Have Stanley, Will Travel

It's been a long, long time since I even looked at my passport, but I came across it today when I was doing a little spring cleaning. This alone isn't some massive discovery as I knew where it had been the whole time, but just opening it and flipping through the pages made me realize how long it has been since we were able to travel as we did pre-pandemic. What I had forgotten about, though, was the Canadian passport's incredible imagery found on the pages of important moments in history, and one YouTube video's incredible look at these images thanks to some of the impressive counterfeit-fighting measures.

The Canadian passports as they are today came out in 2012, so this story certainly should have been mentioned by me before today, but it's the YouTube video below that I happened across a few weeks ago that should have made me write the story then. Instead, I forgot. I'm only human, apparently, and likely got distracted by other stuff. Seeing my passport today was an "OH YEAH!" moment of discovery.

The image to the right is page 29 of the passports that Canada began issuing in 2013 that feature some incredible moments in Canadia history. Those images include Terry Fox, the Grey Cup, the Halifax Harbour, railcars at a grain elevator, and so many more snapshots of Canadian history and some of the great things this country has witnessed. Foreign Minister John Baird unveiled them in a ceremony at the end of October in 2012 as the country looked to incorporate a number of new counterfeit measures on its passports.

Among the new technology built into these passports are a computer chip, microprinting, holographic images, and ultraviolet-visible images. It's this last feature that YouTuber CANRUSH elevated in a big way with a black light in his 2018 video, and the images look amazing when illuminated by the black light! Check it out below, especially at the 1:37 mark when the Stanley Cup appears vividly! It sounds a little mushy, but I get sentimental for things I have at home when travelling. I like the adventure, but home just fits after staying in hotels or tents for a while. I need to remind myself to flip through my passport once in a while while travelling to remind me of the comforts of home and the pride I have as a Canadian.

It doesn't matter where you go in this world if you have a Canadian passport because you'll always have the Stanley Cup with you when you go. You still need to be smart and safe while travelling, but the Stanley Cup will be in your pocket or bag where ever you go.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!