This came up during a discussion among friends and I was looking for facts on the subject.
Basically it was claimed that if someone were to go into a registration office with your SIN card and say a birth certificate that they would be able to get a license printed off with your name, but their description and picture. I didn’t give my opinion on the matter because truthfully I have no idea. I would have thought they’d have a picture on file to prevent such things, but I’d rather know for sure.
So is it true? Does it vary state to state or Canada to American?
In Virginia, they have a photo on file but ony after you get the license. If you already have a VA license and someone tried to get another in your name, they might not be able to (I’m not sure what would happen) but they could go to 49 other states and DC to do it. It’s illegal to hold a license from more than one state at a time but I doubt that the states have any sort of protocol to check with other states on this sort of thing.
When I was a teen in the late '80s, the OP’s method would work for getting a duplicate license (In the Peoples Republic of Massachusetts). There may have been a 3rd item needed, but I don’t remember.
As an adult (in body, anyway 
), I live in New Hampshire, and it’s tougher, as they have my photo on file now. The days of grabbing your older brother’s info, and getting his duplicate, are gone.
…I think…
In most states, in order to get a new license in that state, you have to surrender your license from the old state, often issuing a “temporary” license. The new state then does a check (usually after you’ve left) to make sure that you’re a legal driver there, and informs your old state’s DMV that you’ve acquired a new license. If you’re not legal, or for some other reason have a hold on your license, your temp one will likely expire.