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CATSA Newsletter
February 2003
INSIDE
THIS EDITION
Interview with CATSA's President
and CEO on the Future of CATSA and Canada's Air Security Industry
CN:
Mr. Duchesneau, how do you think this year has been for CATSA?
JD:
A great year. We started out as a new corporation with few staff.
Eight months later, we have over 100 employees at our headquarters
and we qualified 3000 pre-board screening officers at Canada's
89 major airports. I can't think of any corporation that
started from 0 employees to such an operation in 8 months. It's
extraordinary and that's thanks in large part to our headquarters
staff, the pre-boardscreening officers who received
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CATSA's
President and CEO Mr. Jacques Duchesneau |
the training and to
the service providers who are making every effort to see that CATSA's
training program is a successful one.
CN: What were CATSA's
biggest accomplishments this past year?
JD:
Everything has been an accomplishment, from hiring new staff to taking
over pre-board screening, every day is full of new accomplishments for
CATSA and I am sure it's going to be this way for a very long time.
CN: As CATSA's President and CEO, what have been your biggest accomplishments
this past year?
JD: My biggest accomplishments have been getting accustomed to
a new environment, learning about the air transport industry, air security,
the airport environment, and of course meeting new people. I believe my
extensive background in the security field was key in helping me achieve
all these accomplishments.
CN: How would you describe Canada's air transport security
now?
JD: 9/11 shook the foundations of Canada's, and the world's
air security industry. CATSA is one part of the solution. Our role is
to ensure that people feel secure when they're travelling. We need
to enhance confidence in Canada's travelling public through consistency
and exceptional customer service. I am confident that anybody travelling
in Canada will have outstanding service. And that's due to an intensive
process of pre-board screening training, certification as well as constant
evaluation of our system. CATSA has deployed state-of-the-art equipment
at pre-board screening points across the country but it's not just
about equipment, it's about the people behind the equipment, the
pre-board screening officers. Equipment helps them do their job but it's
their attention to detail, their dedication to do the best job they can
that makes the difference.
CN: How do you see the future of Canada's air security?
JD: Improving. We're building ties with the Transportation
Security Administration (TSA), CATSA's American counterpart, as
well as with similar organizations around the world. Canada's air
security is well respected worldwide and our strength is that we're
always very curious as to what security measures are practiced around
the world. We're always trying to find the best practices that will
help us improve our system and always be one step ahead of those with
bad intentions. This network of airlines, airports, law enforcement agencies
and good contact with the public is one of the secrets to our success.
Another secret is communication with the industry. Every time I go to
the airport, I like to spend time with the pre-board screening officers.
I can learn sometimes more from them than from some documents I read.
They have a lot to say and we have to listen.
CN: What changes can travellers see at airports now that CATSA
has taken over?
JD: Travellers can definitely see a change in the quality of
service and in equipment. Pre-board screening training is focused on customer
service. Today's pre-board screening officers have developed various
customer-oriented approaches and great dedication to their job, and of
course we should never forget that smile. For security reasons, the public
can't always see all the equipment we deployed at airports but there's
definitely that feeling that air security has been enhanced. We're
always evolving and we're always testing our system. In six months,
security will be different from how it is today. There is great emphasis
on continuous improvement. We haven't reached an end yet. The pre-board
screening training is just the first step.
CN: What is your message to travellers who are still nervous about taking
a plane?
JD: I'm convinced that air transportation in Canada is
the safest mode of transportation. The system in place right now is way
ahead of most countries. Canada should be proud of what has been accomplished
so far. We have more secure skies over Canada and it's because of
the equipment and the people doing the job at the airports.
CN: What has been your experience travelling to airports across the country?
JD: The trip to the West Coast (last CATSA NEWS issue) was an
eye opener on how we do things. Having a tour of the major airports on
the West Coast helped me get a sense of how our new ideas are being carried
forward. Our headquarters are in Ottawa but our flagship is the pre-board
screening officers.
CATSA's Logo and Uniform Program
For
the past several months, CATSA has been working on the design of its new
logo and is now in the process of seeking federal government approval
to use the logo. The production of the uniform will begin following the
approval of the logo.
