Senate Defence Committee members visit Alberta border crossings and points of entry September 9-11, 2009
Senator Colin Kenny, chair of the Senate Standing Committee on National Security and Defence, and Senators Tommy Banks and David Tkachuk will be visiting Alberta border crossings and points of entry from Sept 9-11, 2009, including Calgary International Airport, Springbank Airport, the Coutts land border crossing and the Raymond Integrated Border Enforcement Team (IBET).
Their itinerary will include:
- Calgary International Airport: walk-a-bout of passenger processing facilities/baggagehandling areas; discussions with enforcement/intelligence officials from the RCMP, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), CSIS and the Calgary Police Service (Airport location)
- Springbank Airport: discussions with CBSA and RCMP enforcement/intelligence officials on the security challenges involving a private airport
- Coutts land border crossing: tour of passenger and commercial processing facilities and briefing on CBSA Intelligence, NEXUS, FAST, Partners in Protection; discussions with CBSA and U.S. officials
- Raymond Integrated Border Enforcement Team (IBET): discussions with U.S. and Canadian partners
Members of the media are invited to accompany Senators as follows:
Calgary International Airport, Wednesday, September 9: 11:30 a.m.
Members of the media are invited to meet at the NEXUS Enrollment Centre - International Departures level across from US Customs Border Protection. There will be a demonstration of a NEXUS passenger clearance and application process.
Senators will be available for interviews immediately following.
Media contact: Maureen Boyd at maureen.boyd@mac.com or (613) 863-1952
Onsite media contact: (403) 650-4295
Springbank Airport, Thursday, September 10: 10:30 a.m.
Members of the media are invited to meet at the Calgary Flying Club – North Entrance, Springbank Airport.
Senators will be available for interviews on the security challenges facing a private airport.
Media contact: Maureen Boyd at maureen.boyd@mac.com or (403) 650-4295
Onsite media contact: (204) 770-7494
Coutts Border Crossing, Highway 4, Thursday, September 10: 1:30 p.m.
Members of the media are invited to meet at the CBSA parking lot on the Canadian side of the border. There will be a demonstration of techniques used to process both people and goods,
including a detector dog team and a X-Ray Scan Trailer.
Senators will be available for interviews immediately following.
Media contact: Maureen Boyd at maureen.boyd@mac.com or (613) 863-1952
Onsite media contact: (204) 770-7494
This is one in a series of visits to border crossings and points of entry taking place across the country. In July, committee members made trips to Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes, received briefings on passenger processing and commercial operations at Pearson, Pierre Elliott Trudeau and Calgary International Airports; the Ports of Hamilton, Montreal, Halifax and Saint John; land crossings at Ambassador Bridge, Fort Erie/Windsor, Stanstead, and St. Stephen from the Canada Border Service Agency, the RCMP, Integrated Border Enforcement Teams (IBETs) and other related border, police, intelligence and immigration authorities. Committee members will visit border crossings and points of entry in British Columbia from September 28 – 30, 2009.
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