, or FAST card.

What are the methods of payment?
Payment must be made with money order, certified/cashier's check, corporate check, or credit card (Visa or MasterCard only). Checks should be made payable to Lockheed Martin. Two additional payment options are available for companies to pay for their employees: company purchased pre-paid debit cards or bulk payments. For companies choosing to use the pre-paid option, additional information can be found at http://www.twiccard.com. For additional information on bulk payments please click here for Lockheed Martin’s policy document. In all cases, payment will be made at the enrollment center at the beginning of the enrollment process.
What is the pre-paid debit card for the TWIC Program?
This method of payment is a prepaid Visa® card and is intended for employers who wish to purchase TWICs for their employees. They may be purchased in bulk and are redeemable at any TWIC enrollment center. The website for additional information or purchasing them is at http://www.twiccard.com.

What is the fee for a replacement card?
The card replacement fee (for lost, stolen, or damaged TWICs) is $60.

What is the deployment schedule?
Click here to view the latest TWIC deployment schedule, which provides monthly or quarterly time frames. As the start of the enrollment period for each grouping of ports nears, specific enrollment start dates and addresses will be posted, so stay tuned.

Where can I enroll?
The current listing of enrollment locations is available on this website, under the Schedule tab.

Where can I get more information on mobile enrollment?
Click here to view a document that provides background information, requirements, and contact information for requesting and hosting a mobile enrollment facility.

What is pre-enrollment?
The pre-enrollment process allows applicants to provide much of the biographic information required for enrollment; to select an enrollment center where they wish to complete enrollment; and to make an appointment to complete enrollment at the enrollment center of their choosing. Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to pre-enroll. Pre-enrollment is available by clicking here.

Are appointments required for enrollment?
No. Appointments are encouraged to save applicants' time but are not required and walk-ins are welcome.

How can I make an appointment for enrollment?
To make an appointment for TWIC enrollment, an applicant must first pre-enroll. If pre-enrolling on the website, an applicant may use his/her address to search for nearby enrollment centers and set an appointment time for the location of his/her choice. If pre-enrolling via the Help Desk (1-866-DHS-TWIC), an operator will help the applicant set an appointment time at the enrollment center of his/her choice.

How long does enrollment take?
The enrollment process for a pre-enrolled applicant is expected to take approximately 10 minutes. The enrollment process for an individual who chose not to pre-enroll is expected to take approximately 15 minutes.

How will the cards be issued?
The applicant will be notified by email or phone, as specified during enrollment, when his/her credential is available at the enrollment center. The applicant must return to the same enrollment center to pick up his/her TWIC.

How long does it take to receive a TWIC?
Currently, there is typically three to four week turnaround from enrollment until card activation. Eligibility issues or insufficient paperwork may increase the turnaround time.

Where can I get a copy of communication materials that I can print out and distribute at my port?
There are informative communications materials available for download on this website. For general TWIC information, click on the “Other Resources” tab to download flyers in both English and Spanish. For port-specific materials, click on the appropriate port under the “Schedule” tab. We encourage you to download these materials and disseminate them widely within your port community. Feel free to use them for newsletters, web uploads, pamphlets, and flyers. All documents are 8½” x 11” PDF files.

Where can I get additional information on TWIC?
The TSA website for the TWIC program provides additional information on the program, supporting policies and regulation (information on waivers and appeals), etc. Additionally, the Coast Guard’s website contains information on U.S. Coast Guard policies and contains specific documents, such as the Coast Guard Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) and small entity guides for TWIC applicants and owners/operators.

What is the contact number for the TWIC Help Desk?
The TWIC Help Desk can be reached at 1-866-DHS-TWIC (or 1-866-347-8942) and is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 a.m. EST.