What are the main purposes of a national ID card system?
A national ID card as a general identification document could be used in many different situations, both in dealing with government agencies and private entities. In fact, one of the main goals of introducing a national ID card is the so called ‘synergy effect’ of replacing multiple identification documents with a single, standardized, and widely recognized document. A prominently discussed use of national ID cards is immigration and border control. The Canadian discussion of national ID cards is, on the governmental side, spearheaded by the Department of Citizenship and Immigration. Interestingly, immigration and border control is an area that is already served by three strong identification systems: passports, the Permanent Resident’s Card (“Maple Leaf Card”), and the Citizenship Card. Nevertheless, the Minister for Citizenship and Immigration, Denis Coderre, sees a great need for an additional card, especially in the face of frequent demands by the U.S. to increase border security b
