It's not about wait times, but yesterday I went to the motor registry to transfer a vehicle into my own name. I forgot to bring the registration renewal paperwork, so I was unable to supply a VIN on the transfer form. I assumed that the person dealing with my case would simply print another form, but nope, we can't do that. She even conferred with a colleague who told her the same. I said, surely the information is somewhere in your computer? Nope, can't do. However, she was able to tell me where to find the VIN (her computer told her). Fortunately, it was inside the passenger door, not on the firewall, and I had brought the car with me. It caused me a lot of stress, in any case.

It seems to me that someone, perhaps an ombudsman, should go through all levels of government and apply a common-sense test to all the bureaucracies. Play the devil's advocate, simulate situations that clients are likely to face, and then see how the system responds.