CATSA Newsletter

CATSA's Logo Approved

On February 18, CATSA's President and CEO Mr. Jacques Duchesneau presented CATSA's new logo during an unveiling at CATSA's headquarters in Ottawa. The approval followed months of remarkable effort by CATSA's executive team.

From left to right: CATSA's V.P. of Public Affairs Randall McCauley, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary Ian MacKay, CATSA's President & CEO Mr. Jacques Duchesneau, and V.P. of Operations Mark Duncan

"The approval process was a very difficult one," says Mr. Randall McCauley, CATSA's V.P. of Public Affairs.

The new logo is CATSA's unique identifier. The logo's design serves the purpose of representing all elements of CATSA's mandate.

The design of the logo includes an airplane taking off from a runway, the Canadian maple leaf, all in the shape of a badge, signifying authority.

According to Mr. McCauley, the new logo is an important tool to introduce CATSA to the travelling public and to all Canadians.

"At CATSA, we find it important to distinguish our services from those of other airport security agencies such as the RCMP and Canada Customs. Since our creation, we have been trying to define our responsibilities to the public. CATSA's new logo will help us realize that goal," he says.

Now that CATSA has its logo, Mr. McCauley says it's crucial to make use of CATSA's new addition in a responsible manner.

CATSA's President and CEO Attends International Conference in Montreal

On February 22, CATSA's President and CEO, Mr. Jacques Duchesneau, attended an international conference on policing and security in Montreal organized by the Law Commission of Canada.  

In Search of Security brought together the world's leading experts on policing and security to examine the provision of security from a variety of disciplines and addressed issues such as the division of labour between public and private agencies and the innovative frameworks for managing the relationship between policing agencies.

During an address to conference attendees, Mr. Duchesneau introduced CATSA's mandate and CATSA's various stakeholders including airlines, airport authorities and police agencies. Mr. Duchesneau emphasized the importance of cooperation between the different security agencies for the development of an enhanced air security system. 

"Air transportation security involves many stakeholders at different levels. In light of the increased risks, we must ensure that we maintain and solidify our integrated approach to security. All partners carry out their respective roles collaboratively to optimize results and protect the core," said Mr. Duchesneau.

The conference featured plenary sessions and small workshops where security experts had an opportunity to learn about different approaches to security and policing.

Board of Directors Meeting in Vancouver

During their stay in Vancouver, the Board received a tour of the Vancouver International Airport and its operations.

The Board received a demonstration of CATSA's new measures and equipment as well as a demonstration by the RCMP of narcotic and explosives detection K-9s.

During the demonstration, members of the Board were introduced to two Labrador retrievers, one trained to detect narcotic odour on a traveller and the other trained to detect explosives in checked luggage.

According to Inspector Earl Peters of the Police Dog Service Training Centre, these retrievers have advantages that no security equipment can meet.

"The reason why we use retrievers is because they're not intimidating to the public. They're cute and will not instill fear in most travellers," says Mr. Peters.

"These dogs have many years of evolution in detecting scent. A dog's nose is a very sophisticated and distinguished tool. It is one of the best tools to detect explosives. Another advantage these dogs have is mobility. They can check travellers wherever they are. So, the screening of passengers is very subtle but very exact," says Mr. Peters.

CATSA NEWS would like to thank the Vancouver International Airport Authority for providing us with photos of this event.

CATSA Board Member and V.P. of Operations Visit England and Israel

"The threat to air security is closer to home in both these countries. That's why it was very interesting to visit their airports and to discuss the different measures they have implemented to deal first-hand with these threats."

Although Mr. Baker and Mr. Duncan found that CATSA's PBS procedures and updated x-ray and trace units match or exceed the requirements in both Israel and the United Kingdom, they say that the information gathered  during this trip is of great value to CATSA and that it will be used in developing CATSA's future security management systems.

"CATSA's training program is clearly amongst the best which supports the continuing enhancement of security services", says Mr. Baker.But what the trip stressed the most according to both CATSA representatives is the need for good cooperation between agencies and partnership between airlines, airports, police agencies and regulators.

CATSA Demonstrates Its New Measures and Equipment at Vancouver International Airport

"What you saw today was further proof of the Government of Canada's commitment to improved air security in Canada," said CATSA's President and CEO Mr. Jacques Duchesneau to the media following the tour. 

According to CATSA representatives, the event was a success as they received positive feedback from the attendees following the demonstration.

Customer Service at Ottawa International Airport

And although Fabio admits that some travellers can make customer service very challenging for the pre-board screening officer, he says he is upto the challenge.

"They call me the contained one around here. I have mastered the virtue of patience with the travellers. I try to make them as comfortable as possible, and always keep a smile."

"There was this traveller who was passing through my PBS point shortly after 9/11. I was hand-searching him when the hand wand beeped right under his arm," says Fabio holding his own underarm to demonstrate.

"With the events of September 11 still vivid in my memory, I quickly asked him what was under his arm. He put his hand inside his shirt, stretched his arm until he reached his other arm, undid what sounded like an elastic, reached again to the beeping underarm and pulled out of his shirt a money pouch with a metal snap," he says raising his voice, still agitated by the thought.

Bertha is a Duty Manager and a trainer at Ottawa International Airport. According toher, customer service is integrated at every level of CATSA's training program.

 "CATSA has really made a point of stressing the importance of customer service at PBS points. Many travellers are stressed while travelling, either due to personal reasons or to the screening procedures. A pre-board screening officer must keep that in mind when dealing with a traveller. That's what CATSA teaches throughout its training program," she says.

 Bertha began working at the Ottawa International Airport as a pre-board screening officer more than two years ago, moving to supervisor and Duty Manager where she now manages Point Leaders and trains new PBS officers. Having experienced almost every aspect of pre-board screening, she says there is one universal action that has a positive effect on travellers: the smile.

"The smile is part of our uniform," she says "When you're nice to the passenger, he/she will be nice back. If a PBS officer is professional, courteous, and polite, the traveller will automatically acknowledge the effort that person is making and will return that courtesy," she says.

Fabio definitely understands this concept. After an animated and detailed telling of his money pouch story, he delivers the finale.

"And at the end, I pointed the passenger toward the direction of his gate, looked at him and smiled."

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.