Josh Freed: Wait! There have been footage in my passport?

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One other disaster swept by means of English Canada this week, threatening our nation’s nationwide unity once more.

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Welcome to The Nice Passport debate.

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Critics, politicians and columnists throughout the land are up in arms over a brand new passport redesign that’s changing shadowy pictures marking Vimy Ridge, Terry Fox, hockey gamers and the Fathers of Confederation with polar bears, nature scenes and overfed squirrels consuming nuts.

On one facet are enraged critics who say we’re wiping out our historical past and erasing our nationwide heritage. Within the phrases of 1 livid Globe and Mail column, the brand new design is “so ugly, juvenile and banal that I’m truly personally offended …. they (the adjustments) really feel like an insult to Canadian identification and other people.”

There have been heated talk-show debates and headlines like: “Pierre Poilievre trashes Justin Trudeau’s ‘egotistical’ redesign of Canadian passport, says he’d scrap it.”

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Polievre’s communications director was so indignant she tweeted Czech writer Milan Kundera’s heralded words: “Step one in liquidating a individuals is to erase its reminiscence. Destroy its books, its tradition, its historical past.”

Yup. First they got here for our passport watermarks, then they got here for us.

On the opposite facet of the controversy are those that argue our present passport is hopelessly outdated, full of outdated white males, however just one lady and no seen minorities, artists, writers or musicians.

They’re upset the redesigned passport gained’t have any of the latter both, not to mention sufficient squirrels.

Amid this political firestorm, my very own response as a Quebecer is to say: “Er … sorry, however till this debate I by no means truly observed there had been any footage in my passport.”

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I dimly knew there have been ghostly, barely seen pictures in my well-worn passport, principally coated up by journey stamps. However I’d by no means bothered to placed on my studying glasses and look rigorously sufficient to see what they had been.

Sorry, however when racing by means of crowded airports clutching my passport, I’ve by no means stopped to intently examine it — and as soon as I’m dwelling I change it in its secure drawer with out a look.

Clearly, that is unacceptable and shockingly unpatriotic behaviour on my half, when so many journalists, pundits and politicians apparently immerse themselves of their passports when flying, to ponder the wealthy tapestry of our Canadian heritage.

Maybe in addition they maintain weekly passport examine teams with spouses and associates to debate the implications of every picture and get a fuller sense of Canadian historical past.

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Then once more, in speaking to shut associates and neighbours it seems they didn’t know what footage had been of their passports both, and even that there have been footage.

As one lady stated: “I kinda thought they had been like, simply safety watermark smudges.”

So who precisely are we “erasing” our heritage for, with no matter unseen passport watermarks we do or don’t use? Sadly, customs officers at Trudeau airport normally take solely a bored look at my passport, however by no means check me on its historic content material, as must be required of federal staff.

“Hey, sir, welcome dwelling. Earlier than getting into Canada, are you able to inform me who the 36 founding fathers in your journey doc are, as displayed on Web page 8?”

Border guards in additional draconian nations like China have studied my passport far too intently, however nonetheless by no means began a significant chat about The Final Spike.

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So who else sees these all-important barely seen pictures we’re hotly debating? I by no means present my passport to associates, particularly since we’re now not allowed to smile for passport images so all of us appear like grim, tight-lipped convicts.

I don’t belong to any on-line passport dialogue teams or passport-sharing relationship websites. Nevertheless, I’m happy with some current passport adjustments, like the very fact getting a brand new one now not means lining up for extra days than you’ll be travelling, as occurred throughout COVID.

As properly, I can now renew my passport for 10 years, as an alternative of 5, and even do it on-line, sparing me hours as soon as spent in queues at my nearest passport workplace (the place once more, I irresponsibly uncared for to immerse myself within the smudgy pictures).

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I additionally like the very fact our Canadian passports are sturdy, weather-resistant and don’t crumple simply when stuffed into my pocket on planes. I’m such a lifelong crumpler that when an occasional five-dollar invoice falls on the bottom everybody round immediately is aware of if it’s mine.

Lastly, I like the very fact different nations typically settle for my Canadian passport with out a lot scrutiny, then let me in, which I feel could also be one necessary objective of passports.

The very fact is our passports get up to date for safety causes each few years to maintain forward of forgers. However till they had been redesigned in 2013 (by the Conservatives), there was all the time just one factor on each web page of my passport — maple leaves.

Frankly, these and some snowflakes, or snowballs, and even doughnuts can be sufficient watermarks for me.

Total, the perfect factor I can say about our Canadian passport is that I’m grateful to stay the place we are able to afford to have a livid weeklong debate about near-invisible watermarks in our journey paperwork.

The entire world must be so fortunate.

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