On May 9th, local celebrities and numerous volunteers joined in with the RCMP at local McDonald’s Restaurants and served, slopped and smiled their way into raising money for a wonderful charity called Cops for Kids. Cops for Kids will receive a portion of the $3.4 million raised by communities across the country for local children's charities. These funds will benefit more than 170 children's charities across Canada, helping to support thousands of children in need.
The Cops for Kids Charitable Foundation was established by members of the Kelowna Royal Canadian Mounted Police in 2001 as a means of raising money to benefit children in our community.
Cops for Kids organize a variety of fundraising events throughout the summer and fall but the main fundraising event is the annual Cops for Kids bike ride where RCMP detachments throughout the Southern Interior work together to benefit children's charities in our communities.
Despite some of the latest events that have plagued the RCMP – it is important to remember that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police have a proud history of serving our communities in the Southern Interior.
Thank you to all who participated in supporting McHappy Day in the communities of Kelowna-Lake Country and for providing Cops For Kids with the support it requires to assist children in our communities to lead a better and more fulfilled life.
Permanent Residents Need Valid PR Card To Travel Outside Canada
In July 2007, permanent resident cards (PR cards), a vital document for Canadian permanent residents who are travelling back to Canada, will begin expiring. The Government of Canada is advising Canadian permanent residents to check the expiry date on their card to make sure they aren’t left in the lurch during the busy summer travel season.
The PR card confirms the holder’s permanent resident status in Canada. Permanent residents who travel outside Canada must show the card before boarding commercial transportation (plane, train, boat or bus) when returning to Canada.
Without a valid PR card, permanent residents will not be allowed to board, and will be referred to the nearest Canadian embassy or consulate to obtain a permanent resident travel document. This will result in delays and could mean significant additional travel costs.
Permanent residents can obtain a new PR card by completing the application forms available online at www.cic.gc.ca or by calling 1-888-242-2100 (toll-free). Applications are currently being processed within 6–8 weeks of receipt at the Case Processing Centre in Sydney, Nova Scotia.
The PR card was introduced for new immigrants to Canada on June 28, 2002, with the implementation of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. The cards are valid for a five-year period, but in exceptional circumstances, some expire after one year. Permanent residents who have obtained Canadian citizenship no longer need a PR card.
This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.