No. H152/01
For release December 11, 2001

TRANSPORT MINISTER COLLENETTE 
DETAILS $2.2 BILLION IN AIR 
SECURITY MEASURES FROM BUDGET

OTTAWA — Transport Minister David Collenette today outlined details concerning the wide-ranging air security initiatives contained in the December 2001 budget.

The Government of Canada will:

• Create, through legislation, a new Canadian Air Transport Security Authority responsible for the provision of key air security services. The Authority will be a federal entity and will report to the Minister of Transport.
• Enhance pre-board screening at Canadian airports and provide new annual funding of up to $128 million per year. This new funding represents a 78 per cent increase over the airlines' expenditures last year for pre-board screening. In addition, the Government of Canada will provide up to $10 million this fiscal year to implement immediate improvements to airport screening practices.
• Contribute over $1 billion over the next five years for the purchase, deployment and operation of advanced explosives detection systems (EDS) at airports across the country, covering 99 per cent of all air passengers.
• Effective immediately, expand the program of armed police on aircraft that has already been initiated on flights to Washington Reagan National Airport, to cover selected domestic and international flights.
• Develop new standards and regulations for security improvements to aircraft design, and provide up to $35 million to assist with modifications to existing aircraft.
• Make annual contributions for costs associated with aviation security-related policing at major airports and make one-time payments totalling a maximum of $20 million this year for heightened policing and security at airports resulting from the terrorists attacks in the United States.
• Fund further significant increases to Transport Canada staffing associated with aviation security functions, including hiring new inspectors to provide increased oversight of aviation security.

"Canada has one of the safest and most secure air transportation systems in the world; a system which is now even safer thanks to the actions taken by the Government of Canada and the aviation community since the tragic terrorist acts of September 11," said Minister Collenette. "The comprehensive and far-reaching initiatives announced in the budget will ensure we can maintain and improve on that record in the months and years to come.

"With the creation of a new Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, we will have the benefits of flexibility, private sector involvement and sensitivity to local needs under a federal government institution, accountable to the Minister of Transport," added Mr. Collenette. "The Authority will ensure personnel certification, quality service and national consistency in security services."

In addition, Minister Collenette announced that all passengers on Canadian flights will be subject to new limits on carry-on baggage, and that all passengers on flights bound for the U.S. will be subject to random secondary searches at the departure gate prior to boarding the aircraft and their checked luggage subject to random hand searches at check-in.

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Contact: 

Anthony Polci,
Director of Communications,
Office of the Minister, Ottawa,
(613) 991-0700

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BACKGROUNDER

NEW CANADIAN AIR TRANSPORT SECURITY AUTHORITY

The Government of Canada is committed to improving the safety and security of Canada's air transport system.

Establishing a new Canadian Air Transport Security Authority under federal government control will result in a consistent and integrated air transport security system across Canada, as well as enhanced security performance standards and services. This will also provide the benefits of flexible delivery mechanisms and sensitivity to local needs.

As a federal government entity, the Authority will be accountable to the Minister of Transport for the delivery of consistent, effective, and highly professional service at or above the standards set by federal regulations.

While making the best use of existing and new resources and service delivery mechanisms, the Authority will be responsible for:

• pre-board screening of passengers and their belongings;
• acquisition, deployment and maintenance of explosives detection equipment at airports;
• federal contributions for airport policing related to civil aviation security measures; and
• contracting for armed police on board aircraft.

The majority of the Authority's Board members will be appointed by the Government of Canada. Airlines and airports will also have members on the Board.

Transport Canada will continue to regulate the provision of security services and will dedicate new resources, including hiring additional inspectors, to increase the level of monitoring and testing of the aviation security system.

The Government of Canada, through budget implementation legislation, intends to create the new Authority early in 2002. Transport Canada is working with other federal departments including the Solicitor General, and with the air transport industry, to ensure an efficient and effective transition.

The Government of Canada will be providing up to $128 million per year for improvements to the existing pre-board screening services and will provide up to $10 million in this fiscal year to implement immediate improvements to airport screening practices.

