Location: Alberta, Red Deer County
Industry: Government
mv md
My father-in-law recently flew to Calgary from Winnipeg. He went to Marlin Travel to purchase his ticket as he has done every year for the past half a dozen years. When he tried to pay for his ticket with cash, he was informed that Westjet and the Great People's Airline (AC) no longer accept cash. Now, this gent is 87 years old and legally blind, although he has some limited sight. He was told he would have to use a credit card for the purchase. He does not use credit cards because he has been warned that with his poor vision he would be vulnerable to scamming clerks who could put almost anything on the card. He had verified the price beforehand and had gone to his bank to withdraw the funds. The people at his bank are aware of his situation and don't cheat him. He had to call his daughter to drive into the city to put the charges on her credit card. Since when can any corporation decide they will not accept cash which has the words Legal Tender written on it? When did the mighty Lords in government outlaw the use of Canadian currency? We, the great unwashed, have always been told that the money, printed by the government, was valid for any and all transactions. I e-mailed the Finance Department and was told it was not their problem. I e-mailed the Treasury Department and was told it was not their problem. I e-mailed my local MP and received a reply from his office filled with bafflegarb and BS, but answered nothing. What's next...will WalMart or Canadian Tire (those great icons of corporate integrity!!!!) decide they don't like cash either and force us all to use credit cards so they can apply their usurious interest rates? I don't recall a government statement telling us that Canadian Currency was no longer an acceptable method of payment for goods or services.
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