ISS > GOVERNMENT INDUSTRIAL SECURITY ADVISORY BOARD: GISAB MEETINGS

GOVERNMENT INDUSTRIAL SECURITY ADVISORY BOARD (GISAB)

RECORD OF DISCUSSION

Government Industrial Security Advisory Board
Second Meeting
Thursday, June 1, 2006
9:30 - 12:00
2745 Iris Street, 1st Floor Boardroom

Participants

• David Schwartz - Canada Border Services Agency
• Norm Weir (*) - Canadian Commercial Corporation
• Helen Brown - Canadian Security Intelligence Service
• Louise Lacelle - Communications Security Establishment
• Robert Maheu (*) - Correctional Service Canada
• Darlene Delaney (for Charles Hall) - Industry Canada
• Michael Rooney - International Trade Canada
• Arlene Benson (*) - National Defence
• Scott Derrah (for Paul Herring) - National Defence
• Cathy Collins - Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
• Katie Tolan (for Mike Baker) - Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
• Chris Porter (for Brent Kereliuk) - Public Works and Government Services
• Aaron McCrorie (*) - Transport Canada
• Hugh Gillis - Treasury Board Secretariat
  
  (*) departmental participation and membership confirmed

Industrial Security Sector (ISS)
Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC)

• Gerry Deneault, Director General
• Albert Bissonnette, A/Director, Canadian and International Industrial Security Directorate (CIISD)
• Peter Hull, Director, Director, Controlled Goods Directorate (CGD)
• Cynthia Armstrong, A/Director, Program Harmonization and Services Directorate (PHSD)
• Michelle Tardif, Manager, Strategic Planning and Performance Measurement (PHSD) and GISAB Secretariat

Observers

• Rachelle Angus, Business Transformation Project (PHSD)
• Marc Charron, Policy Research and Risk Management (PHSD)
• Karen Clost, Manager, Business Systems Operations (PHSD)
• Michel Doiron, Manager, Case Management and Best Practices (CGD)
• Pierre Gagne, Manager, Registration and Outreach (CGD)
• Mike Genest, Manager, Inspections and Investigations (CGD)
• Michel Boulet, Manager, Registration and Outreach (CIISD)
• Tita Cochrane, Manager, Canadian and International Industrial Security, Visits and Document Control (CIISD)
• Robert Dawson, Manager, Personnel Security (CIISD)
• Yves Lafleur, Inspections and Investigations (CIISD)

Overview of Discussions

1. Introduction

• Gerry Deneault welcomed new and returning members and reiterated the purpose of establishing GISAB.
  
  
• Agenda for today: Approved
  
  
• Record of Discussion from February 2, 2006: Approved.

2. Update on Activities

• Industrial Security Advisory Board Meeting of March 30, 2006 – Gerry highlighted the following items from the Record of Discussion for the March 30th ISAB:
  
  - Strategic Steering Committee-Security (SSC-S) – This TBS/PCO-led committee was created to deal with government-wide strategic security issues and remove “silos”. Gerry noted that he hopes to act as a link between ISAB/GISAB interests and SSC-S and vice versa.
  
  - Contract Security and Controlled Goods working groups – These two working groups are being created to help review, develop and forward issues referred by ISAB as well as annual outreach plans and processes, policies, manuals and regulations.
  
  - Identification of Security Community – ISAB expressed concern about the inaccessibility of clear information on the roles and responsibilities of various security and intelligence organizations in the government. ISS (Peter Hull) agreed to develop a vehicle/map (link to ISS’ website) to allow companies to easily find information on security-related functions in government and to identify those responsible for the functions.
  
  
• 40th Annual Joint Meeting of the Canadian Construction Association / Government of Canada – Gerry apprised members of his attendance at the April 24, 2006 meeting and noted that the creation of ISAB and GISAB was viewed in a very positive light. Industry concerns shared with both ISAB and GISAB members (i.e., need for clearer project security identification in contracts, more pre-procurement security needed; more portability of clearances, etc.) were raised at this forum and PWGSC’s/ISS intentions to pursue solutions noted.

