Senate Defence Committee chair visits British Columbia border crossings and ports of entry September 30-October 2, 2009
Senator Colin Kenny, chair of the Senate Standing Committee on National Security and Defence, will be visiting British Columbia border crossings and points of entry from September 30 – October 2, 2009, including Vancouver International Airport, the Pacific Highway border crossing and Port Metro Vancouver. His itinerary will include:
- Vancouver International Airport: walk-a-bout of passenger processing facilities/baggage-handling areas; discussions with enforcement/intelligence officials from the RCMP, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), CSIS; tour of commercial and mail operations
- Pacific Highway border crossing: tour of passenger and commercial processing facilities and briefing on CBSA and RCMP intelligence, RCMP Integrated Border Enforcement Team (IBET); discussions with U.S. officials
- Port Metro Vancouver: tour of CBSA cargo and passenger marine operations, briefings on RCMP marine operations and the National Port Enforcement Team (NPET)
Members of the media are invited to accompany Senator Kenny as follows:
Vancouver International Airport, Wednesday, September 30: 10:30 a.m.
Members of the media are invited to meet at the NEXUS Enrolment Centre – 2nd floor departures level, across from US departures for a tour of the NEXUS Enrolment Centre and a demonstration of the biometric technology used in this program. CBSA’s Currency Detector Dog Team will also be on hand to show how they support Canada’s Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act.
Senator Kenny will be available for interviews.
Media contact: Maureen Boyd at maureen.boyd@mac.com or (613) 863-1952
Onsite media contact: (604) 561-3203
Pacific Highway Border Crossing (Truck Crossing), Thursday, October 1: 10:30 a.m.
Members of the media are invited to meet at the Pacific Highway border crossing 28 176th Street, Surrey. Several seized vehicles will be on display in CBSA’s compound, and officers will show how they detect hidden compartments in vehicles used by criminals attempting to smuggle contraband into Canada.
Senator Kenny will be available for interviews.
Media contact: Maureen Boyd at maureen.boyd@mac.com or (613) 863-1952
Onsite media contact: (604) 561-3203
Port Metro Vancouver, Friday, October 2: 11 a.m.
Members of the media are invited to meet at Port Metro Vancouver’s Centerm.
CBSA officers will use the latest technology to progressively examine a marine container. Weather permitting, members of the media may then board an RCMP IBET Patrol Vessel. The IBET Patrol Vessel, which was put into service in July 2009, supports the Shiprider program whereby RCMP and United States Coast Guard officers ride together on the same patrol boats to combat smuggling, police the boundary waters and enforce the laws of both Canada and the U.S.
Media must preregister 24 hours in advance, by contacting Faith St John at faith.stjohn@cbsa.gc.ca or (604) 666-5492.
Senator Kenny will be available for interviews.
Media contact: Maureen Boyd at maureen.boyd@mac.com or (613) 863-1952
Onsite media contact: (604) 561-3203
This is the last in a series of visits to border crossings and points of entry that have taken place across the country. In July and in September, committee members made trips to Ontario, Quebec, the Maritimes and Alberta, received briefings on passenger processing and commercial operations at Pearson, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Halifax and Calgary International Airports and at the private airport at Springbank, the Ports of Hamilton, Montreal, Halifax and Saint John; land crossings at Ambassador Bridge, Fort Erie/Windsor, Stanstead, St. Stephen and Coutts from the Canada Border Service Agency, the RCMP, Integrated Border Enforcement Teams (IBETs) and other related border, police, intelligence and immigration authorities.
The purpose of the trips is to:
- receive an updated picture of the issues and challenges affecting Canadian border security
- evaluate coordination and cooperation between the RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
- evaluate the management of Canada’s ports of entry
- evaluate existing (and possible) mechanisms for cooperation between the Canada and U.S. border, police, intelligence and immigration authorities
- receive briefings on effectiveness and timeliness of intelligence and the state of cooperation and coordination between government agencies
Senators are particularly interested in the relationship between border security and the economy in Canada and will be examining the border issues in that context.
The trip follows testimony given by Mike Cabana, Assistant Commissioner, Federal and International Operations, Border Integrity Section and Warren Coons, Director of the Integrated Border Enforcement Teams (IBET) of the RCMP before the committee on June 8, 2009 and testimony given by Barbara Hébert, Vice-President, Operations Branch and Kimber Johnston, Vice-President, Enforcement Branch of the Canada Border Services Agency on June 22, 2009.
That testimony as well as the Committee’s schedule of meetings, mandate, membership and biographical notes of Senators, recent reports and minutes of proceedings can be accessed at http://senate-senat.ca/defe-e.asp
Previously constituted Senate Committees on National Security and Defence published two earlier reports on border security:
1) Canadian Security Guide Book: 2007 Edition: Border Crossings
Published 39th Parliament, 2nd session
http://www.parl.gc.ca/39/1/parlbus/commbus/senate/com-e/defe-e/rep-e/rep10mar07-e.pdf
2) Borderline Insecure: Canada’s Land Border Crossings are Key to Canada’s Security and Prosperity. Why the Lack of Urgency to Fix Them? What will Happen If We Don’t?
Published 38th Parliament, 1st session
http://www.parl.gc.ca/38/1/parlbus/commbus/senate/com-e/defe-e/rep-e/repintjun05-e.htm
For further information or to arrange for interviews, please contact:
Maureen Boyd
Tel.: 613-863-1952
maureen.boyd@mac.com