Canadian Aviation Security Conference
Leading Change: Aviation Security Today and Tomorrow
March 29, 2006
Ottawa, ON
CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY
First of all, let me say, that I am very honoured to be sitting on this panel with my distinguished colleagues, Margaret Purdy, Bill Elliot and Louis Ranger.
Three people who have a tremendous amount of experience in aviation security in Canada.
In the interest of time, I will try to make my remarks as short as possible so that we will be able to take some questions from the audience.
Winston Churchill was once asked to give the graduation address at Oxford University . Following his introduction, he got up, went to the podium, and said, "Never, never, never give up." Then he took his seat.
Now, I can't promise to be as short and sweet as Mr. Churchill, but I will try my best to focus my remarks around three key points:
My first point is aviation security in Canada is without a doubt more secure today than before 9/11 and in order to remain effective, our security measures must continue to evolve.
My second point is that the terrorist threat still exists and it is changing.
And finally, my third point is that CATSA's major responsibility is to manage the unexpected.
As flights around the world came to a grinding halt on September 11th , 2001, governments recognized that in order to regain public confidence, significant changes would need to be made to aviation security.
The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) was the centrepiece of the Government's plan to enhance Canada's air transport security system.
What is CATSA? Born in the wake of 9/11, CATSA's mission is to protect the public by securing critical elements of the Canadian air transportation system as assigned by the Government.
To fulfill its mandate, CATSA has been tasked with six responsibilities.
Pre-Board Screening (PBS)
Hold-Baggage Screening (HBS)
Non-Passenger Screening (NPS)
Implementation of the Restricted Area Identification Card (RAIC)
Financial contributions to Airport Policing Programs
Financial contributions to the Canadian Air Carrier Protective Program (CACPP)
CATSA has come a long way since it was first created in April 2002. We provide air travellers with effective security that meets national standards and reflects Canada 's culture of respect.
I am sure many of you are asking the question, how have we made the system more secure?
In cooperation with our partners, the aviation security system is more secure than before 9/11 and to remain effective, our security measures must evolve.
Our security system has been built to detect and deter terrorist attacks through a combination of effective training and state-of-the-art equipment.
Firstly, we have developed some of the world's best training programs for screening officers.
We have put in place a series of progressive training levels, expanded the number of hours of classroom, on-the-job training and computer-based learning, and have more than doubled the overall level of training since 9/11.
Let's look at the numbers.
CATSA has responsibility in 89 airports across the country and over 4,000 contracted screening officers.
They screen over 37 million passengers, over 60 million pieces of luggage and over 800,000 non-passengers a year. In short, they have a tough job to do.
To support them, we have deployed over 2,500 pieces of screening equipment, which includes explosive detection equipment, a Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) system which helps law enforcement and airport authorities manage security incidents, the Restricted Area Identification Card (RAIC) which has made CATSA a true leader in the implementation of biometric technology and provides Canada with one of the most secure restricted area access programs in the world.
And last, but certainly not least, on January 1, 2006 CATSA delivered one of the principal components of our mandate, 100% screening of hold baggage.
Equipment is essential and training is vital, but there is another important side of our story to tell.
In addition to these tools at the airport, CATSA is also working very closely behind the scenes with our security partners, including the RCMP, CSIS and Transport Canada and the academic community to make sure that we understand the environment we are working in, and this includes learning about terrorist motivations, intentions, ideologies and capabilities.
Allow me to give you an example.
Health Canada monitors what is happening around the world with respect to the avian flu to ensure that Canada is prepared.
The same theory applies to CATSA; we need to monitor acts of terrorism around the world to ensure that we understand the potential threats to our operations and to make sure that we are prepared.
To that end, we have also established the International Forum for Security Screening (IFSSA) in Aviation, where once a year, heads of aviation security screening agencies from around the globe gather to share experiences and best practices.
By consulting with our security partners, academic experts on terrorism, our international counterparts and our key stakeholders at the airports, we ensure that we have a clear understanding of the threat environment and we learn by sharing best practices with our international partners.
We need to continue building and strengthening these partnerships across every level of government, with our stakeholders and within the private sector, with our international counterparts and with the Canadian public. These partnerships will ensure the security of the traveling public and the best quality customer service.
