FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                         

MAY 16, 2018

 

MASSE RENEWS CALL FOR REVENUE NEUTRALITY OF PASSPORT CANADA: ATIP Documents Reveal a $1-billion Surplus Over Four years

 

WASHINTON DC – Windsor West MP Brian Masse today called on the Minister responsible for Canadian passports, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Honourable Ahmed Hussen, to consider implementing Masse’s Private Member`s Motion 8 which calls on the Government to conduct an audit of the Passport Office to ensure that Canadians can acquire passports at the lowest possible cost and that passport processing fees do not generate surplus revenues.

 

Masse wrote his letter in response to a Globe and Mail article today which detailed information from an Access to Information Request showing a $1-billion financial surplus raised off the price increases to passports since 2013 and off the backs of hard-working Canadians.

 

“These price increases were supposedly put into place by the former Conservative Government to cover a $5.00 price loss from each Canadian passport processed.  Instead, they increased the cost of a passport for an adult in Canada from $87.00 to $120.00.  It appears this has turned into an opportunity to fleece Canadians” stated Masse.

 

“Now, the Liberal Government has pocketed the $1-billion surplus and is doing nothing to address the over-charging of Canadian consumers. I am calling on this government implement my Private Members’ Motion 8 and stop gouging Canadians. Many Canadians including low-income, seniors, and families cannot afford to purchase these passports and it’s time we make that right for them,” Masse concluded.

 

For over a decade, Masse has fought for fair costs of passports for Canadians.  Since 2005 and the introduction of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI),  which required Canadians crossing into the United States and at all ports of entry to purchase and use an official passport, Masse worked to alleviate the high costs of passports for Canadians. At the time, Canadians were paying $87.00 for a 5-year passport. Now passport prices have increased up to $160.00 for Canadian adults in the country and up to $260.00 for Canadians living abroad.

 

Masse provided the Minister with two other Private Member’s Motions on passports should be considered in any audit process by the government.  Motion 2 would make passports for Canadians senior’s half-price and Motion 4 would make Canadian passports free to all Canadian Forces veterans.

 

-30-

For further information, please contact: Melanie Namespetra: 613-996-1541 or [email protected]