Mexican Consul Happy to be Part of the Local Community

By Mark Ribble

LEAMINGTON — Since her arrival in the area in July, Mexican Consul Vanessa Calva has been busy working on a number of projects.

A priority when she took the job was to see that the Mexican Consulate in Leamington was in full participation in the neighbouring community.

“I’ve been here for three months,” she said. “I wanted to know how the consulate can be of service to the community as a whole.”

Consul Calva has also helped the Mexican government introduce their latest technology — an electronic passport — which has made headlines around the world.

“We launched in Mexico City in October and also had a launch in Los Angeles,” she said.

Leamington’s Consulate office is among the first in the world to offer the enhanced electronic passport.

The passport is still a printed, physical passport but is enhanced with a chip that contains all the pertinent information on the holder.

“It is less likely to be forged in any way,” she said.

Consul Calva explained that Mexican nationals who want the high security electronic passport can get them at the consulate in Leamington.

“We can print them right here,” she said, adding that Leamington’s office covers all of Windsor-Essex, Chatham-Kent and Lambton.

Since October 21, the Consulate of Mexico in Leamington has issued 140 Mexican electronic passports.

In the case of a minor, previous versions of the passport didn’t contain a lot of information on the birth parents, but the new electronic version contains a full profile of the child’s parents, which is helpful to worldwide customs personnel.

“It’s so much easier and convenient for travel,” she said. “We’re very excited to offer this.”

Mexican Consul, Vanessa Calva, right, poses with the first electronic high security passport issued by the Leamington Mexican Consulate. At left is the first recipient of the enhanced document, Valeria Torres Garcia.

Photo Submitted

Since her arrival in July, they’ve been opening the consulate to visitors one Saturday per month, and that has enabled them to offer the electronic passports and other information to those who choose to visit.

They’ve also been able to offer broader information on labour rights, insurance, benefits and financial tools.

The last two Saturday sessions have seen the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit on site to share and educate visitors on diabetes, blood pressure and nutrition.

“They get a free glucose test, blood pressure monitoring and are told about healthy nutrition,” she said.

She said they’ve also been talking to the health unit about mental health, which is often overlooked.

“Our consulate is a welcoming area,” she said. “We want to model an initiative to deal with how certain situations can have an effect on mental health.”

Consul Calva is working regularly with local officials to make good things happen for the community and be aware of what’s going on in the community.

She is also excited about a pop-up vaccination clinic being held on Saturday, December 4 from 9-3 at the consulate office at 350 Hwy. 77. Everyone is welcome.