Cold hard card

Mr. O got a telltale envelope in the mail today: his PR card. Was it worth the wait? Well, I'm glad you asked. Here are some facts about the Canadian PR card, described by Captain David Myers of the Florida State Fraud ID Unit as "the most secure ID document in the world today" or as I like to call it, "the Ferrari of cards."

Justification for this claim, unashamedly pasted from a handy LaserCard two-pager:

Following a several year evaluation, the LaserCard® Optical Memory Card was selected for this ID card application, based primarily on the following advantages:
1. High Data Capacity: The 1.1 megabyte optical stripe holds securely all required cardholder information, and can be updated as needed in the future.
2. Cost effectiveness: The LaserCard provides interoperability, future flexibility and growth, tamperproof data storage, durability, and long life.
3. High level of security: The PRC protects the privacy of the cardholder better than the previous IMM 1000 paper form it replaces. Secure information is stored digitally on the optical memory and cannot be erased or fraudulently altered. The optical stripe includes overt, covert and forensic security features and is irreversibly marked with the embedded hologram eye-visible likeness of the cardholder.
4. Durability: As part of the new Canadian PRC 5-year life-time requirement, the LaserCard® was tested and met all stringent durability standards tests as conducted by independent laboratory, Battelle Test Labs of Ohio. Success in the 10-year lifetime U.S. Green Card, and Border Crossing Card programs gave added assurance to the Canadian government.
5. Compatibility: The LaserCard complies with a full suite of inter national technology and application standards, including those defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The Canadian PRC was the first optical memory card to fully comply with ICAO standards for optical memory-based travel cards.
6. Interoperability: Sharing the same technology foundation as the U.S. Green Card and Border Crossing Card, the new Canadian PRC is compatible with U.S. inspection systems and vice versa as part of the U.S./Canada Smart Border Accord. Global interoperability is assured by courtesy of the Logical Data Structure Technical Report first published by ICAO and subsequently as
an information exchange standard by ISO.
7. Flexibility: Optical memory card meets the need for certain card authentication, positive ID, and a future growth path.

Phew. Wasn't that impressive? And for the icing, some Facts at a Glance:

• Implemented in June 2002, and by October 2008, more than 2.5 million cards issued
• Canadian PRC awarded prestigious International Card Manufacturers Association (ICMA) 2003 Élan Award for Technical Achievement
• Judged the most secure card in the world by independent forensic document specialist
• Interoperable with U.S. Green Card and Border Crossing Card

There. Mr. O now has a Ferrari in his wallet. Looking at it from that point of view, it was a bargain.