Starting in 2012, Passport Canada will begin issuing electronic passports, or ePassports, to all Canadians. This higher-security passport will contain an electronic chip that enhances the passport’s current security features—providing greater protection against fraudulent use and tampering, and limiting the risk of illegal migration and identity fraud.
Adopting the ePassport, also known as a biometric passport, will contribute to protecting Canada’s borders and maintaining the ease of international travel that Canadians currently enjoy. This measure will also bring Canada in line with more than 60 countries that have already implemented the ePassport, including almost all European Union countries and all other G8 countries.
As a fee-based, cost-recovery agency, Passport Canada relies almost exclusively on passport fees to fund its services and operations. Before implementing the ePassport and adjusting our services and fees, Passport Canada will be consulting Canadians, stakeholders and parliamentarians in accordance with the User Fees Act.
The consultative process began on April 6, 2010 with the launch of an online questionnaire, which can be accessed at
www.passportcanada.gc.ca/consultations and through the Consulting with Canadians website at
www.consultingcanadians.gc.ca. I highly encourage all of you to fill out the questionnaire.
Passport Canada will also be seeking the views of our stakeholders through a letter campaign and round table discussions. Once the first phase of our consultations is complete and the results have been analyzed, we will publish a consultation report and action plan. The next step will then be to develop a proposal on services and associated fees, which Passport Canada will publish on their website for comments.
Sincerely,
Hon. Peter Kent, P.C., M.P.
Member of Parliament for Thornhill
Minister of State of Foreign Affairs