3. Business Transformation Report

• Gerry briefed members on the background on this project for the review of all ISS operations and their legislated and policy drivers. The Business Transformation Project Team (consultant and dedicated ISS resource) submitted its report by the target date with 78 operational and administrative recommendations. These 78 recommendations were subsequently refined and prioritized by ISS’ Extended Management Team. Initiatives will be pursued over the next three years -- several that industry and clients will see directly, while others will be behind the scenes. Activities for the upcoming year include:
  

1. Creating an online enquiry tool to allow authorized private sector and government officials with a secure internet access to verify or confirm the existence of a private sector organization’s Security clearance/ screening as well as an individual’s personnel security screening;
2. Reviewing procedures and policies, such as Sponsorship, Draft Security in contracting Standard and, if warranted, initiating a TBS Security Policy Implementation Notice;
3. Implementing an E-learning tool for all CSOs and DOs to use; this module could also be used as a learning tool for all employees within ISS;
4. Encouraging courier companies such as FedEx, DHL, etc., to register themselves with PWGSC’s ISP, and start using their services for the transmission of classified documents;
5. Assessing all forms for feasibility of developing fillable forms to be posted to the program Websites; followed by analysis regarding smart forms;
6. Refining Performance Measurement statistics and providing on websites.

• Legal and Access to Information and Privacy advice is being sought for several of these initiatives.
  
  
• Members confirmed that there is the need for the community to address the use of common standards and cross-government acceptance of clearances.
  
  
• It was noted that the new policy on procurement could impact the Security and Contracting Standard. Until that time, however, it was agreed that elements previously approved by government representatives would be pursued using a more informal mechanism such as a TBS SPIN or a PSWGSC ISS Announcement to all DSOs and CSOs.

4. Upcoming Activities

• ISS A-Base Funding: Gerry provided a historical perspective on ISS’ pursuit of a sufficient and stable A-base but noted that this has still not been resolved. In the meantime, the Department has been providing interim “survival” funding to the Industrial Security Program. He also mentioned that all of the backlogs, which were of high concern for ISS last year, have been eliminated thanks to one-time funding provided by the DM PWGSC.
  
  
• Joint ISAB/GISAB meeting - October 5, 2006 (tentative): Members agreed that a joint meeting of the two groups would be very useful and would give ISAB the opportunity to share their concerns with the broader industrial security network.
  
  
• U.S./Canada Bi-lateral Meeting on Industrial Security: ISS is working with the U.S. representatives and other departments who have an interest in industrial security with the U.S. to hold a meeting in the fall. A tentative Agenda has been developed. The first day will focus on how Canada protects government information and goods with briefings by different Canadian interests (ISS, RCMP, CISIS), and the second day on U.S. industrial security processes and issues of concern to both countries.

5. Round Table

• Several departments reiterated their support for improving communications government-wide on industrial security issues through GISAB and improved industry-government communications through ISAB/GISAB deliberations.
  
  
• The need to address common standards and cross-government acceptance of clearances was confirmed.
  
  
• Departments were encouraged to take advantage of ISS’ Outreach activities to brief or update personnel.
  
  
• Peter Hull and Albert Bissonnette highlighted some of the progress made in their respective directorates over the past year, including
  
  

1. over 1,500 new and renewed Controlled Goods registrations processed
2. over 1,300 inspections completed
3. backlogs in both areas (CG registration, and inspection) eliminated
4. performance standards for registration and inspection deliverables established
5. prioritization criteria and risk management framework for the conduct of Controlled Goods inspections implemented

1. over 93,400+ people cleared
2. over 340,00 cleared people in our database
3. over 5,800 companies registered in our program

• Members mentioned some of the industrial security-related priorities in their own departments including :

1. Hugh Gillis (Treasury Board) – policy suite;
   
   
2. Katie Tolan (PSEPC) – Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP);
   
   
3. Helene Brown (CISIS)– government screening, improved capacity technologically, removing hurdles such as de-activating and reactivating clearances;
   
   
4. Michael Rooney (ITC) – dual nationals.

Action Items

Government Departments agreed to advise the Industrial Security Sector (michelle.tardif@pwgsc.gc.ca) whether:

Industrial Security Sector agreed to:

Reference

• Terms of Reference
  
  
• Link to ISS Website
  - GISAB - http://www.iss.gc.ca/text/gisab/board_e.htm
  - ISAB - http://www.iss.gc.ca/text/isab/board_e.htm
  
  

Next Meeting

• Joint GISAB-ISAB Meeting
  - October 5, 2006 (tentative)
  - Place du Portage, Hull (to be advised on specific location)