At the Canadian Port and Maritime Security Conference and Expo

Remarks by the
Honourable Stockwell Day
Minister of Public Safety

Vancouver, British Columbia
22 May 2008
As Delivered

Thank you Ralston [Ralston MacDonnell, President of the MacDonnell Group and Conference Chair for Portsecure 08] for the introduction and also for what you've contributed over the last couple of years.  In just two years you have turned this conference into an institution and you need to be congratulated for that because it is a tremendous success. You understand the importance of sharing information as conferences like this are where groups of individuals can learn from one another.

By hearing what another port is doing, we can learn from someone else's successes, and also find out what doesn't work, thereby saving a lot of money and frustration. And so again I congratulate Ralston and everybody involved in making this and last year's conference a success. I believe that in the future, conferences like this will become even more necessary and will yield even greater results.

The question of safety and security is something that every government faces.  We remind ourselves and our citizens that the first role and responsibility of any government is the safety and the security of its land and of its people.   The challenge comes when looking at the combined aspect of safety and security, while also wanting to see prosperity stemming from efficient borders and ports.

However, any time you increase security, at a port, for example, you run the risk of reducing efficiency because somewhere, extra scrutiny will be required.  That is why technological advances are so important.  Some of the resources being discussed at this conference can help to mitigate some of the cost of increased security.  Yet technology must coincide with the training of personnel. This is one of the great lessons learned following major terrorist incidents such as 9/11. You can use the technology, but having personnel trained at all the key points is absolutely critical. 

There are some 225 active ports in Canada and about 123 of those are significant in terms of trade. Taken together, these 123 ports contribute significantly to Canada's international trade.  In year 2006, these ports brought in about $144 in trade.  When you consider that 4.3 million containers in TEU's (Twenty foot Equivalent units) go in and out of those ports, and about 32% of international containerized cargo (in metric tonnes) are either originating from or destined to the United States, you can see very quickly the importance of having ports that are efficient and secure. The manufacturers and shippers need to have confidence in our ports, as do the individuals who transport and import the goods that transit them.

You're probably aware that every ship that approaches a Canadian port has to send an electronic manifest prior to arrival. This manifest states where that ship is registered, who is the crew, who are the brokers, and what cargo is on board. We have a sophisticated risk analysis done on every ship coming into the country.  If you ever have the opportunity to be at one of our threat assessment centres such as the one in Halifax, you will agree that it's quite impressive to see all the agents at work being able to identify, on a radar, the detailed information of an incoming ship. 

But there's a lot more to security than just that.  I want to share with you a little bit about the government's investment in our domestic ports. I'll also touch on our investment at an international level and explain what we deem to be important when it comes to port security, and some of the things that we recognize still have to be done.

When we formed the government in 2006 we significantly increased resources in all of our areas of safety and security right across the board. Included in my portfolio of Public Safety are the RCMP, CSIS, CBSA, and CSC. We also work very closely with Transport Canada, particularly with issues pertaining to ports. In our 2006 budget, $54 million was set aside for the Marine Security Contribution Program, and about $17 million went to 34 different ports right here in British Columbia.  That's part of a five-year initiative valued at $115 million of which 75% is federal monies.

Such is the magnitude of our various programs related to port security.  These programs also address the issue of background checks for people who work in the ports, and enable increased capacity and ability to identify the containers that are arriving.  In case you are not aware, I can proudly tell you that the six major ports in Canada right now have 100% radiological and nuclear detection screening on all containers. These are the areas where you are going to see continued expansion, continued focus and continued investment.  We want to send the message that our ports are among the safest in the world.  But it is ongoing diligence and ongoing vigilance that's going to keep them that way. 

Of course security is not only important on the domestic side. If we have weak international links with other ports, we're also going to be at risk.  So looking at the International Maritime Security Trust Fund, you will find that Canada was the single largest donor last year with a contribution of $500,000.  The fund gives us the opportunity to share information and learn about risk areas regarding terrorism and also to some of the less funded port areas to work on their safety and security standards.  The link can be strong, such as between Canada and the United States. But, if our links with other partners are weak, then there are going to be vulnerabilities.  And so we're very focused on the investment for the international scene. 

We also know that more needs to be done domestically.  We can increase funding, implement new technology and perform background checks, but no system is perfect.  We saw evidence of that this year with the widely reported case of four individuals who arrived illegally at our Halifax port and managed not only to get out of the buses in which they were hiding but also get across the yard and through the gate. As you know, they were arrested a short time later.  That situation is an example that no matter how strong our systems are, we always need to be looking at what we can do better. 

I personally visited that port a matter of days after that incident. I wondered how such an event could happen. The fact is, incidents like that can happen and our constant focus and commitment is required to enhance security at our ports. 

Furthermore, to ensure that the ports have available to them the types of backup security that are necessary, we made in our first budget as a government  a commitment to start hiring 1,000 more RCMP personnel across the country. We committed $161 million just to start that process.  RCMP officers are involved and will continue to be involved with federal policing issues related to our ports and on our seaways. 

Over the next two years, we will be putting another $15 million to enhance security by creating a permanent Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway Marine Security Operations Centre. We are also taking important steps to integrate law enforcement operations at the border based on the highly successful “Shiprider” concept, which puts specially designated Canadian and U.S. officers together on the same vessel so they can enforce the law on both sides of the international boundary. Such a situation can lead to complications in terms of national jurisdiction and determining who is in charge. These issues have been worked out and the protocols are proving to be very effective.  This is another example of how we are using the personnel and technology to help secure our waterways and our port systems.

Last year we increased funding for intelligence sharing by $80 million so that CSIS can also increase recruitment and have greater access to technology. The RCMP and CSIS, through Public Safety, now work with some 16 different agencies just on issues related to port security.

You can see that we are very focused in our approach.  A lot of the input that we get regarding the allocation of resources for increased security in our ports we get from your organizations, from individuals and from the advisory groups.  You are the people who get to see first-hand the strengths, weaknesses and the places that need to be focused on in order to enhance the system across the board. 

I have given you a general overview of where we are in terms of the Government's commitment, the placement of our resources and our recognition that more needs to be done.  I want to thank you, not just gathering here to share the important information that strengthens our ports, but also for the time and the commitment that so many of you give to consulting with us. You advise us on how we can do our job better, how we can help enhance your businesses and how we can keep our country safe. Thank you so much for being a vital part of that.