It would not have occurred to me that the Canada Post change of address form signed by my 87 year old father was not enough: the clerk said they required his presence at the post office unless I had proof of power of attorney. I had just come from the hospital where my mother is recovering from a pelvic fracture. I got back in the car and picked up my dad from their seniors residence and drove for the second time that day to the Post Office. The new directive was that his birth certificate and his photo ID health card and his presence was still not enough: they would need a passport or a driver’s license (he hasn’t travelled for 4 years and is legally blind so gave up his license a couple of years ago).

The computer at the Post Office would not allow the clerk to process any information until it had the required box filled in. Sigh. Customers were lining up behind us as we tried to figure something out. In the end, his CNIB card was proof enough (unfortunately he had recently pared down his wallet so I headed back to the residence to drop him and scoop the card).

This was trip number three with December traffic and an unwell mother. I write this as a cautionary tale. It would be ideal if the Post Office recognized a birth certificate as proof enough of identity and citizenship but meanwhile, I strongly urge any adult children of aging parents to: Keep copies of power of attorney handy, come armed with any and every proof of ID that is available for them, and be kind to the clerks who are just doing their jobs but who likely agree that the system does not always take into account the demographic. This is a tricky season for us all.

Cathy Sakiyama, M.Ed.
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