Our security system cannot remain static. The measures that were introduced after 9/11 have significantly improved the system, but our work is not done.
We need to continue to deter terrorists by building new layers of defence in our security systems.
We need to be flexible, adaptable and our work and decisions must be driven by risk.
We can't only rely on the detection of objects; rather, we must use all means available to ensure we continue to make airports a hard target.
We need to explore new practices and new technologies to continue to respond effectively to the threats.
The threat environment is constantly changing and that means that our security measures must evolve.
This brings me to my second point: terrorism and the terrorist threat are changing.
Experts all agree that the threat has not decreased.
In fact, some argue that terrorism will never fully be eliminated.
We should not be surprised by the fact that Canada is still considered a target. Prime Minister Stephen Harper confirmed this recently on his trip to Afghanistan when he stated that "Al Qaeda has singled out Canada as one of the countries targeted for terror1."
Bruce Hoffman, a leading expert on terrorism argues that we are in this fight for the long haul and we should think of it as more of a marathon than a sprint to the finish line. Experts also agree that terrorist methods are changing.
They adapt and adjust their methods in preparation for their next attack.
And it is for this very reason that our responses must be constantly reviewed, updated and adjusted2.
And even Al Qaeda from 9/11 has changed, it has evolved. It has transformed from an organization into an ideology and a brand name.
Bruce Hoffman explains that there are four levels of Al Qaeda3.
Al Qaeda Central: Professionals who planned the 9/11 attacks.
Al Qaeda Affiliates and Associates: Like-minded terrorist groups world-wide- like Jemaah Islamiyah.
Al Qaeda Locals: Individuals like Ahmad Ressam "The Millennium Bomber" who are sleepers.
Al Qaeda Network: Independent cells like the 3/11 Madrid attackers.
So as you can see, it is very difficult to pigeon-hole terrorists. They come from both genders, all walks of life, all nationalities and age groups.
Some are adult males, others are teenage girls, and some are even children.
Some are educated and others are not. Some are rich, some are poor.
What we are seeing is a faceless, innovative, resilient and patient terrorist movement that have bought into the messages of Osama Bin Laden.
We have to be mindful of the fact that the threat is coming from many different directions. It is not only an overseas threat; we also have to be realistic about the local threat.
And we also have to be realistic about their targets.
Yes airports are a hard target, but they are still an attractive target.
Why? Terrorism experts argue that aircraft and airports will always be an attractive target because of the economic impact and the symbolism that they represent.
This makes our job all the more important and crucial and it highlights the need to continually improve security measures so that we are as equally adaptive and resilient in our efforts.
This confirms my final point; that CATSA's major responsibility is to manage the unexpected.
Complacency is not an option for an accountable security authority like CATSA.
A major attack against civil aviation in Canada would have a devastating impact on our economy and destroy public confidence.
It is our responsibility to prevent such an attack and to maintain public faith in the security of the air transport system.
We cannot be a reactive organization, but rather a proactive organization.
We need to stay several steps ahead of new and emerging threats.
We question our security system on a daily basis by critiquing our processes and procedures.
We learn from our experiences and adapt our procedures accordingly.
Why?
We do this because we have to stay on our toes to manage the unexpected.
It is our duty to think and plan strategically beyond the current terrorist threat.
Only then can we ensure that what we do today is effective and will remain effective tomorrow.
The system we have put in place has made airports across the country a hard target and we must constantly work to improve the system to make sure that we are not caught fighting the last war.
Airplanes and box cutters were the weapons of choice for the terrorists on 9/11, but that does not mean that they will use the same instruments.
Security is a difficult business terrorists only need to get it right once. We need to get it right all the time.
It is for this reason that CATSA strives to be an agile and flexible security organization. Bureaucracies will not win the war against terrorism.
We have to re-invent and re-invigorate ourselves on a continuing basis to make sure that we have the best security systems, the best training, and the best tools to do our job.
We fully acknowledge that our work is not done, it is just beginning and we are ready for the challenge.
Thank you.
1- Address by the Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, to the Canadian Armed Forces in Afghanistan, March 13, 2006.
2- Bruce Hoffman, Inside Terrorism, Columbia University Press, 1998.
3- Presentation by Bruce Hoffman, State of Al Qaeda: Prospects & Trends, March 2nd, 2006.
