PAL renewal hastle

My buddy recently had a letter come to him from the firearms center in Miramichi N.B. He open it thinking it was just his first renewal since it has been 5 years since he did the challenge exam. After reading it he realized that it was the complete form to be filled out and submitted along with references, a passport photo and $60.00, just as if he never had one. He is a little ticked off right now and would like to know if anyone else has received the same thing and what his next course of action should be!
I told him I think that this is another one of their screw-ups and this cannot be right. Any thoughts!

Newfieredneck

I believe that's the "renewal". Going through the entire process again. Only thing different from original application is no retest.

Hey Kev,

That is one heck of a "renewal". How many times is a guy expected to pay $60.00 plus the cost of a passport photo and the hastle of references etc. just to keep the PAL he already has. Don't get me wrong; this may well be what that GD federal government of ours expects us all to do. From what I have seen so far, it sounds like standard operating procedure in Ottawa!
Maybe PAL stands for "Pay A Lot"!

Newfieredneck

According the gov't website, the photo does NOT have to be a passport photo. You can check it out at:
www.cfc-ccaf.gc.ca/online.../979_e.pdf

"You are not required to submit a passport type photograph or a photograph that has been taken by a professional photographer. However your photograph must meet the following criteria"

I don't want to type all the criteria, but they're listed on page 3 of that PDF file link mentioned above.


I guess so long as the liberals get their $60 they aren't too worried about sending business to the passport photographers.

Indeed, you can take the pictures yourself. That is what I did for my daughter and myself. We followed the rules on the application using a digital camera, and both pics were accepted.

The reapplying procedure is a hassle but it's no different from what you have to go through with a passport every five years, except you can take your own pictures. In other words, you have to be serious about wanting to retain the licence.

Mr.Meredith,

I have no problem with showing we are "serious about wanting to retain the licence", but the $60.00 every 5 years is for what? It is just another tax. Everything is on file with the government about the people who currently have a PAL so why the same cost as initial licencing? I would gladly pay the $60.00 if I knew it was going to help local law enforcement here in Calgary to deal with a growing gang violence problem that in time will surely take innocent lives. Interestingly enough, the incidence of gun use associated with crime and violence has gone up substantially since the the whole registry process; not to say that one has caused the other but neither has one had a deterrence on the other. At what point does some bean counter in Ottawa say lets make it $120.00 or $500.00 every time we renew. That will show who is "serious about wanting to retain the licence"!
I guess the Feds have to pay for that Billion dollar plus blunder they called a registry somehow!

Trevor
A.K.A. Newfieredneck

Trevor,

If you've read my column in the Outdoorsmen, you know I agree with you. My point is that the feds probably look upon these licences the same as passports, important documents that need to be updated regularly.

IMO, the licences by themselves are a good idea--they ensure owners are trained and qualified. The problem is the registry--it can't and won't work.

And you're right, the bigger problem is what happend to $1 billion+. An inquiry is underway over a few $100 million. Well, why isn't there an inquiry about a system, that should have only cost $100 million or so, that is ending up costing more than a billion (1000 x 1 million)? To me, that's going to be the bigger scandal.

Don,

You are absolutely right!
The majority of Canadians seem to be focused on the Gomery inquiry thing and losing sight of the bigger picture. We are concerned with change falling out of one pocket and not noticing the big bills falling out of the other pocket. I guess its all about what gets more media attention.

Newfieredneck

I KNOW EXACTLY HOW YOU FEEL, I JUST HAD TO RENEW MY PAL AND IT COST ME 60 BUCKS TOO, AND SAME DEAL, I HAD TO PROVIDE REFERENCES THE WHOLE NINE YARDS, I JUST GOT IT IN THE MAIL BUT THE FUNNY THING IS, IS THAT THEY NEVER CONTACTED ANY OF THE REFERENCES I PROVIDED, WHAT A WASTE OF TIME. AS FAR AS IM CONCERNED THAT THING SHOULD BE A LIFETIME ISSUE, THAT NEVER HAS TO BE RENEWED. WHERE DOES THAT 60 DOLLARS GO. PLEASE FOR GODS SAKE DONT VOTE FOR THE LIBERALS IF AN ELECTION IS CALLED IN THE NEAR FUTURE, THEY PERSONIFY THIEVERY!

Well guys, Harper says he'll scrap it. Lets vote right and hope the PC's topple the Liberals. Lets see too, that "Jack the Snake" gets taught a lesson on betrayal. Maybe his stupid deal with a desperate Paul Martin will cost him his career. Hope so!

Hey Tuc,

You are right on the money!
Rest assured that my vote will be with Harper. Hopefully, enough people have their eyes open this time around and those arrogant Liberals finally get what they deserve.
One thing about it is, whoever gets elected will do a better job even if they only do a half-hearted effort. There is really no way you can't improve after the corruption and thievery of the present government.

Newfieredneck

No matter how we "Canadians" vote, the putzs for Ontario etc. are gonna decide who wins anyway.

Not if they wake up and smell the roses, or at least some of them.

I sent away my renewal five weeks ago now. I can't wait to get it back already. Anyone know how long the waits have been lately?

Took me 8 weeks to get mine back

my brother got his back in 4 or 5 weeks from the day he mailed it.

Got a envolope back from Miramachi to find i didn't put a date on the last page and have to start the application process over again. This ticks me off. Takes 5 weeks to tell me i forgot a date. What a bunch of Bolony.

Once the website was updated that they recieved my app it took a little less then 30 days to get it back {about 45 in total}.

This was an upgrade to restricted not a renew

Another 3 weeks have passed, still no news from Mirimachi. I have missed out on opportunities to buy 3 awesome rifles now. Disapointing. I really wanted the last 270 WSM. Hopefully it shows up one of these days.