Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!alberta!ncc!apss!jhp
From: jhp@apss.ab.ca (Herbert Presley)
Newsgroups: can.general
Subject: Re: SIN Number
Summary: SIN Number
Keywords: one more time
Message-ID: <723@apss.apss.ab.ca>
Date: 8 Dec 88 16:22:47 GMT
References: <302@idacom.UUCP>
Distribution: can
Organization: Alberta Public Safety Services
Lines: 41



Tried to send the following message to: danny%idacom.UUCP@ncc.nexus.ca 
(sorry, Danny, but I had to post it, something about the ncc mailer not working)

	I hope these remarks will be of benefit.  Basically, your SIN is a piece
of ID, no more, no less.  It is given to you by the Government of Canada to 
access various benefits that may become available to you during your lifetime.

	There are basically two general situations where you may be required to
give your SIN, and these are:

1) in any instance where you could be compelled to give identification, eg: by
   the courts, police, etc. (however, your only penalty for not providing ID to
   the police is their ability to take you into custody and hold you until your
   ID can be established).   In these instances, a SIN is usually requested as
   supporting evidence of your identification.

2) situations where you are applying for government or private benefit.  UIC is
   obvious, so is CPP, for example.  However, other situations where you may
   need private benefit (ie: from a private industry) is the cashing of a
   cheque, for instance.  

	In neither instance above are you absolutely required to provide your
SIN, provided that you are willing to take the consequences of your action, eg:
the police may take you into custody, you may be refused cheque cashing
priviledges, etc.  However, in instances where ID is required, the SIN is not
an absolute, since other ID, eg: a driver's license may be substituted without
problem.

	Your SIN is your property, assigned to you for your lifetime, and there
is no absolute compulsion to give it to anybody within the constrants mentioned
above.

	I hope this is helpful.

-- 
|* Herb Presley                    |* email : jhp@apss.apss.ab.ca         |*
|** Alberta Public Safety Services |** mail : 10320 - 146 St. Edmonton,   |**
|*** Edmonton, Alberta		   |***	       Alberta, Canada  T5N 3A2   |***
|**** Canada			   |**** ph : (403) 451-7151              |****