Over 200 Take Advantage of Passport Clinics

February 02, 2009

 

RICHMOND CORNER/GRAND FALLS – With the deadline requiring people to have a passport to cross the border growing closer, residents of Tobique-Mactaquac have shown they want to be prepared.

Well over 200 people attended the two passport clinics recently hosted by Member of Parliament Mike Allen, with more than 100 passport applications prepared for Passport Canada within the two four-hour spans.

On June 1, 2009, everyone will be required to have a passport in order to drive across the border into the United States. This American-driven initiative has particularly affected residents of Tobique-Mactaquac living in border communities.
 
MP Allen and his staff, along with community members, were on hand in Richmond Corner and Grand Falls, January 20 and 22, to help individuals fill out their application forms and review them to make sure all necessary documentation was in order. The completed applications have since been sent to Passport Canada for processing.

“I was very pleased that so many people took advantage of the information we offered at the clinics,” commented Allen, who serves as Chair of the Conservative Atlantic Caucus. “I feel it is essential to help people in the region get their passports, especially those who are not able to make the trip to Fredericton to receive assistance.

“So many of us regularly visit family and friends in the U.S. or simply enjoy making trips to Houlton or Presque Isle,” he pointed out. “After the first of June, people will be unable to do this without a valid passport.”

The convenience of receiving help locally was among the positive comments made by those who took advantage of the clinics. “People told me how much they appreciated the help, and I think we were able to give some folks a little peace of mind,” said Allen.

Since October, 2006, the MP has hosted 10 clinics throughout the riding. A session scheduled for Florenceville in January was postponed due to a snowstorm and will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 17, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the former Florenceville Village Hall.
 
Others are also being planned for early spring, and details will be announced at that time.