When applying for a visa to another country do they look into crimianl records,my friend who i'm supposed to be going traveling with to canada for a year has conviction for driving impared, and i noticed on visa application, that that can be a problem.
will they investigate if say no convictions.

REQUIREMENTS TO OBTAIN VISA TO ENTER CANADA

Tourist Visa

* Submit your valid Passport
* 1 Application Form, fully completed and signed
* 2 Recent passport-type photographs
* Completed Cover Page and Credit Card Authorization forms (print from browser)
* Proof of funds available to support your self and dependants during your stay and enable you to leave Canada, such as a bank statement, pay stubs or proof of employment or proof of travelers checks
* Proof of status in USA. (Original I-94; Student form I-20; etc.)
* Copy of Airline Tickets or Travel Agency Itinerary
* Non-refunable Processing fee
* Note: Citizens and residents of certain countries require additional formalities which may require a personal consulate interview and/or add 2-4 weeks to the processing period.

Business Visa

* Submit your valid Passport
* 1 Application Form, fully completed and signed
* 2 Recent passport-type photographs
* Completed Cover Page and Credit Card Authorization forms (print from browser)
* Proof of funds available to support your self and dependants during your stay and enable you to leave Canada, such as a bank statement, pay stubs or proof of employment or proof of travelers checks
* Proof of valid status in USA. (Original I-94; etc.)
* Copy of Airline Tickets or Travel Agency Itinerary
* Non-refunable Processing fee
* Corporate letter of Financial Responsibility

NO BACKGROUND CHECK for a tourist visa.
However, if you admit to a criminal record, they may want you get a background check.

FOR IMMIGRATION:
Certain Canadian Immigration Visa Offices require applicants to obtain Police Clearance Certificates from each State in the U.S.A. where the applicants have resided.

FBI Fingerprint Check—FBI fingerprint checks are conducted for many applications. The FBI fingerprint check provides information relating to criminal background within the United States. If there is a record match, the FBI forwards an electronic copy of the criminal history (RAP sheet) to USCIS. Although the vast majority of inquiries yield no record or match, about 10 percent do uncover criminal history (including immigration violations). Customers with prior arrests should provide complete information and certified disposition records at the time of filing to avoid adjudication delays or denial resulting from misrepresentation about criminal history. Even expunged or vacated convictions must be reported for immigration purposes.

TOURIST VISA WAIVER:
You do not need a visa to visit many countries as tourist.
Currently, 27 countries participate in the Visa Waiver Program, as shown below:
Visa Waiver Program (VWP)
Visa Waiver Program - Participating Countries.
Andorra Iceland Norway
Australia Ireland Portugal
Austria Italy San Marino
Belgium Japan Singapore
Brunei Liechtenstein Slovenia
Denmark Luxembourg Spain
Finland Monaco Sweden
France the Netherlands Switzerland
Germany New Zealand United Kingdom