The broad intention is to develop worldwide a series of visa application centres that would be private enterprises under contract with the department who would handle the taking of biometric data. I think we have something of the order of 20 or 25 of them around the world now. The intent would be once the biometric program is up and running, these VACs, over and above accepting the applications, would take in the biometric information. Then these are channeled through the Canadian missions abroad and eventually to Canada.
On June 9th, 2009. See this statement in context.