No. H031/05 For release March 14, 2005 TRANSPORT MINISTER VISITS ISRAEL OTTAWA — Transport Minister Jean-C. Lapierre arrived today in Tel Aviv for meetings with Israeli officials to discuss approaches to transportation security and technology. The Minister will also travel to Ramallah to meet with Palestinian officials on similar subjects. "This trip to Israel is an excellent opportunity to share our approaches to transportation security and to learn more so we can make best use of resources to protect Canadians and our transportation infrastructure," said Mr. Lapierre. "Working with our international partners to identify best practices helps Canada remain on the leading edge of transportation security in ways that suit the Canadian context." Mr. Lapierre will be in Israel until March 18. He will meet with Israeli Minister of Transport, Mr. Meir Sheetrit, to discuss transportation security issues and examine various transportation security best practices. In addition, Mr. Lapierre will represent the Government of Canada in a ceremony at Yad Vashem at which a new museum, designed by Canadian architect Moshe Safdie, will be dedicated. Minister of Justice Irwin Cotler will be in attendance at the ceremony with Mr. Lapierre. Yad Vashem is entrusted with documenting the history of the Jewish people during the Holocaust period, preserving the memory and story of each of the 6 million victims, and imparting the legacy of the Holocaust through its archives, library, school and museums. During his visit, Mr. Lapierre will also be meeting senior Israeli officials at the Port of Ashdod, to tour the port’s facilities and discuss marine security. He will also be given a tour of the control centre of Israel’s Highway 6, an automated toll highway operated by Derech Eretz, a division of the Canadian engineering company AECON. Mr. Lapierre will then visit Ben-Gurion International Airport to see what Israeli officials are doing in the area of security operations, including passenger screening, biometrics, and baggage and cargo inspections at their airports. On his last day in Israel, Mr. Lapierre will travel to Gaza to tour the Karni Crossing facilities and have discussions with Israeli officials concerning land transportation security at border crossings. He will then go on to Ramallah to meet with the Palestinian Authority and talk about various transportation security matters. This latest visit builds on actions taken in the area of transportation security since 2001, including the creation of the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, enhanced pre-board screening for passengers and carry-on baggage, reinforcement of cockpit doors, installation of advanced explosives detection systems at Canadian airports, and the implementation of new Marine Transportation Security Regulations for Canada’s ports, marine facilities and vessels. Budget 2005 also included some $222 million to further enhance marine security and $16 million towards the implementation of aviation security provisions in the Public Safety Act, 2002, bringing the Government of Canada’s total funding commitment to transportation security to more than $3 billion since 2001. - 30 - Contact: Irène Marcheterre Director of Communications Office of the Minister, Ottawa (613) 991-0700 Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to news releases and speeches at apps.tc.gc.ca/listserv/ and keep up-to-date on the latest from Transport Canada. This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons with visual disabilities.