The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority will be responsible for the management and delivery of pre-board screening at airports, taking over this function from the airlines.

The Authority will be accountable for improving the effectiveness and consistency of screening services across the country using a stable, well-qualified and well-trained workforce.

As such, the Authority will test and certify all security officers responsible for the delivery of screening services. Certification will be awarded on the basis of new security and training standards set by the Authority in accordance with enhanced Transport Canada regulatory requirements.

The Authority will have the power to either recruit and deploy its own security officers or to enter into arrangements for local delivery. In the case of large airports, for instance, it may be more effective for the new Authority to rely on airport authorities for personnel management and local recruitment, while retaining overall accountability.

In addition, the Authority will have the ability to enter into service contracts with security organizations in Canada.

Such service contracts, however, will be limited to security organizations that have been certified in advance by the Authority on the basis of national quality standards set by the Authority in accordance with Transport Canada's regulatory requirements. Screening officers will also be individually tested and certified by the Authority.

The Authority will be able to set conditions for employment for both its own employees and for employees under service contracts. These conditions could include appropriate performance standards, minimum wage rates, maximum hours of work and conditions relating to retention, including ongoing training.

Transport Canada will continue to establish regulations and to carry out rigorous monitoring and enforcement.

The Government of Canada will be providing over $1 billion over the next five years for the purchase, deployment and maintenance of new explosives detection systems (EDS) at Canadian airports. It is expected that this equipment will be deployed at airports covering 99 per cent of the total air passenger traffic in Canada.

The Authority will be responsible for:

• ensuring compliance with Transport Canada's EDS regulations and standards;
• acquiring new EDS equipment and associated technologies; and
• deploying, managing and ensuring the proper use, operation and maintenance of EDS equipment.

The Government of Canada will make annual contributions to help cover the costs associated with aviation security-related policing at major airports.

The new Authority will provide funding to airport authorities, which will make appropriate arrangements with police forces.

In addition, the Government of Canada will provide one-time payments totalling a maximum of

$20 million for heightened policing and security at airports following the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11.

The Government of Canada is immediately expanding its program of armed police on board aircraft on selected domestic and international flights.

The Authority will enter into agreements with the RCMP to provide the officers and the necessary training for this program and oversee the delivery of services.

Transport Canada will continuously assess requirements, together with government security agencies and other departments, to determine the level of armed police needed on board aircraft to meet Canadian security objectives. For security reasons, further details will not be made available.

Since October 12, the Government of Canada has facilitated Air Canada's access to Reagan National Airport in Washington by making armed RCMP officers available for Air Canada flights to this airport.

Immediate funding for armed police on board aircraft will be provided even before the new Canadian Air Transport Security Authority takes over responsibility for this function.

The Government of Canada will be providing up to $35 million over two years to airlines to help cover the cost of security modifications to existing passenger aircraft resulting from new standards and regulations currently in development.

Transport Canada is working with industry, the U. S. Federal Aviation Administration and other aviation authorities to develop these new standards and regulations that are expected to be finalized over the coming months.

Transport Canada is also initiating further enhancements to aviation security measures, including requirements that:

• all passengers in Canada be subject to new limits on carry-on luggage; and
• all passengers travelling on flights bound for the U.S. be subject to random secondary searches at the departure gate prior to boarding the aircraft and their checked luggage be subject to random hand searches at check-in.

COMPARISON OF PRE-BOARD SCREENING - BEFORE AND AFTER SEPTEMBER 11 TERRORIST ATTACKS

ACTIONS TAKEN FOLLOWING SEPTEMBER 11 TERRORIST ATTACKS

The following is a chronology of events and major related announcements following the closure of airspace on September 11, 2001, in response to the terrorist attacks in the United States:

Immediately following the tragic events in the United States, Transport Minister David Collenette declared that no commercial or private aircraft were allowed to depart Canadian airports until further notice. The only exceptions were military, police and humanitarian flights.

