CANADA, immigration and citizenship etc

It was after our auto accident in 1998 (16th December), Sushma lost her job with AIAG and hence lost our H1B status to work or live in USA. Later we got H1B status through USTI ( Recruiting and Consulting Company of Sanjay Prasad and Rama Kant Singh and Niraj Kumar) but we then decided to immigrate to Canada ( we should have done it much earlier if we would have known the benefits ). Sushma applied for Employment visa as a librarian as she had adequate experience and appropriate qualifications. We had certain advantage of some points to add by getting a letter of employment from Anand Kishore , then a would be relation through our daughter's marriage to his younger brother, Raj Kishore. We got our immigration cleared very fast in a year or less by the end of 1999 except a little problem of health condition of Sushma due to that auto accident but Great person, Dr Shea ( who performed the prosthesis of shoulder surgery ) certified her fitness. Thus a letter of employment from Anand Kishore and a Certificate of fitness from Dr Shae were very useful for this immigration. We must express our gratitude to them. Finally we took our immigration through USA/Canada (Windsor/Detroit) Border in Windsor on March 11, 2000. The process was simple but for our bad luck the concerned officer- the angry girl made it difficult for us by writing a remark on our IM1000 - the immigration document which troubled later at various other processes in Canada.To start with, we had problem at US border and were sent back to Windsor refusing our entry to USA and cancelling our H1B visa.We had to come back and stay in a hotel for that night. Thank God that Sameer and Sapna were around to help us in this uncertain terrible situation. Next day, we moved to Toronto to stay with Suneeta and Akhilesh ji.Who helped us opening our bank account, getting Driving License and applying for SIN ( Social Insurance Number) etc. We finished all the initial and essential formalities.
With time, we managed to get back to USA to wind up from South Field and to live in Windsor in May 2000. Sameer arranged a wonderful apartment; 711-8787 Riverside Drive. We lived at this very comfortable and scenic view location for about two and half years. 2455 Rivard Avenue: Apartment # 523:( October 2002-sept.2009 ): In October , 2002, we moved to this subsidized accommodation for seniors by Essex Windsor County Housing Corporation. We lived on Riverside Drive for $1000/- + apartment because of ignorance and lack of information about it and many other things about the facilities and privileges in Canada. This was for only $234.00 per month , could have been even cheaper if known before.There are several such facilities for seniors in Windsor. But it has sufficient parking space which is not available in other locations.It was a comfortable place and convenient location to live.We had nice company of some Indian families living at this location. 3015 Temple Drive, apartment # 212: ( October 2009.....) It is again with the incidental interaction with Dr. Jwanda who lived in a two bed rooms apartment in a neighbourhood similar kind of facilities.He told me that  there are about three or four such facilities with two bed rooms for the seniors with the same rent but with a certificate of medical conditions. With a medical certificate from Dr. Joshi, our family physician, we applied for this facility and we got it very soon. this is known as accessible facility with two bed rooms and specially designed facilities for handicapped persons.It is a small facility with 64 apartments, most of them single bed room and perhaps only two accessible.Very neat, clean and well maintained building by the Church which constructed and maintains it. It certainly needs personal transport facility as shopping facilities are at least two miles away from here . We like this place for nice and quiet living.We could have got this spacious apartment much earlier but for information. One of the reason could be our very limited social network in Canada. We do not have colleagues or friends here as we are very late comers and due to our limitation for age also.
We have been living here as permanent residents and later as Canadian Citizen since we moved here. We always had our proper permanent residence with Telephone, TV and internet cable facilities, bank accounts, maintaining an Ontario registered car and a valid driving license , working as the secretary of SASCO a non-profit organization, volunteering for annual tax preparation for CRA , visiting our Clinic regularly as I am a patient for High Blood pressure for long time and my wife for Arthritis etc, But we had always problem with Canadian authorities at every stage of getting citizenship, OHIP card, Old Age Security pension and lastly even with my driving license. I wonder why We ? At every stage, we have to explain our situation: Ontario Disability Support Program:ODSP: We never knew about social assistance program in Canada , its entitlement and eligibility etc. For the first time, Mrs Aggarwal ( wife of Prof. A.K.Aggarwal, University of Windsor) mentioned about it and asked us to apply for the same.It is again  an example of social networking and social capital benefits. We had very good social contact with Prof Aggarwal during our early years in Windsor. In fact, they were also quite new in Windsor. Well, we got it which continued till we started getting our OASP. This was very good help to us for our survival in Canada.  
OHIP: Ontario Health Insurance Program: Wonderful program to look after the health of Ontario residents. At one point of time, our OHIP cards were cancelled with the allegations that we do not live here. We have to visit the office of the Ministry of health to explain our situation of residency here. With all the documentation required, we had to go through a lengthy interview to convince the authorities to get our OHIP cards back to us. But could not understand as why they bothered us and wasted our and their own time?
Citizenship: Normally, most people get their citizenship just after completing three years of residency but we got it almost after six years with lot of queries and lengthy questionnaire. All about doubting that we were not residents of Canada; Even an hearing with an immigration judge, Mr walker who grilled us thoroughly doubting about our residency but with all the evidence and documentation, we convinced about our residency in Canada. Mr. Walker was nice person , understood our situation and cleared our case. In fact, we have to request our MP, Mr.JOE CoMartin. who intervened and asked the immigration department to look into our case. But, here again I have to say as why we should have gone through this tedious process and unnecessary grilling ?.  
Old Age Security Pension: In most of the cases, approval of OASP is the straight forward case but in our case, this also took lot of time and explaining many unnecessary things. Doubting our status and period of our residency etc.It took long time through tedious process and explaining several things.Perhaps,the note on our IM1000 documentation by the immigration officer, created the doublt at every stage.The pension  amount is very good for our survival in Canada.  
Driving License: Lastly in 2012, I had the problem about my driving license; Unfortunately, I had an auto accident in Windsor in August 2011 which caused me to take driving test again as it happens for the seniors after the age of 70 years. It was a terrible experience to take my test, driving lessons etc after I failed my tests and my driving license was cancelled. I have written a separate blog about it.
 Though we  had some rough time over here ; we never got any kind of employment; not even some satisfying volunteering work over here; Canada is a wonderful country to live especially for the retired people where seniors get lot of benefits. Good medical and housing facilities and very friendly environment.