Regional Managers Meeting in Ottawa
From
January 29th to 31st, CATSA Regional Managers met in Ottawa for this year's
first Regional Managers' meeting. During their three-day stay, CATSA's
Regional Managers and Executive Team discussed CATSA's goals and
most pertinent issues for the coming year. CATSA's Operations team
provided Regional Managers with an overview of the new screening providers'
responsibilities as well as an update on the maintenance of pre-board
screening equipment. Following the PBS equipment presentation, CATSA's
Public Affairs team offered a general overview of their responsibilities
including communications and strategic affairs. CATSA's Corporate
Management team briefed the Regional Managers on CATSA's 2003 Corporate
Plan and on the latest issues regarding CATSA's communication technology
and website. CATSA would like to thank all Regional Managers for being
the link that makes CATSA's relationship with its stakeholders a
successful one.
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| CATSA's
Regional Managers in Ottawa. Pictured from left to right: CATSA's
General Manager of Operations Dave Smith, Regional Managers Steve
Perris, Bill Thistle, Jaspal Mankoo, Ron Hughes , Twyla Hartt, Thomas
Dyck, Rodney Gore, Antonio Andrade, and Dave Dickie |
First Pre-Board Screening Officers to be Certified
Under CATSA's New Program
On
January 24, Patrice Delva and Christiane Poirier-Marin were
the first pre-board screening officers to be certified under
CATSA's training program. Having gone through CATSA's
Certification Process, Christiane and Patrice say it was well
worth it.
“I congratulate both Patrice and Christiane for being
the first pre-board screening officers in Canada to be certifiedunder
CATSA's new program. I know they are the first of many
new
individuals
who are entering our screening program and I wish them well
as they work their |
Dorval
Certification Advisor Marc Vachon and pre-board screening officer
Christiane Poirier-Marin |
way
through our very dynamic curriculum,” says Tom Hodge,
CATSA's Certification and Training Director.
To obtain their certification, Christiane and Patrice underwent
the first level of training where they were introduced to pre-board
screening duties, aerodrome operations, Canada's civil
aviation legislative framework
and the technology used at the pre-board screening checkpoints.
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CATSA's
Certification Advisor Marie-France Monette with certified pre-board
screening officer Patrice Delva |
There is also
great emphasis placed on customer service. Before being considered
for CATSA' training program, both Christiane and
Patrice had to meet the requirements as set out in the Designated
Standards for Screening Officers (DSSO).
“To
apply for a pre-board screening position, the applicant must
be a Canadian citizen, 18 years of age or older, a high school
graduate and fluent in one or both of the official languages
depending on the region. Once the person meets these requirements,
he/she receives a call from the service provider to set up an
interview,” says Mr. Hodge.
During
the interview, the candidate undergoes many tests including
an aptitude and
proficiency test to determine |
CATSA's
Certification Advisors with the newly certified pre-board screening
officers
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his/her ability
to read x-rays, his/her experience working with the public, his/her
proficiency with technology, and his/her fluency in one or both of
Canada's two official languages.
Following a successful interview, the applicant is asked to undergo
a security clearance process requiring him/her to provide detailed
information on his/her personal history and a copy of his/her fingerprints.
The candidate must also provide a medical form stating he/she is physically
fit to meet the job requirements of a pre-board screening officer.
Following the successful processing of the candidate's security
clearance, he/she is scheduled for the first of three levels that
make up CATSA's pre-board screening training program.
At the end of the two-day Level I course, the trainees must successfully
pass a written and practical evaluation in order to proceed to On-the-Job
Training (OJT) at the airport's screening points where they
spend 10 hours training one-on-one and 20 hours under the watchful
eye of an experienced Point Leader. A pre-board screening trainee
has three months to progress to the next training level, and be certified
by a CATSA Certification Advisor.
Following their Level I certification, the trainees proceed to the
three-day Level II training where they learn more on the technology
used at pre-board screening checkpoints such as walk-through metal
detectors and hand wands. Trainees are also introduced to techniques
of physical search of passengers and of carry-on luggage.
Level II includes instructor-lead presentations aided by computer-based
training modules and practice time in a lab duplicating a screening
line. Level II training is followed by written and practical pre-certification
evaluations. CATSA trainers evaluate the trainee's level of
professionalism, his/her technical knowledge of equipment as well
as his/her understanding of practical technology and security measures.
Only after passing this test is the trainee designated to proceed
with the advanced On-the-Job Training at one of the screening points.
Once again, during the OJT, the trainee spends 10 hours training one-on-one
with the point leader and 20 hours of general supervision. After 30
hours of OJT, the trainee must be certified by a CATSA Certification
Advisor in order to advance to Level 3 training.
