Canadian officials have confirmed that border authorities will begin collecting passport data from people leaving the country.Minister of Public Safety Ralph Goodale confirmed the step last week."It's nothing more or less than what you find on page two of your passport," Goodale told reporters on Wednesday. "And that is the full name, the nationality, the issuing authority and the gender of the traveller."The measure forms part of proposed changes to the Customs Act,and will help the country implement an entry-exit agreement Canada signed under a joint border initiative with the US in 2011.Collecing the data upon departure will put the country in line with allies like the US and the UK."Having this data will allow us to better respond to amber alerts, for example, on missing children," Goodale said. "It will help us deal with human trafficking, it will help us deal better with illegal travel by terrorist fighters, it will help (Minister of Immigration) John McCallum deal with immigration proceedings and visa applications, and it will help us ensure the integrity of Canadian social programs."
Canada to start collecting exit passport data
