The Tender For Law

Volume 11

Jul 31, 2015 7:43 PM

Age Thomson

So, in one of the recent threads, someone mentioned that it was getting difficult to find a Notary to notarize documents. I think it was Pete Daoust who mentioned it.

Anyways, today I was off to get a document notarized myself. I have had little experience with the notary process, and what experience I have had, was with guys whose primary occupation is that of a lawyer. They seem to have the notary market locked down pretty good. Those few times I have had it done, it was about 40 bucks per document as an average. These lawyers also seem to want to read everything I've written as if they are being asked for their opinions or something.

But, as I was on my way to this new notary, I had to walk past this public building that had the words TOWN HALL on the front of it. I decided to go in and ask if perhaps they had a Public Notary in that public building... They did! The Secretary tells me that although he is not in today, he does notarize documents, and there is no charge.

That guy is not listed in the phone book, so I thought I'd mention it to you all.

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Lei Gh

These lawyers at City Hall are notaries and there is no charge but they don't deal with financial documents to banks or mortgage companies or such. They wanted to know what I wanted notarized. I said a certified copies of the Birth Certificate and a signature witnessed on a document. She wanted to know what document. I said it was a letter to the Bank of Canada. They can not do that.

Age Thomson

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notary_public

Are they public notaries?

"A notary public (or notary or public notary) of the common law is a public officer constituted by law to serve the public in non-contentious matters usually concerned with estates, deeds, powers-of-attorney, and foreign and international business."

Are you asking them to do something outside of their jurisdiction perhaps?

"Canadian notaries public (except in the Province of British Columbia and Quebec) are very much like their American counterparts, generally restricted to administering oaths, witnessing signatures on affidavits and statutory declarations, providing acknowledgements, certifying true copies, and so forth."

Did you question anything or simply take NO for an answer from a public servant?

I am sure that there is more to this story.

Lei Gh

I do not know. I assume it was outside their jurisdiction. I asked if there was a notary public in the building. The servant who answered the phone in the legal department said the lawyers are notaries but they can not do everything. She asked what I wanted notarized. She ran it by the senior lawyer. No can do.

Lei Gh

The cop said the court house would assist us but everyone seems to be passing the buck.

Things were changing when I was on the scene in 2013. Some days the court clerks would do their jobs. Other days, they would not. Things must have changed since they dealt with me. :P

Age Thomson

Kent Barrett, the bank manager (CIBC) here that I spoke with explained to me that their head office has instructed them NOT to notarize anymore. She's been there 40 years and manager for 30 (not that it matters)... She says that they still do certified true copies for clients of the bank for free, but do not notarize.

At the town hall, I have had no luck, the guy is apparently off with a sore back, but I will keep you all posted.

At another location, which was a law office, they have a commissioner of oaths available for "some" documents, which they didn't specify, but they will only do that for stuff staying in the province. The notary there is also a lawyer, I did not speak to him though.

It looks like all of the actual notaries here are also lawyers.