During the last level of training, trainees are introduced to Advanced
Customer Service duties, X-ray machine, Explosives Detection Using
Trace machines (EDT) and Advanced Searching Techniques. The three-day
course is then followed by written and practical pre-certification
evaluations. After successfully passing, the trainees can move to
On-the-Job Training where they are required to spend another 20 hours
in one-on-one training and 40 hours training under general supervision,
double the time required in Level I and Level II. Following the completion
of the OJT, trainees receive their final certification and become
fully certified pre-board screening officers. CATSA's
V.P. of Public Affairs Randall McCauley Meets with Transportation
Security Administration's Director of Communications, Mr.
Robert Johnson
On January
18, CATSA's V.P. of Public Affairs Randall McCauley met
with the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA)
Director of Communications,
Mr. Robert Johnson, as part of a joint effort between CATSA
and its American counterpart to
enhance communication between the two corporations.
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CATSA's V.P. of Public Affairs Randall McCauley |
During his three-day
stay in Ottawa, Mr. Johnson received a tour of CATSA's headquarters
and had an opportunity to meet with CATSA's Executive Team.
“Given
the scope of the challenge in the US, we at CATSA are very interested
in what the TSA is doing. The purpose of Mr. Johnson's visit
was to enhance the communication between both countries. Both CATSA
and TSA are working to make air travel between Canada and the US
seamless,” says Mr. McCauley.
According to
Mr. McCauley, CATSA has an excellent relationship with the TSA on
all levels. “Air travel is a critical issue in both countries.
Canadians were deeply affected by the events of 9/11. As a result,
Canada and the US have many common concerns when it comes to air
security and both countries agree that an important factor in ensuring
security on both sides of the border is team work and continuous
communication,” says Mr. McCauley.
During his stay,
Mr. Johnson also received a tour of Canada's Parliament buildings
and met with the Minister of Transport's Director of Communications,
Mr. Anthony Polci, for a brief visit of Transport Canada's
headquarters.
Following briefings
with CATSA's executive team, Mr. Johnson indicated he was
very impressed with CATSA's new training program, the amount
of On-the-Job Training required by pre-board screening trainees
and the great emphasis on customer service.
Seconding Mr.
Johnson's opinion, Mr. McCauley says he is proud of CATSA's
new training program. As V.P. of Public Affairs, Mr. McCauley receives
feedback from across the country on a regular basis regarding customer
service at PBS checkpoints and says that the public is pleased with
the effort being made at pre-board screening checkpoints.
“People are very appreciative when pre-board screening officers
take the time to explain what they're doing. The public always
remembers how they have been treated. If they're treated with
respect, they'll be more willing to comply and make everyone's
job easier,” says Mr. McCauley.
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Three days in the shoes
of Iqualuit Pre-Board Screening Officer Matt Harris |
| Saturday, February 1, 2003
Hello. My
name is Matt Harris. I'm a pre-board screening officer at
Iqualuit Airport. A week ago, I was asked by CATSA NEWS to keep
a one-day diary in which I'd write about my day as a screening
officer in Iqualuit. One day led to two, then three, and I'm
still writing…
While reading
some of the things I wrote down during the past few days, I thought
it would be a good idea to finish this little project by introducing
some of the main factors that make Iqualuit Airport an interesting
place to be: The weather and the geographical
setting.
The most important geographical factor to keep in mind while
reading my short diary is that there are no road links between the
Inuit communities in the Baffin Region (which includes Iqualuit)
so most people fly from one community to the next. The Iqualuit
Airport is the transportation hub of the Baffin Region. Although
it's definitely an airport on the inside, it looks like a
really big yellow space shuttle with numerous windows on the outside
(see Day 1 for visual).
The Iqualuit airport serves as an entry point to Canada for
flights from Greenland, and receives corporate traffic from the
south (Ex: Ottawa, Montreal). Schedules, departure points and the
frequency of flights can change considerably from season to season.
From Eastern Canada, flights to Iqualuit originate in Montreal and
Ottawa. Greenland, a country that shares with Nunavut the same climate,
is a gateway from Europe.
Airport facilities are usually limited to a ticket counter,
baggage office, and a small waiting area (we don't have washrooms...)
On the other hand, Iqualuit Airport has one of the longest runways
in the world. As such, it is listed as an alternate landing site
for space shuttles.
Only after writing for three days on pre-board screening in
Iqualuit can I now grasp the main elements that make working at
the airport not only a unique but at times exciting experience.
