Canada's Maple Leaf card for new immigrants, the Canadian government's high-profile response to complaints about border security, is reportedly being counterfeited in Europe.
Criminal operations set up to reproduce identification documents from countries around the world are counterfeiting the ID, MPs were told during a recent six-city tour of Europe.
The Maple Leaf card is a wallet-sized, plastic photo ID with a number of fraud-resistant features that is replacing the paper document used by landed immigrants as a travel document. The new card was fast-tracked by the federal government in response to intense pressure from the United States after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
It displays a laser-engraved photograph and signature, as well as the name, nationality, date of birth, gender, eye colour, height, place of landing, immigrant category and client ID number. More sensitive personal information from the record of landing is encoded on an optical strip.
Joe Fontana, the committee chairman, said yesterday the anecdotal reports should not come as a surprise since no document is safe from illegal attempts to reproduce.
"The new Maple Leaf is one of the best ID cards in the world, but there is no shortage of effort out there in trying to reproduce any ID card, document or credit card," Mr. Fontana said.
"Anything can be reproduced, if you're willing to pay enough money."
He said ID theft is a billion-dollar business around the world and allows criminals to defraud the federal and provincial governments in health care and other social programs. Mr. Fontana, Liberal MP for London North Centre, said the report he heard was that no counterfeit Maple Leaf card has been detected by custom officers but they are aware that the false documents exist.
Canadian Alliance MP Diane Ablonczy said the reports of counterfeiting are another indication Immigration Minister Denis Coderre's plans to bring in a mandatory biometrics ID card will be another waste of government money.
"This card, which they have made such a big deal out of its release, is apparently already being counterfeited after being out there only a few months," said Ms. Ablonczy. She said efforts to produce a smart card are obviously misplaced because even when Canada identifies illegal immigrants, the government fails to deport them.
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