Home PSEPC Daily Brief DOB05-208

PSEPC Daily Brief

The PSEPC Daily Brief is a compilation of summaries of publicly available and PSEPC information concerning critical infrastructure protection and emergency management.

DOB05-208 - October 31, 2005

News

Telus workers reject contract
On October 30, Telus Corporation announced that Telecommunications Workers Union (TWU) members have voted to reject the negotiated memorandum of agreement recommended by the TWU leadership. The vote means thousands of employees at Western Canada's largest telephone company remain off the job in Alberta and B.C. Five years of negotiations between the two parties have failed to produce a contract that will merge six separate collective agreements into one.
(Source: GLOBEANDMAIL.COM, October 31, 2005)
Click here for the source article (free subscription required)

For the October 30 TWU news release, go to http://about.telus.com/cgi-bin/media_news_viewer.cgi?news_id=631&mode;=2.

Avian Influenza: WHO issues risk assessment for Africa
On October 28, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued the avian influenza and pandemic threat assessment for Africa. WHO stated that the arrival of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza on the African continent would be of great concern for human and animal health. Surveillance systems in Africa are not sufficiently sensitive to pick up clusters of animal and human cases. This results in the possibility that outbreaks of H5N1 would be missed. In turn, the occurrence of human cases would create enormous new challenges for the continent’s health system, which is already overburdened.
(Source: World Health Organization, October 28, 2005)
Click here for the source article

In brief

More federal funding announced for sustainable transportation projects
On October 28, Transport Minister Jean-C. Lapierre announced that eight projects designed to contribute to a more environmentally friendly transportation system will receive funding of $350,000. The projects are funded under the Moving on Sustainable Transportation (MOST) program, and represent a range of initiatives from promoting cycling in all parts of Canada to supporting a youth summit on sustainable transportation.
(Source: Transport Canada, October 28, 2005)
Click here for the source article

For more information on the MOST program, go to http://www.tc.gc.ca/programs/environment/most/menu.htm.

Cyber risk assessment

Over the course of the past 72 hours, the Canadian Cyber Incident Response Centre (CCIRC) has not detected any significant new threats or vulnerabilities. No significant incidents with the potential to affect critical infrastructure have been reported. Accordingly, based on the information available to CCIRC, the cyber risk facing Canadian critical infrastructure is assessed as low. Personnel responsible for information, systems and network security should continue to apply appropriate security precautions and monitor their systems.

Recent cyber alerts and advisories issued by CCIRC can be viewed under “Recent analytical releases” at www.psepc.gc.ca/ccirc.

See also...

• The Weather Office
• FAC - Travel Updates

Note to readers

Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada (PSEPC) collects information related to cyber and physical threats to, and incidents involving, Canadian critical infrastructure. This allows us to monitor and analyze threats and to issue alerts, advisories and other information products. To report threats or incidents, please contact the Government Operations Centre (GOC) at (613) 991-7000 or goc-cog@psepc-sppcc.gc.ca by e-mail.

Unauthorized use of computer systems and mischief in relation to data are serious Criminal Code offences in Canada. Any suspected criminal activity should be reported to local law enforcement organizations. The RCMP National Operations Centre (NOC) provides a 24/7 service to receive such reports or to redirect callers to local law enforcement organizations. The NOC can be reached at (613) 993-4460. National security concerns should be reported to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) at (613) 993-9620.

Links to sites not under the control of the Government of Canada (GoC) are provided solely for the convenience of users. The GoC is not responsible for the accuracy, currency or the reliability of the content. The GoC does not offer any guarantee in that regard and is not responsible for the information found through these links, nor does it endorse the sites and their content.

Users should be aware that information offered by non-GoC sites not subject to the Official Languages Act, and to which the PSEPC Daily Brief links, might be available only in the language(s) used by the sites in question.