The Redesigned Canadian Passport

How a flawed design symbolizes a weak identity

As I write this critique of the new Canadian passport – I do so from my apartment in Sicily with a 1-year visa stamped in my passport – which was relatively easy to get. So was the one for my upcoming trip to Uganda, a working holiday visa for the UK when I was fresh out of college and the 2-year visa to live in Denmark afterwards.

I acknowledge the privilege my Canadian citizenship affords me and am eternally grateful for it. 

I also write this from the perspective of someone with a degree in graphic design who runs a branding and design company. So, I know how immensely challenging designing something so culturally significant to a country can be.

The Flawed Process

Let me start by saying that the graphic designers are not to blame for the disappointing outcome of the new passports. Having experienced the frustrations of design by committee, where initial brilliance can be diluted into a generic and uninspiring result, I empathize with their predicament.

No matter how hard you push for something bold and memorable, someone else’s opinion matters more than yours and you are relegated to designing something you are not proud of.

I’m not here to criticize the designers, I’m here to criticize the process and the decision makers.

So why is this new design so upsetting to so many? Because it is not speaking to its audience. It’s like there was a step in the process that got missed. 

When potential clients come to me and ask if they can skip Brand Camp, the answer is always no. Why? Because the understanding of what the brand is all about – its audience, impact and reason for being – is essential and leads to bold and memorable design with longevity.

Without this process we could easily create something pretty, but it would be meaningless and get lost in the noise.

The design of our new passport is pretty – childish but pretty – and completely meaningless.

It shows that Canada lacks depth and history. That we lack strength and significance. It makes us as a nation look wishy-washy.

Is that how we want to present ourselves on the world stage?

This isn’t just about the design of a passport; this is about the brand of a country. 

I don’t know if there was time spent understanding what Canada means to people and what this country and our citizenship means to us. Or why the Canadian passport is so coveted by immigrants.

What I do know is that we are a country with a rich and varied heritage – gritty, beautiful, painful and peaceful. We cannot forget our history or lose sight of our future.

We are a world class country – so why are we showing up like a meek and mild people pleasing nation?

While you might just think “It’s just the design of a passport” – the subtext is so much more. This is an opportunity to show the world who we are, what we stand for, our contribution to the global stage and the future we can see for ourselves and all those who wish to join us.

When I first read all the backlash about the design I thought “I would NEVER take on a project like this”.  It would an impossible task.  And then I realised something – the Canadian government needs strong opinions, even if it would be the most challenging, painful, and heavily critiqued project of my life.  I couldn’t sit quietly.

So, if you were to ask me today if I would take part of a project like this, my answer would be YES.  I see it a bit like voting. It is my civic duty to stand up for what I believe in and what I want my country to be.

I’m a proud Canadian, reaping the benefits of my passport as I travel the world. I have an inside and outside perspective to how amazing Canada and it’s time for us to get a backbone. To decide what we are passionately all about – knowing that we won’t please everyone. And being okay with that.