Thank you very much.
Mr. Chair and committee members, thank you for the invitation to appear before you. We are pleased to contribute to your efforts to gain a better understanding of identity theft in Canada.
My name is Lu Fernandes. I am the director general of the passport program integrity branch at Citizenship and Immigration Canada. I'm accompanied today by Peter Bulatovic, director of the investigations division of the passport program integrity branch.
With more than 5 million applications a year and approximately 23 million valid Canadian travel documents in circulation, our passport is truly one of the most recognizable symbols of Canadian citizenship around the world. We share the concern that these documents should only be issued to Canadian citizens who are entitled to hold them.
By way of background, I should note that effective July 2, 2013, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada assumed overall accountability for the Passport Program. This includes issuing, refusing to issue, revoking, withholding, recovering, and providing instructions on the use of Canadian passports. The minister is also responsible for providing guidance to missions issuing passports abroad and supervising all matters relating to Canadian travel documents.
On that date, the delivery of the domestic services under the Passport Program came under the responsibility of the Minister of Employment and Social Development Canada, while the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development continues to provide passport services to Canadians abroad.
This move to CIC places the passport issuance at the end point in the continuum of services provided by a department that facilitates access to those who wish to visit, study, work, immigrate, and ultimately become Canadian citizens. It also places the domestic delivery of these services in the hands of the government's service delivery arm, Service Canada.
As we continue to modernize the Passport Program, these changes also provide opportunities to take advantage of existing technology investments, such as the CIC Global Case Management System, and leverage the extensive network of Service Canada offices across the country.
I would now like to spend few minutes speaking about the direct responsibilities of the Passport Program.
July 1, 2013, marked the launch of our electronic passport, or ePassport, as well as the inauguration of Canadians having the choice to apply for a five-year or ten-year validity passport. The new ePassport meets the latest international norms set out by the International Civil Aviation Organization, which represents the gold standard for travel documents.
The electronic chip embedded in the ePassport adds an additional layer of security to guard against identity theft. The chip stores the information found on page 2 of the passport, including the bearer's photo, providing border control personnel with an additional tool to validate the passport holder's identity. By accessing the information on the chip and comparing it with the information on page 2 of the book, a border agent can ensure that the information or photo has not been modified.
The design of the visa pages in the ePassport provides another layer of security, making the book more difficult to counterfeit. The pages are made up of unique pairs of vignettes that depict recognizable themes, places, and persons in Canada's history. The different images on each page, along with a variety of visible and invisible security features, make it very difficult and extremely expensive for counterfeiters to reproduce a book or substitute a page.
The Passport Program's commitments to protecting the security and integrity of Canadians travel documents is crucial to maintaining their international acceptance and facilitating extensive visa-free travel for Canadians worldwide.
Supporting the integrity of the documents themselves is the Passport Program's strict regime for determining identity, eligibility and entitlement to a passport. First-time passport applicants 16 years of age and over are required to submit an application form along with authenticated photos, proof of Canadian citizenship, supporting identity documents and a guarantor declaration.
Individuals who are already in possession of a Canadian passport can use the simplified renewal process. This involves a shorter application form and requires the applicant to submit their previous passport and new photos. Proof of citizenship, supporting identification, and guarantor support are not required as the passport program already has this information on file.
Before a passport is issued, various processes are applied to authenticate identity. The passport program uses a combination of trained officers and technology to verify applicant identity.
At the time of application, personal information, photos, and signatures are manually compared with information provided in previous passport applications, documentary evidence of citizenship, and supporting identity documents.
Facial recognition software is used to compare photos of every applicant against the database of all passport holders to counter attempts at identity fraud.
Other automated verifications include comparison of personal information with the program's central database and against the program's watch-list.
Where the applicant's identity is in question, additional verifications may be completed, such as guarantor, reference, and occupation verifications, validation of citizenship and identity documents, or Canadian Police Information Centre, CPIC, queries. In fact, there is a daily electronic exchange with Correctional Service Canada to obtain details about federal offenders.
The Passport Program works closely with other government departments, law enforcement and intelligence partners for the refusal and revocation of Canadian passports when necessary.
For example, travel documents are canceled for persons who are incarcerated or have other mobility restrictions. An individual who is charged or convicted of a serious offence, or who owes child support can have his or her passport revoked and can be refused passport services.
The passport program also has the capacity, within the passport program integrity branch, to conduct administrative investigations to determine ongoing entitlement to a passport or entitlement to future passport services.
Individuals who have been refused a passport or whose passport has been revoked may challenge the decision taken by this program through judicial review before the Federal Court.
The passport program continuously reviews its policies and procedures to ensure they meet evolving standards and program integrity requirements. We are committed to leveraging technology and working with other government departments, provincial vital statistics agencies, international partners, and law enforcement agencies to counter attacks against the passport program and limit any opportunities for identity theft and fraud.
Of course, Canadians must do their part in guarding against identity theft by keeping their travel and other important documents safe and by protecting against unnecessary disclosure of personal information.
I hope that these remarks have given you some insights into the Passport Program identity authentication and fraud prevention activities.
We would now be pleased to take your questions.
Thank you.