No. H175/06
For release December 11, 2006

CANADA’S NEW GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTES TO
INTERNATIONAL AVIATION SECURITY EFFORTS

MONTREAL - The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, together with the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, today reiterated Canada’s New Government’s commitment to support global counter-terrorism and security initiatives and announced that it is contributing $405,000 to the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Security Awareness Training Program.

"Canada’s aviation security program meets or exceeds international standards and ranks among the best in the world," said Minister Cannon. "This contribution to international counter-terrorism efforts builds on our excellent relationship with ICAO, and we look forward to working in collaboration with our international partners to further enhance aviation security."

ICAO’s Security Awareness Training Program helps developing states meet international aviation security standards. Canada’s contribution to this initiative will assist Caribbean and South American countries in addressing aviation security challenges.

"Canada plays a leadership role in aviation security worldwide," said Minister MacKay. "Through our ongoing participation in this program and with the contribution we’re announcing today, Canada is helping our international partners to strengthen their aviation security systems. These joint efforts with our partners, in a global approach to international terrorism prevention and response, strengthen the security of Canadians."

The funding will enable ICAO to undertake a series of up to 50 workshops, 13 courses and two seminars to be delivered over the next three years. The training activities will take place in strategic locations throughout the Caribbean and South American region, and will target states with similar linguistic backgrounds and aviation security regimes.

Financial support for this initiative comes from Canada’s Counter-Terrorism Capacity Building Program, and represents one of many steps that the Government of Canada is taking to enhance security. Budget 2006 committed $1.4 billion to enhance national security, including more than $159 million to continue to improve aviation security in Canada.

A backgrounder on Canada’s Counter-Terrorism Capacity Building Program is attached.

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Backgrounder

COUNTER-TERRORISM CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAM

Strengthening Canada’s domestic response has been and should be a priority. Canada’s security is also 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, can be at risk.

The Counter-Terrorism Capacity Building Program has a mandate to provide counter-terrorism capacity building assistance to developing states. This can consist 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 both international counter-terrorism and human rights norms, standards and obligations.

This program, with a $15-million annual allocation, is administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. It is managed by an interdepartmental steering committee to ensure a whole-of-government approach to this assistance. Most program assistance is to be provided by the 19 federal departments and agencies that constitute the interdepartmental steering committee, although partnerships with provincial and municipal officials (such as police services and justice ministries), as well as with established international, private sector and non-governmental organizations and centres of expertise, are encouraged.

This program enables Canada to share its expertise in seven areas: border security; transportation security; legal and regulatory assistance; human rights and counter-terrorism training; law enforcement, military and intelligence training; combating the financing of terrorism; and cyber security and critical infrastructure protection.

For more information, please contact the Counter-Terrorism Capacity Building Program Secretariat at ctcbp@international.gc.ca or visit the program website at www.ctcbp.gc.ca.

December 2006