I'm getting my first Canadian passport next week, and just found out about the guarantor thing.
How are new citizens solving this?
It feels to personal to ask someone for a copy of their passport and sign a bunch of stuff.
I mean, I have a few friends, but seems like a lot.
Just show them the form, and read it carefully. They're not 'guaranteeing' much, not in the sense of taking on liability themselves, apart from not lying. What they're doing is signing to state that /as far as they are aware/ everything on the form is true (including period of time they've known you).
That's it. There's no language saying they have to check everything there, nothing about you being a good person or trustworthy - just the data on the form seems to be true and seems to correspond with the identity documents (of which they initial/sign copies). They don't have to check your status or employment records, they do look at your ID (but nothing implies they're expected to be able to identify fakes), they don't have to make inquiries, just that as far as they can tell, what they see is true.
If government contacts them - as we've had reported here multiple times - it's a couple routine questions, basically to check that a) the guarantor is the person who they say they are (like asking them their name and maybe date of birth), and b) do they know the person applying and for how long. (As far as I can tell, more often than not the government doesn't call ).
I have both had to ask people and signed the forms for others. Most are quite happy to do so - honoured even. (Only concern I've ever heard stated is worrying they might miss a call). Note it can be any citizen who knows you. Doctors, dentists, lawyers, bank managers, religious leaders (priests and the like) used to be the primary ones authorized, and most will still do it routinely (as long as they actually have met you and known you long enough).
In short: it's not a big deal, and it's not that personal. And keep in mind it can be someone in your household.
BTW I don't think they have to submit a copy of their passport, just the passport number on the form. It's possible I missed that in fine print somewhere.
