The biometrics program will eventually roll out to include biometrics for people coming to Canada from all countries. It will be phased in starting in 2011, at which time I believe about 15% of visitors to Canada will be obtaining visas with biometric data. By 2013 we hope and anticipate that the coverage will be 100%. This will be bringing us up to the international standard. The United Kingdom already has 100% coverage, as does Australia, I believe, and other like-minded democracies are moving in the same direction to help ensure the safety and security of our citizens. Obviously there is increasingly sophisticated documentary fraud and counterfeit documents, and this is an important tool for dealing with that problem.
On June 9th, 2009. See this statement in context.