The Canadian aviation system immediately began preparations to accept flights previously destined for the United States that could no longer land in that country. At the time of the terrorist incidents, approximately 500 aircraft were en route to North American airports. More than half these aircraft returned to their points of departure; the remaining 226 continued on to various destinations across Canada.

Security measures were also immediately taken at airports across the country, including evacuation of some areas and deployment of police or security at key access points.

Minister Collenette announced the lifting of restrictions on domestic air travel within Canadian airspace, and also announced that Canadian airports would operate under heightened security measures. Diverted flights were then released for travel to their original destinations (flights to the U.S. still required clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration).

New security enhancements announced included increased police presence at major airports, increased passenger screening and additional security procedures, including more hand searches of baggage.

Minister Collenette announced that restrictions on international, trans-border and private flights had been lifted. Passenger flights to the U.S. not previously released were also allowed to resume, although many airports in the United States remained closed to trans-border traffic.

The Minister removed restrictions imposed on cargo flights – the last of the flight restrictions imposed in Canadian airspace on September 11, 2001.

The Minister emphasized that the return to normal flight operations in Canada continued to be a gradual process. This was especially true for trans-border flights into the United States, where certain airports remained closed.

The last of the 226 flights diverted to Canadian airports was cleared to leave for its final destination.

Minister Collenette announced that cockpit doors on all Canadian airline passenger flights, domestic and international, must be locked for the full duration of flights.

Minister Collenette announced that the Government of Canada would provide a 90-day indemnity for third-party war and terrorism liabilities for essential aviation service operators in Canada to help ensure aviation services can be maintained uninterrupted. This action was taken in response to the decision by international insurers to no longer provide the required levels of war risk liability insurance previously in place.

Minister Collenette announced that Transport Canada is purchasing a quantity of new, advanced explosives detection systems (EDS) for use at Canadian airports. These new systems will supplement explosives detection equipment already in use at Canadian airports.

The Government of Canada announced up to $160 million in compensation for Canadian air carriers and specialty air operators for net losses resulting from the closure of Canada's airspace following the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001.

The Government of Canada announced $79 million for a wide range of new measures to enhance the security of operations at Canada's airports including $55.7 million for the purchase of advanced explosives detection systems (EDS), $3 million to deploy airport security inspectors across Canada and $750,000 for an analysis of advanced and evolving security practices and technologies.

The Government of Canada announced that it will help facilitate Air Canada's access to Reagan National Airport in Washington and that armed RCMP officers will be available for Air Canada flights to this airport.

The Government of Canada introduced new legislation, known as the Public Safety Act, Bill C-42, to strengthen the Government's ability to improve the safety of Canadians, to prevent terrorist attacks and to respond quickly if significant threats should arise. This Bill includes amendments to the Aeronautics Act that clarify and update existing aviation security authorities; strengthen other security authorities; address the issue of passenger data that may be required at home and abroad; and make it an offence to engage in any behaviour that endangers the safety of passengers or crew by interfering with crew members or those following their instructions (commonly referred to as "air rage").

The Government of Canada introduced Bill C-44, created by removing a small section from Bill C-42, to give air carriers the ability to provide limited advanced data on passengers to the United States as required by U.S. law, strictly for purposes of security.

Minister Collenette announced that, effective December 22, the Government of Canada will provide a 45-day extension of indemnity for third-party war and terrorism liabilities for essential aviation service operators in Canada to help ensure aviation services can be maintained uninterrupted.

Minister Collenette announced details of the new air security measures announced in the December 2001 budget. This includes the creation of a new Canadian Air Transport Security Authority; funding of up to $128 million per year for pre-board screening; funding of over $1 billion over the next five years for the purchase and deployment of new explosives detection systems; a national program of armed police on aircraft; funding of up to $35 million to assist with modifications to existing aircraft, one-time payments totalling a maximum of $10 million to implement immediate improvements to airport screening practices; and one-time payments totalling a maximum of $20 million for enhanced policing and security following the September 11 attacks in the United States.