My boyfriend recently returned from a seven-month deployment with the royal Canadian navy. After a long day of work we met up for a much deserved beer at a Spring Garden drinking establishment . After getting settled in our booth we were approached by a waitress and asked to present our IDs when ordering drinks. Promptly we showed our IDs, me a driver’s license and him a military ID. We ran into an issues at this point, the waitress was convinced my boyfriends military ID card was not “an official government ID” and he was denied a drink.We were both pretty put off and confused because we had never run into any issues with him using his military ID as a form of “official government ID” anywhere else. I can honestly say neither one of us is hyper pro-military, but I have respect for his job and the conditions he accepts that go with it, but we have had pretty opposing experiences to this everywhere else when he uses military ID and I feel rightly so. All that aside, we are both preeeeeetty sure that military ID is official government ID. The whole situation was a pretty bad start to our evening after a long day. —Confused Pacifist
This article appears in Mar 16-22, 2017.
And? Yes? What happened after she said no? Did you ask her to check? Did you get a drink after all? There? Did you go elsewhere? Did he check with his employer? Did you check online? WTF happened?
Yes Military ID is a form of government ID. It’s issues by the CANADIAN GOVERNMENT FEDERAL MILITARY. I don’t think it can get more government than that!
I’ve been to a few establishment on Spring Garden and I think I might know the one you’re referring to. their staff are not the sharpest tools in the shed!
I used to use my military ID to get into bars when I was underage, the doormen couldn’t figure out where the age was…either that and they were willing to take the risk and just looking at it for show.
The waitress does indeed sound like a special kind of stupid, but remember, refusing to accept D.N.D. I.D. is a time (dis)honoured tactic used by bar owners to refuse service to groups of people that they don’t want in their establishments. Sort of like invoking a dress code to exclude visible minorities, and just as contemptible. And you don’t need to be “hyper pro-military” to be pissed off by that.
Contact the manager,and hear his “explanation” then post a review on yelp and have your BF use social media to spread the word among his shipmates and fellow service members. Perhaps a large group of them could show up, on a Friday night.
Ran into this same problem years ago with some friends on Canada Day of all days. I agree it’s a stupid rule that a ton of DT pubs follow and they should really change it.
He shouldnt have to but he can get id at NSLC.
Uh its been like 20 years or so since NSLC issued IDs.
Access nova scotia does it.
Chill out folks!
The sensible thing to do would be for the OB to simply contact the bar to politely explain the situation and suggest they inform their staff, and any future staff they hire, as to what constitutes proper ID (including military ID). I don’t think this is any reason for people to get on their high horses with assumptions about malicious intent or staff intelligence. It may simply have been an inexperienced/poorly trained staff person.
And, if I was the bar owner I would recognize the OB’s complaint and invite her and her beau back for a free drink.
This aint fantasyland! Bars have a strict ID policy. Patrons can take it or leave it. Im not sure why young people get so indignant about being IDd. The bar is only trying to protect themselves and patrons. Id love to be a fly on the wall when some random person calls and wants to explain their perspective of what the ID policy should be and suggest more training as the client didnt have proper ID and was refused service. Haha. You aint getting called in for a free drink!
What I’d like to know is why were there so many dislikes to Buster Kilrain. I believe he is correct and logical in his opinion! It is true about the dress code as it was statistically proven.
I’d love to hear from anyone that disliked like comment to get an understanding of their logic! I presume they’re disagreeing that a Military ID isn’t a government ID?!
I guess the Canadian Military isn’t a government entity, but a privately funded one, according to that logic.
No need for name calling or belittling of the waitress for not recognizing the fact that a military ID card is, in fact, a federal gov’t document. It shows a lack of training of her employer and the province to produce a list of recognized provincial and governmental ID card. I once corrected a doorman/security officer at the Casino Nova Scotia when they were at their old location for failing to recognize a military ID card at the door. I, in turn, produce my tempory military ID card as I had joined the Canadian army just earlier that same year.
Looks to me like the OB and several of the pundits here were wrong after all. The server and bar were just following the law. Below is the official list of acceptable ID for the liquor store outlets. I can’t imagine it being different for retail outlets like bars. No mention of military ID. If anyone takes exception they need to take it up with the NSLC instead of demeaning a person who was just trying to do their job.
From: https://www.mynslc.com/en/About-NSLC/Policies/Terms-and-Conditions
Acceptable forms of identification to make a purchase in NSLC stores are:
Nova Scotia driver’s license
Canadian Permanent Resident Card
Firearms License
Out of Province Health Card
Provincial ID Card
Secure Certificate of Indian Status
Canadian Citizen Certificate
Don’t bother us with your facts! Facts can be wrong when someone thinks they’re right!
Although, I wonder if the phrasing is a little off. Some pencil pusher was probably late for lunch and didn’t have the time provide a complete list. Though changing
“Acceptable forms of identification to make a purchase in NSLC stores are”
to
“Acceptable forms of identification to make a purchase in NSLC stores are but not limited to:”
would help a lot. Kind of. I say this because Canadian Passport is not on the list.
I’ve worked in the bar industry for years as a licensed security guard. One thing that is unfortunate because it causes a lot of issues is that the IDs that bars can accept and the IDs that NSLC can accept are NOT THE SAME. As Robin Hood has posted above, the NSLC can accept many forms. As for bars – as dictated by the Nova Scotia Liquor Inspectors – who the bars answer to – the list is smaller.
Driver’s license
Canadian Permanent Resident Card
Provincial ID Card
Secure Certificate of Indian Status (If plastic – laminated is not acceptable)
Passport.
We CAN get away with taking a plastic Military ID (again not laminated) HOWEVER, it is technically not on the list. The reason being that the other forms of ID have security features which can be identified and have been in specific books for IDing purposes. The Canadian military has not published it’s features so it is difficult to tell when they are fake. It sucks. I know. In this situation, the OP could have asked if the manager could step in – they or any hired security are the only people who can make that call, because the legal onus would be on them if a problem were to arise. The liquor laws as enforced by the liquor inspectors here in NS are some of the strictest in the country. People will come from other provinces and be shocked that Health Cards, Firearms Licences, Nexus cards, etc. aren’t acceptable in a bar, but here they aren’t. And in most bars, the Liquor Inspectors come often – mostly on the weekends but during the week as well.