Counter-Terrorism Capacity Building Assistance

Since September 11^th, Canada has gone to considerable effort to increase our domestic capacity to prevent and respond to terrorist infiltration and attack. Strengthening our domestic response has been and should be a priority. However, our security is inextricably linked to that of other states. When other states lack the resources or expertise to prevent and respond to terrorist activity, the security of Canadians and Canadian interests, at home and abroad, is at risk.

Counter-terrorism capacity building (CTCB) assistance is the provision of training, funding, equipment, technical and legal assistance to other states to enable them to prevent and respond to terrorist activity in a manner consistent with international counter-terrorism and human rights norms, standards and obligations.

Much of the impetus driving this assistance stems from the UN Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), which plays a central role in ensuring that states implement UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1373. The UN CTC determines the scope of what constitutes counter-terrorism capacity building assistance. The CTC also promotes coordination between international organizations engaged in providing this assistance or determining country needs. Canada provides counter-terrorism capacity building assistance to other states under UN Security Council Resolution 1456, in which the Security Council notes that "States should assist each other to improve their capacity to prevent and fight terrorism, and notes that such cooperation will help facilitate the full and timely implementation of resolution 1373..."

Counter-terrorism capacity building assistance also features high on the agendas of the G8, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Commonwealth, the Organization of American States (OAS), and other bodies of which Canada is a member. New standards and regulations, such as those stemming from UNSCR 1373 and functional organizations such as the International Maritime Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization and the World Customs Organization have created obligations for developing states for which they do not always have the resources and expertise to respond. As a result, Canada receives an increasing number of requests to provide this assistance. We are committed to assisting others, in a manner which transmits Canadian values, such as the respect for human rights and the rule of law.

Program Mandate

The CTCB Program was created in late 2005 to provide training, funding, equipment, technical and legal assistance to other states to enable them to prevent and respond to terrorist activity in a manner consistent with international counter-terrorism and human rights norms, standards and obligations.

• Border security;
• Transportation security;
• Legislative, regulatory and legal policy development, legislative drafting, and human rights and counter-terrorism training;
• Law enforcement, security, military and intelligence training;
• Chemical/biological/radiological/nuclear and explosives (CBRNE) terrorism prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery;
• Combating the financing of terrorism; and
• Cyber security and critical infrastructure protection.

Administered at Foreign Affairs by the CTCB Program Secretariat (ICTC), the Program is managed interdepartmentally by 19 federal departments and agencies (the "Interdepartmental Steering Committee") to ensure a whole-of-government approach to this assistance. Foreign Affairs Canada will work collaboratively with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) to ensure that bilateral programming in this area is complementary to CIDA programming in beneficiary states.

Most Program assistance will be provided by 19 federal departments and agencies, although initiatives conducted by Crown Corporations, provincial and municipal officials (such as police services and justice ministries), as well as established international, private-sector, non-governmental organizations and centres of expertise will also be eligible for support through the Program.

Similar programs exist in the US State Department and the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which will facilitate joint activity and the leveraging of resources. Canada will also continue to work with other members of the Counter-Terrorism Action Group to coordinate assistance, avoid duplication, and provide this assistance in areas where we have particular expertise.

Canadian Experts Wanted

If you have expertise in training, technical or legal assistance related to any of the seven priority areas of this Program, or are a private sector organization with a related good, service, equipment or technology, a Canadian organization known as CANADEM will establish a roster of Canadian counter-terrorism capacity building expertise. Experts may be officials in a Canadian federal, provincial or municipal organization (e.g. judiciary, counsel, police services, first responders); self-employed consultants; or a Canadian working with an academic institution (in a training capacity), a non-governmental or private sector organization. CANADEM will make the roster available to international organizations and other partners looking for experts to provide assistance to developing states. Please periodically check this site or the CANADEM site for more information on when this roster will be operational.