Cost efficient

Re: “EPassports to have chips,” Oct. 27.

I would like to clarify several points concerning Canada’s new ePassport for your readers. The article may have left the incorrect impression that the redesign will lead to higher costs, when in fact the cost of the 10-year ePassport (the product that Canadians indicated they were most likely to buy) will be less on a per annum basis than the current five-year passport.

Indeed, the new ePassport increases security and its new design reinforces that security by making it much more difficult to counterfeit. As Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird pointed out, no design is 100 per cent secure forever, which is why periodic changes are made to it.

We are very much committed to keeping the Canadian passport one of the world’s most secure travel documents. The Canadian ePassport will be available in early 2013. Christine Desloges,

Gatineau, Que. Christine Desloges is CEO of

Passport Canada.