Embassy or Consulate in Edmonton?
 

Canada post lost my GF's passport, so we need a temporary travel document to go back to Ireland for a visit and to renew the visa's on Sunday...

Calgary seems to be the only place in AB with a British embassy, is this true?!?! There's even a Bolivian embassy here, seems crazy not to have a British jobby.

Thanks!!

Re: Embassy or Consulate in Edmonton?
 

Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Calgary & Vancouver. No Edmonton.

https://www.gov.uk/government/world/...mission-ottawa

Re: Embassy or Consulate in Edmonton?
 

Yup you are correct although I called the emergency phone number, and he told us that now there is only one place in all of Canada that can deal with emergency situations such as these, and that is in Toronto. 35hr drive one way, I think not!

For the record we both have Irish / British citizenship after being born in Northern Ireland, we also have both passports (although thanks to Canada Post, both of hers are lost in the ether).

Our options are;
A - Get the Irish consul in Edmonton to issue her a temporary emergency passport to get us home. (I spoke to her this afternoon, she didn't seem aware that this was an option, but passed my information onto another more knowledgeable person who will hopefully get back to me tomorrow).

OR

B - Fly to Toronto a few days early (tomorrow) using her Alberta photo ID, missing two days of work, plus god knows how much money for the flights, to get a British temporary passport from the only remaining embassy in the second largest land mass on earth.

Basically A seems the most logical, I just hope the nice Irish lady can help us out in time or it's major ball ache and expense, thanks to Canada Post.

Re: Embassy or Consulate in Edmonton?
 

I would have thought that the Irish consulate existed for largely that reason.

I find it hard to believe that Canada Post "lost" the passports. Those things go out by courier or registered mail.

The UK does not have an embassy in Canada, by the way. It has a High Commission and and a few consulates. Canada does not have an embassy in the UK. It has a High Commission.

Some bloke in Brazil just pissed me off so I'm in pedant mode. Sorry. Hope it all works out.

If all else fails, try the Aussies, if they have a local consulate.

Re: Embassy or Consulate in Edmonton?
 

The UK does have an embassy in Canada. A "High Commission" is an embassy - so it's perfectly OK to refer to it as an embassy. The term "High Commission" just happens to be used for an embassy of one Commonwealth country that is located in another Commonwealth country.

High Commission - definition of High Commission by The Free Dictionary

"High Commission - an embassy of one British Commonwealth country to another"

Re: Embassy or Consulate in Edmonton?
 

I'd agree that they do pretty much the same thing but it is not the case that a High Commission is an embassy. Ambassadors are appointed by the head of state. Brenda is the head of state of both the UK and Canada. How could she appoint an ambassador to herself?

Re: Embassy or Consulate in Edmonton?
 

They do exactly the same thing. There is no difference in function. One just happens to have a different name ("High Commission") because it's an embassy in another Commonwealth country.

Read the definition of "High Commission". Here are some others. The word "embassy" is used consistently.

high commission: definition of high commission in Oxford dictionary (British & World English)
"An embassy of one Commonwealth country in another"

Definition of “High Commission” | Collins English Dictionary
"an embassy of one Commonwealth country in another"

So it's perfectly fine to refer to a High Commission as an embassy. People often do and other people know what they mean. In fact, the word embassy is probably used more often than the term "High Commission".

The head of a "High Commission" is a referred to as "High Commissioner" not "Ambassador". The reason the names are different is that there can be a difference in who they are representing to who (where Brenda is head of state). Since Commonwealth countries are now independent, this subtle difference is now largely symbolic. However, the role of the actual diplomatic mission itself is identical. A "High Commission" is a type of embassy and can be referred to as such.

Re: Embassy or Consulate in Edmonton?
 

Did I mention that I spent four years working at the Canadian High Commission in London?

I do have a rough idea of what I'm talking about.

I will admit that I often called it an embassy, just to save lengthy explanations.

Re: Embassy or Consulate in Edmonton?
 

Then I would have expected you to know that a high commission is just an embassy between two Commonwealth countries - as every definition I've given you states.

And yet you tried to nitpick someone else who did exactly the same thing?

Re: Embassy or Consulate in Edmonton?
 

For my passport extension, the Calgary office would not handle that. Had to fly to Vancouver.

Re: Embassy or Consulate in Edmonton?
 

The English Consulate in Calgary is situated right next to my office, and we share a receptionist.

They are next to useless and refer everything to Vancouver, unless, of course, you wish to provide them with complimentary tickets to the Calgary Stampede:p

Re: Embassy or Consulate in Edmonton?
 

Is England now an independent country with its own consulates? I must have missed the referendum. :eek:

Re: Embassy or Consulate in Edmonton?
 

So you worked at the high commission, and instead of providing useful information you called me a liar and argued over semantics? **** you.

The passports ARE lost in the post, Canada post has admitted so. It has been ping pong from Ontario to Edmonton for quite some time, they were posted from Ireland over a month ago.

So yes, the British consulate/high commission/embassy can't help unless we travel to Toronto. Isn't happening. Word to the wise, any British in Canada DO NOT LET GO OF YOUR PASSPORT FOR ANY REASON!!

Cheers to the helpful people on here who contributed, much appreciated.