Probably went to the dogs after you left

Nah, productivity shot up.

I do get a bit racked off with what seems to be a constant slagging-off of the CIC people at the CHC. I knew many of them (most are probably still there). All very nice people and they worked their nuts off.

There seems to be a general conception that the CIC guys are there to help people make applications, to sort out problems and to be available 24/7 for advice. It ain't so. They are there to process applications, according to the policy and procedures set out by the Canadian government.

There is good reason for the CIC to make it so hard to contact them directly.

Lots of cartons. My ex buys "jugs" of unpasturised milk directly from the farmer, the "jugs" are actually one gallon (US) mason jars.

Sorry if you took offence, but my own dreadful experience with them has led me to make this comment and I do not apologise. I stand by what I say.

Even now, long after our application process has been finished they continue to act the same. In this age of treating customers fairly, CHC has a lot to learn.

Souvenir, if you wants specifics of why I say this I will gladly pm you

There is no good reason to ignore phone calls, emails and letters though, is there? Especially when they make totally illogical and unfair decisions. Almost four years after our application was refused my daughter is still banned from entering Canada for a holiday to visit her aunt!! We were informed that this may well be a lifelong ban, but trying to get confirmation of this is impossible.

For those who do not know, the ban was imposed because at the time of our medicals she was on a course of growth hormone to increase her height. This treatment is now completed, but she is still banned.....crazy!

Am I angry about them turning our application down...not anymore. Am I angry at the way they are treating my 17 year old daughter....too bloody true I am!

What is the good reason? Why don't they have some sort of helpline?

People pay good money to have their applications processed.

Souvenir, please tell me; Can you give me a satisfactory reason why they ignore my correspondence to them on such an important issue (important to my daughter anyway)?

She has already had to decline a holiday to Canada with friends, but is too embarrassed to tell them why, because she is banned from entering Canada!

Are your daughter's initials GG?

<apologies for frivolity on an issue of importance to you, sort of>

I doubt that I can give you any answer that will satisfy you. From what I can see, your application was rejected on medical grounds. The CIC people would have applied the information they had to the rules and procedures that are set out by Ottawa. A "final" decision would then have been made and sent to you. I don't think the guys in London have much discretion with regard to creative interpretation of the rules. For them, it's probably case closed.

Have you looked at the Immigration and Refugee Board website? The IRB is a tribunal that handles appeals, and makes sure that the law is being applied correctly when applications are denied etc. I'm not sure if it handles appeals from people not already in Canada. You'd have to do some digging on that one. If you can get the case in front of the IRB, you will at least end up with a decision that is final-final.

We have tried every avenue open to us. I was led to believe that the appeals procedure through the Courts costs an arm and a leg and has a low success rate. Mind you it was Andrew Miller that told me this (maybe he wanted my money for a skiing trip?) I have wasted enough money on Canada....no more. We have contacted our own MP, an MP in Ontario, The Foreign Secretary and Judy in Calagary even raised our case with the Canadian Prime Minister! All the MPs got nowhere and the Canadian PM, took the easy route out by saying he does not interfere in Immigration.

As for CIC London, they completely ignore me, hence my comment about them being the most pig ignorant, bad mannered people on Earth. I hope you can see my point now!

Souvenir, I am sure you would not have ignored me of course!

Actually, I would probably have ignored you. The department I worked in was much more accessible to the outside world than the CIC (in terms of contact details) and in the same building. We received faxes very frequently, mostly from immigration agents, and not addressed to anyone in particular. The fax machine was next to a bin. I might have been more sympathetic to appropriately worded letters addressed to me personally.

I read about what happened to you at the time and remember thinking it was fairly typical of public sector organizations (wherever they are in the world) - sometimes decisions are made and actions are taken without any accountability at all.

[Personally I'll be glad of the day when the public sector remembers who pays their wages, the police (on both sides of the pond) remember who they are supposed to protect, and the government remember who they work for.]

You mean by taxes? The sort of taxes paid by...er...public sector employees?
They pay their own wages then

I'll admit to using that as a smart-arse reply one day when on the receiving end of a ranting male who went down the "I pay your wages" route

Edit: admittedly, not one of my finer moments but he really got my goat ....

Er - yes - that's how the economy works