Passport Perks

Last month, a man who was shipped to Cyprus after being saved from
Lebanon was seen on CBC television waving and thanking his Canadian
passport. That image was also carried across other media channels
to both sides of the hot debate that was to come.

It was all in part of the mass evacuation of possibly over 16,000
Canadian passport holders while Israel pounded Lebanon for weeks.
By comparison, the U.S. evacuated roughly 15,000 citizens.

Under heavy media criticism and pressure, Canada committed to
spare no expense to get its people out - regardless if they've
decided to permanently live in Lebanon. Of course, some evacuees
still weren't satisfied over what was done for them. It's different
with first-hand experience.

Besides the enormous effort to evacuate 16,000 people from a
country of shelled out transportation infrastructure, the press
failed to mention security screening.

Who cares about customs screening when you have to rush 16,000 to
safety? It's not like shipping in a few fugitives or terrorists
with stolen Canadian passports matters when you have to get people
out.

Besides, who's counting after a hundred people jumped the gate
while you're checking papers - if you're one of the few government
workers watching the post half a world away?

Security aside, a debate simmers today over the perks that should
go with having a passport. Should citizens get a free (taxpayer
paid) ride out of a foreign country - even if the citizens
permanently live in the foreign country?

Well, now the tab's been placed on the taxpayer's table, and the
total appears as high as 100 million dollars. That's more than the
70 million the U.S. spent to extract its citizens. With that much
money being spent, some countries need to think carefully over its
free ticket policies.

I'm sure it's a complex issue, but $100 million seems like a lot
of money when I'm already giving up to 6 months of a year's worth
of pay to the government tax department.

Personally, I believe it's a tragedy when innocent people are
caught in the middle of such conflicts, but those who got out of
this conflict alive should thank the perk that came with their
passport - as a minimum.

But that's my rant, and I'm sticking to it. Now excuse me while I
rush out to renew my passport.