If I had to use a metaphor to describe the pre-board screening point
at Iqualuit Airport, I would have to call it a good Reality-TV show
with way too many commercials.
| Day 1: Thursday, January 30, 2003 |
11:30 am: The weather is not
bad outside today
(-40), which explains the blizzard that kept us here until after
midnight last night. (Notice that I wrote here…meaning
that I'm back again at the airport less than ten hours
later).
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Iqualuit
Airport |
11:50: The pre-board screening officers
are all on-site now, by snowmobile of course.
12:46 Arrival of the first jet destined
for Ottawa.
The pre-board screening officers have been called to
the gate. We get called since we don't actually wait
at the pre-board screening area
because it is not terribly comfortable,no coffee shops, no
washrooms. |
PBS
Process at Iqualuit Airport.
Pictured are: PBS officer Dave Hrynkow, PBS officer Matt Harris
and a passenger
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As a result, we keep the screening point closed until approximately
60 minutes before a flight's scheduled departure.
13:35: The screening of passengers is complete.
We had 70 passengers on this flight and probably just as many
laptops.
14:13: Arrival of second jet destined for Kuujauag/
Montreal.
14:33: The PBS officers are called.
14:55: Screening of passengers complete. This
time, we had 20 passengers.
15:15: Screening officers off site.
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15:50:
We're back on site.
Note: lunch was a sub and a pepsi- $16.95. I never said the
North was cheap. Some people pay good money to experience weather
below the freezing range.
16:07: Arrival of third jet.
16:21: PBS called. |
PBS
officer Matt Harris on his snowmobile |
17:09:
The screening of passengers complete- 20 passengers to Kuujjuaq/Montreal/Ottawa.
17:49:
Arrival of fourth jet; security called upon arrival. |
| 18:21: Screening complete- 21 passengers
to Ottawa
18:45: Note: Many of the Inuit elders who come through
the screening point have never been on an airplane before and
therefore have no familiarity with the screening process. In
addition, most of them are unilingual in Inuktitut (An Inuit
language). |
PBS
officer Matt Harris working on the trace machine
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| Day 2: Friday, January 31, 2003 |
| 11:45:
Writer on duty. It's actually sunny today.11:45:
Screening officers on site. They're happy it's
Friday.
It must mean something to people who don't work on weekends.12:42:
Arrival of first jet.
12:50:
PBS officers are called to screening point.
13:20: Screening complete- 62 passengers to Ottawa
Note: It's always fun trying to explain to some of the
traditional hunters that items like walrus (crescent-shaped
knives that the Inuit use to cut frozen meat), narwhal horns
are considered sharp objects. |
PBS
officer Matt Harris retrieving the data from the trace machine
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13:48: Arrival of second jet.
!4:17: PBS officers are called to screening
point.
14:31: Screening complete- a whopping 14 passengers
to Kuujjuaq/ Montreal.
15:00: Screening officers offsite.
16:35: Screening officers back on site.
17:00: Arrival of third jet.
17:33: PBS officers called. |
18:30: Security screening complete- 27 passengers to Ottawa.
Note: Usually twice or three times a day, a carry-on bag will
come through the x-ray machine fully loaded with bright orange
organic material. Upon opening the bag, a screening officer
will find raw caribou meat or frozen arctic char (conveniently
available at the airport store)
20:00:
Writer off duty after a mountain of paperwork.
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Matt
Harris and his paperwork
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| Day 3: Saturday Feb.1, 2003 |
| 17:45:
Writer on duty. Only one flight to screen today.
18:46:
Arrival of aircraft.
18:50:
PBS officers called. |
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19:15:
Screening complete- 43 passengers to Ottawa.
Note: There are some phenomenal stone carvers up here.
Unfortunately, they don't always remember to leave their
rock drills and hammers in their checked baggage!19:40:
Writer off duty- Saturday Night in Iqualuit. |
CATSA NEWS would
like to thank Matt Harris for taking the time to
write this piece and Michel Albert, a freelance
photographer and a PBS screening officer at Iqualuit Airport, for
his photos of one of Canada's most interesting airports and
pre-board screening areas.
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Media Inquiries
If you receive an inquiry from the media about CATSA or
any security-related matters, please direct them to CATSA's Senior
Communications Advisor Renée Fairweather at (613) 998-4527
or Press Advisor, Marianne Keriakos at (613) 998-0311.
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