amw

In 11 days my visitor record will expire. If i don't receive my work permit before then, I will no longer be a legal resident in Canada. Obviously this makes me more than a little nervous. I've spent today fighting back and forth with our lawyer and she is refusing to provide any more advice or help. She continues to ignore my direct questions regarding the visitor record extension listed in our retainer that she never provided. I think as far as she is concerned her job is done. We've already paid over $2500 and there is another $1300+ to come once my application goes through. Realistically the bulk of that money has just been for professional reassurance that "everything will be fine". After the border crossing debacle of August and now with my second visitor record about to expire i can categorically say that everything was not fine. And $2500 would come in real handy right about now.

Several people from June have already been processed. April appears to be done and i haven't heard about any more May cases since the ones a couple weeks ago. I am a May case. God willing i will actually get processed in the next week and i won't have to choose between living here illegally or crossing the border again. I am trying really hard not to get angry about it. I know i can't get angry at immigration because every applicant is playing the same shitty waiting game that i am, but it's hard not to be pissed at our lawyer for not getting me the extension i needed. Of course she could process it now - for a $750 fee. Give me a fucking break! And she knows she can get away with it because no way i can afford to bring a malpractice suit against her, and even if i could it wouldn't be worth it if my status expired anyway.

It drives me nuts how many ways immigrants get held hostage. For the last three months the Ontario driving testers have been on strike, so even though i am qualified and have taken lessons here in Toronto, i can't take the test to get my full license. Neither can any other new immigrant (or teenagers for that matter). Soon it will be snowing, which makes testing impractical. But who cares, right? We can't vote, so why should the government give a shit? Contrast this to the garbage collectors' strike that was in the news every single day - the driving testers' strike barely rates a mention once a week. No one stands up to make noise for immigrants, we're held over a barrel and can't be overly vocal ourselves for fear of jeopardizing our cases and/or facing deportation.

This stupid shit has fucked with my life for over 10 years. I am so fucking passionate about it and so fucking sick of how the system is set up - here, in America, everywhere. I guess this is why i am beginning to find myself drawn to looking into work in the area. God, if i could make one fucking family's life happier, one of these stupid cases easier for the people involved... i can't think of much more rewarding than that. Fuck if i would ever become a lawyer after this experience, but maybe there is something else i can do. It shouldn't have to be this way, not for millions of good and honest people.

Right now i am going to the gym to punch the shit out of some bags. What else can i do?