Mr. Speaker, identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in North America. The perpetrators of this crime include organized criminal groups and individuals who collect and use someone else's personal identification to commit fraud and expedite other criminal offences.
It is estimated that identity theft costs the Canadian economy $2.5 billion annually. However, for the victims whose identity has been compromised, the impact goes far beyond dollars and cents. Not only must they deal with the financial loss, damaged reputation and emotional distress, they must also go through the complicated process of clearing their names.
This crime is so serious that the Ontario Provincial Police organized its second conference last October which brought together international identity theft experts to discuss the issue.
Given the gravity and growth of this crime, it is shocking that the government has not moved to create a separate offence for the possession of multiple identity documents. It is time the government acted to help eradicate this activity that has become so pervasive in our society.