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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">November 23, 2004 <i>(3:40 p.m. EST)</i> No. 136</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">CANADA TABLES LEGISLATION REGULATING REMOTE SENSING
SPACE SYSTEMS</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew today announced the introduction of legislation
that will regulate the operation of remote sensing space systems. The legislation is
aimed at protecting Canada’s national security, national defence and foreign policy
interests, while supporting our continued leadership in the provision of satellite remote
sensing data and services to government and private clients.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“This Act will regulate the operation of Canadian remote sensing satellites and ensure
these instruments and the information they produce are not used against the interests
of Canadians,” said Minister Pettigrew. “The legislation will serve to protect the safety of
Canadians and our allies.”</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“Satellite remote sensing is an important industry that provides Canadians with tools for
monitoring the environment and managing natural resources, as well as information
supporting critical activities such as coastal surveillance and ice reconnaissance,” said
David L. Emerson, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for the Canadian Space
Agency.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“Canada is a world leader in remote sensing satellite technology,” said Bill Graham,
Minister of National Defence. “This legislation will serve to protect our national defence
and security interests by ensuring that adequate measures are in place to regulate the
dissemination of images taken by Canadian satellites.”</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">The proposed legislation will continue to help develop an internationally competitive
Canadian space industry. By providing a clear framework in which private remote
sensing activities can evolve, this legislation will help ensure Canadian companies
remain global leaders in remote sensing technology and services.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Features of the proposed legislation would grant the Minister of Foreign Affairs the
ability to license the operation of remote sensing satellite systems and to regulate the
distribution of data and products produced by these systems. It would permit Canadian
companies to own and operate remote sensing satellites, while providing the
Government of Canada with the authority to order priority access or the interruption of
normal service in order to protect national security, defence or international relations
interests and to observe international obligations. The legislation also defines the
powers of government departments and agencies to monitor and enforce compliance in
a manner that is both effective and efficient.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Canadian remote sensing satellites provide important information on the distribution of
groundwater, minerals and oil and gas deposits, oceanography, cartography, geology,
hydrology, agriculture, forestry and disaster response and mitigation. High-performance
remote sensing space systems, which may possess both civil and military capabilities,
can be used to enhance Canada’s security and assert sovereignty, especially in remote
areas.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">- 30 -</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">A backgrounder is attached.</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">For further information, media representatives may contact:</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Sébastien Théberge<br>
Director of Communications<br>
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs<br>
(613) 995-1851</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Media Relations Office<br>
Foreign Affairs Canada and International Trade Canada<br>
(613) 995-1874<br>
</span></span><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20071207004803/http://www.international.gc.ca/"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #0000ff"><span style="text-decoration: underline">http://www.international.gc.ca</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000"></span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">Carole Duval <br>
Communications Advisor <br>
Canadian Space Agency <br>
(450) 926-4370 </span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">Isabelle Savard <br>
Communications Director <br>
Office of the Minister of National Defence <br>
(613) 996-3100</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="color: #000000"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">Backgrounder</span></span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="color: #000000"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">CANADA’S REMOTE SENSING SPACE SYSTEMS ACT</span></span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">On November 23, 2004, under the joint sponsorship of the Minister of Foreign Affairs,
the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, the Minister of National
Defence and the Minister of Industry, the Remote Sensing Space Systems Act was
introduced in the House of Commons.</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">The proposed legislation will continue to help develop an internationally competitive
Canadian space industry. By providing a clear framework in which private remote
sensing activities can evolve, this legislation will help ensure Canadian companies
remain global leaders in remote sensing technology and services.</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">The proposed legislation affirms an earlier June 1999 government announcement to
regulate commercial remote sensing space systems in order to address Canadian
security, defence and foreign policy issues with the development of high-performance
remote sensing satellites. The proposed legislation observes the June 2000
Canada-United States Agreement Concerning the Operation of Commercial Remote
Sensing Satellite Systems commitments, and is comparable to similar legislation in the
U.S.</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">The 2000 Canada-U.S. Agreement aimed to ensure that private remote sensing
satellite systems would be controlled in each country in such a manner as to protect
shared national security and foreign policy interests, while promoting the commercial
benefits to be derived from these systems. The Agreement recognized that Canada and
the U.S. have mutual interests in regulating and controlling private remote sensing
satellite systems operating from their respective territories or subject to their respective
jurisdictions.</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">The Remote Sensing Space Systems Act tabled in the House of Commons will grant
the Minister of Foreign Affairs the ability to license the operation of remote sensing
satellite systems and to regulate the distribution of data and products produced by
these systems.</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">The legislation will permit Canadian companies to own and operate remote sensing
satellite systems, while providing the Government of Canada with the authority to order
priority access or the interruption of normal service in order to protect national security,
defence or international relations interests and to observe international obligations. As
well, the necessary powers to monitor and enforce compliance in a manner that is both
effective and efficient is contained in the proposed legislation.</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">Canada has for decades been both a pioneering force and a recognized global leader
in the design, manufacture and operation of state-of-the-art, innovative satellite
technology.</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">Canadian remote sensing satellites provide important information on the distribution of
groundwater, minerals and oil and gas deposits, oceanography, cartography, geology,
hydrology, agriculture, forestry and disaster response and mitigation. High-performance
remote sensing space systems, which may possess both civil and military capabilities,
can be used to enhance Canada’s security and assert sovereignty, especially in remote
areas.</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">In addition to authorizing Canadian companies to own and operate remote sensing
satellites, the legislation would also permit the reception, storage and processing of
data collected by Canadian satellites and the distribution of this information to potential
clients without compromising the national security, national defence and foreign policy
interests of Canada. The Act will also apply the same law to systems of Her Majesty in
right of Canada and of the provinces.</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">Natural resource industries currently make use of satellite images to monitor crop and
forest growth and to gain insights into the distribution of groundwater, minerals and oil
and gas deposits. Canadian government and industrial decision makers are demanding
better-quality data to generate greater economic opportunity in various fields, including
ice reconnaissance, coastal surveillance, oceanography, cartography, geology,
environmental monitoring, hydrology, agriculture, forestry and disaster response and
mitigation.</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000">Canada is a world leader in the design, construction and operation of high-performance
civilian remote sensing satellites using a microwave radar system called synthetic
aperture radar. Canada is also in the forefront of processing, analyzing and exploiting
data produced by high-performance imaging satellites for use in cartography, land use
and natural resources management, reconnaissance and surveillance of the Earth.
RADARSAT-1 is currently in its 10th year of operation in orbit, and RADARSAT-2,
Canada’s first privately owned and operated satellite, is scheduled for launch from the
U.S. in 2005.</span></span></span></p>
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