Quebec

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Pleasantly Shocked!

I came in to work this morning to discover my Quebec driver’s abstract waiting in the fax machine! When you don’t have a QC license any more you have to go through another service, the Service de la diffusion et liaison–corps policier (er, the police corps broadcasting and liaison service).

I thought that if the SAAQ (DMV) took three months and $65 to get me an abstract the last time and nine months to cancel my motorhome registration monthly payments and send me a reimbursement that there was no way the SDLCP (or whatever initials they go by) would be any faster. Well, they have demonstrated themselves to be the exception that makes the rule as they are apparently the only efficient government-run organization in the province! And they didn’t charge me for this abstract! Merci Mme. Langlois!

After work, I headed over to Lethbridge Vehicle and asked to be served by the gal I’d been emailing with. She confirmed that I had everything to get a full Alberta license, so she called head office to get confirmation for the trade. Well, she got a tongue lashing for not digging deeper into my file! I don’t think it’s reasonable to be expected to ask everyone who comes in “Have you ever held a Quebec driver’s license?” but I do agree that she should have questioned the fact that I only had two years of experience come up. Anyway, she apologized sincerely and made it right so there’s no sense beating a dead horse!

Confirmation was finally given by head office, so my shiny new probationary Alberta license was put through the shredder and I got another paper interim license. I’ll be glad to get my official license in a couple of weeks because carrying my passport for photo ID is stressful!

Well, all that excitement is over and with my health card now being valid, I’m an Albertan! I have to go roll on the floor and laugh now.

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Tip: Don’t Be Born In Quebec

The lady at Lethbridge Vehicle Licensing and Registry who processed my driver’s license application personally emailed me today to apologize for not explain the transfer process to me. Apology accepted on her end.

The reason Alberta did not give me a full license is that according to the records they could get, I only have two years of driving experience. Alberta will trade a full driver’s license from another province for a full Alberta license if you have three years of verifiable driving experience on a full license. Yukon provided this information for the last two years but Quebec doesn’t reciprocate with the other provinces.

Feeling pretty bad about the whole thing, the gal at Lethbridge Vehicle tried to make it right by calling the SAAQ, the Quebec DMV. The bastards conceded to providing her with my file number there, but would not give her any further information, stating that I had to request an abstract in writing… and provide $65 for an English translation!!!!!!

When I got home, I dug through my files and found a copy I made of the abstract I bought in 2009 (I forgot about the fee, but the receipt was stapled to the copy!). I’m getting smarter in my old age! I will bring this copy to the licensing office on Tuesday and see if that is good enough. Hopefully, Alberta won’t insist on an abstract printed this month since there would not be any additional information.

Quebec’s never-ending and completely pointless bureaucracy never ceases to amaze and infuriate me. Things don’t have to be so complicated, take so much time, or cost so much money!!!!!

Let’s see… I have both my large and small birth certificates and my full driving and insurance records from back there. Hopefully, I will never have to deal with Quebec bureaucracy again.

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An Image From My Old World

Parts of Montreal’s South Shore along the banks of the Richelieu River, where I spent the bulk of my childhood, are under water. It’s so bad it’s turning into a scene I haven’t witnessed since the Ice Storm of ’98:

Photo Credit : Jean-Pierre Rozon

More images of the army marching into the South Shore on the TVA news website.

I lived through a flood in my childhood and I would not want to go through something like that again. An RV isn’t a guarantee of being able to evacuate, but it’s a fighting chance.

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Tight Connection

Whew! I made it to Vancouver! There was only forty-five minutes between my inbound Montreal flight and my outbound Vancouver flight at Toronto… and we ended up circling the airport for nearly a half hour! I had only enough time to bolt to my gate and grab a quick bathroom break while the priority customers boarded. I have some checked luggage for this return trip and I will be very surprised if it is waiting for me in Penticton.

Security screening in Montreal was a piece of cake. I didn’t have to take off my shoes and I didn’t even beep when I went through the metal detector so I was saved an invasive groping by the staff. I paid for that dearly on the flight to Vancouver, however, since, despite my checking several times that I would have a window seat, I was seated in a middle one! YUCK! At least, we were in the emergency row, so the leg room was luxurious. My neighbour to the left was very cold and sighed each time I moved around well within my designated buffer zone. The neighbour to the right, however, was quite friendly (and generous with his cashews) and we shared a few laughs as my, thankfully empty, beverage glass kept on leaping off my tray! I was glad I’d brought a snack of dried fruit flat bread, cheese, and clementines since the options for food in Montreal were dismal and I didn’t have time to grab anything in Toronto.

YVR has a burger jointed called Vera’s where I caught a very late dinner. I’d been looking forward to udon at one of the Japanese kiosks, but that restaurant was clear across the airport. The veggie burger piled high with fresh veggies and the fresh-cut fries we’re a very yummy, and inexpensive, surprise, though, so I’m not disappointed.

I only have about a half hour left in Vancouver before we start boarding for Penticton. If everything goes well, I’ll be there in two hours and home in three. I miss my cats and my bed!