As far as the social security checks are concerned: I can't remember the exact wording in the episode. (Nor, I suspect can you!) It's not called "Social Security" here in Canada, I can tell you that: it's called the old age pension. There are actually two: the Canada Pension Plan is the one that you contribute to through your working life; the Old Age Security Program applies to everyone whether they've ever held a job or not (and is clawed back for people with high incomes). I think the second is the one that would correspond to "social security", though I can't be sure. You can find details here: Old Age Security Program (http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/isp/oas/oastoc.shtml).

Apart from the obvious real-world explanation, i.e. this is yet another Americanism in the show, one possibility for the use of the term "Social Security check" is that Norma was American. People do get pension checks sent to other countries if they live abroad. (See Social Security International Operations (http://www.ssa.gov/foreign/)).

I know the Canadian pension has to be applied for. But I don't know that you have to do it in person; you could, I think, do it by mail. As far as the American pension is concerned, the office that Norma would apply to is apparently the one in Niagara Falls, NY. Again, it seems likely that she would be doing this by mail. She would need to send identification, such as her birth certificate and proof of address, but she'd be doing that by registered mail along with the application form.

Then the checks would start coming.