Revoki THE jig is up. We are passport paties no longer. Granted it took over sin vears, but the News. as vou night have read in the Oct. 7 edition, is ne ke MET ACEpuUNAL classiticd ads tor lost passports. The seam artists have aint ed any legitimate notices of lost passports to the point that all such claims are suspect. Though Eran che risk af being bundled off to the human rights gallows, | note herein that all sucd: ads placed in the News were fer lost Iranian passports. Having said that, however, it would be dead wre ng fo tar the entire Iranian community with the brush of bunce artist. No nationality has a Jock on baa eggs. And the require: Ment to advertise lost pass- Ports scems to be exclusive to the kosers of Franian passports. Still, any community worth its salt should work to climinate those who are casting their fel- lows in a bad light. And there is much bad light here. For those who missed it, here's a rough overview of the scam. Passports and their invahs- able IMM-1000 landed tmmi- grant forms arrive with franian immigrants. They are processed by Canadian immi- gration official... Both docu: ments remain with the new arrivals. Passports and EMAL 1000 forms are then lost (read: sold). The documents return to Tran. They have new photos affixed and are sold again. The going price fora gen- uine Iranian passport, depend - ing on its condition, is $10,000, according to Stat? Sat. Glen “Rocky” Rockwell ENTER EXPER See and hear the ripping yarns of the ROMP"s Inimigraton and Passport section. So losing a passport can be a fucrative arrangement. Back in Tran, the doctored documents are purchased trom a passport forger. Because Immigration Canada doesn’t routinely record the name on the passport, the purchaser can now enter Canada with pass port and, with completed IMM-1000 form, asa landed inmmigrant. One in Canada the docu ments are resold te recoup the money invested in them back in Tran. And the evele starts all over again, Meanwhile back in the soft-centred land of milk and honey, the person who “lost” said passport nieeds a new one. What to do? A few bureaucratic hurdles need to be cleared. Nothing too challenging mind vou. According to the Tranian Embawy’s Requirements and Documents for Issuing a Replacement Passport those burdles include: @ Placing an advertisement twice 15 days apart in an English-speaking newspaper rewarding the loss of said pass- port. @ Filing a police report that must then be faved to the Embasy of the Islamic Repablie of Tran in Ortawa. HOME || AINMENT [ENCE ‘98 |§ Wednesday October 21 and Thursday October 22 6:00 - 10:00 pm Call 878-4571 te reserve 50° Plasma Flatscreen TV latest in home entertainment demonstrated by industry experts! Sound Plus will be hosting two evenings on emerging technologies in home entertainment. This is your opportunity to see and hear the latest on DTS, DVD and HDTV, with demonstrations on Flat screen Plasma TV and the new 24 bit 96K DVD technology. _ Our evening shows have been very popular in the past, so reserve your space today by calling our store. Come join us, you may even win one of our great door sound plus 600 West Broadway, Vancouver BC « 873-4571 Celabrating our 20th Anniversary 1978-1998 prizes! BM Forwarding a S68 money order te the cmbasss, Note here that any Traman whe fet Iran without government per nussion Meath needs to come up with an additonal SoU mones order an top ot the S69, Chump change if vou have just picked up $10,000 for your original OF Course, losing passports isnot contined to immigrants. As North Shore Multicultural Society executive director Margaret Phird points ours... if vou did a survey of 100 Canadians holding Canadian passports or those trom other countries, vou would find a few who could nor rementber where it was if they had net used it for several years.” Reasonable pomt. Peopie Jose passports, They lose dots of things. Innocently. That rationale would surely apply to some of the ads placed in the News. But if vou figure that the News iras been used to fultil step Now} of the Iranian embassy's replacement pass- pert procedure tor over sty sears, the strapon begins to stra even Canadian standards oftalerance. Do the math. The number of fost prays port ads in the News varied TASC TO ISSUC, but an av eran’ oftwo would be in the ball park. Mautipiy that by three Issues per week over iy voars and you Bet approvimately S872 passports. Multiply that number by $10,000 per recycled passport and vou get SES.7 million. No small piece of change and no normal rate of passport tows. Tas also no cay nut to erick. Staff’ Sut. Rockwell has been on the trail since May. He tracks ads and calls those advertising lost passports. The typical conversation goes something like this: “Lam following up on your advertisement tora lost pass- port.” “Yes.” “How did vou lose i?” “My car was parked at Ist Street and St. Georges and someone broke into it and stole my passport.” ‘Sunrise. (6-12). 4 leason ©. AN abilities including the new Silver Surfer Program Half day* Weekends & Holidays j departs from Lonsdale Quay, Phibbs & Parkgate Mohawk - Sunday. October 18. 1998 - Norih Shore News - 7 frustrati “Have veu reported the theft te paige?” “Not vet, but that.” Vhere is fittle charse here of separating genuine loss trom taud. The call is merely away of telling the Tranian community that the police are monitoring the situation. Sul, 1s trusteating work Rockwell calls ita dog's breakfast. One lost passport advertiser told the stat sergeant that his passport had been lost sometime in the past 10 vears. He couldn’ remem- ber exactly when. Thanks for the heip. As Rockwell says, it’s hard to enforee legislation that is designed to get people into the country rather chan keep the bad guys out. ft is also hard to stay on the trail when there is linle political will to prosecute transgressors even if they are caught. Little political will, but some. North Vancouver Reform MP ‘Ted White raised Pplan te de the suc in ay Oer, & speceh muthe House of Conmions Tn calling tor action on the stolen passport scam, he est mated that cach lost passport can be reeveled up to 18 umes betore itis so de z cared that even your average immigration border official would twig to something being amiss. What's to be done? For starters, the IMM 1000 torm should reside with the immigration department and not be left with the pass- port holder, who might lose it. Bur this country is nor biz on immigration control mea- sures. Canada is, as the tle off the 1999 Annual Immigration Pian states, A Welcoming Land. The News ads provided the police with phone aum- bers but few good leads. The issue kept going round the mulberry bush without resoli- tion, So the News pulled the plug. We are passport-free and sober at last. And it feels good. Real good. Is. Laursen & Son Draperies and Blinds Ltd. For Free Estimate call Custom Rods, Upholstery & Bedspreads tebsb abous aur Seniors Discount) . Serving the : ‘Lower Mainland since 1 7. f 922-4975 or 987-2966 Vabour $12.50 per panel andined, $33 50 lined, Low Low Prices is delighted to be chosen #1 by Vancouver & Greater Vancouver consumers in the Gallup Poll for Consumers’ Choice Award We are s pommitted to bringing you quality eyewear at a reasonable price and to ee Nf ain worthy of your continued confidence and support. ‘omers! q . Awardee, THANK YOU VANCOUVER