March 12, 2019 | Local, Security

Port of Montreal busier than ever, creating opportunities for smugglers

Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press

On a crisp day in early March, Tony Boemi looks out on the stacked shipping containers that stretch into the horizon of the 26 kilometre-long Port of Montreal.

"We've been going up tremendously," the port authority vice-president says.

Traffic at Canada's second-largest port rose nine per cent in 2018 to the equivalent of more than 1.6 million 20-foot containers for the fifth straight year of record volumes, prompting concerns the docks will be overloaded by 2022. Vancouver and Halifax, the largest and third-largest ports, respectively, also saw record container traffic last year.

"I'd be lying if I said we weren't struggling with managing the sudden surge," Boemi says.

Driving the boom is Canadian demand for clothing, appliances and other consumer products made in Asia, as well as a new free trade agreement with Europe.

However, the surge in traffic comes with a downside: The additional containers present an opportunity for criminals to capitalize on limited law enforcement resources and hide more contraband among the legitimate goods.

Bud Garrick, an investigator with Presidia Security Consulting and former deputy director-general of the RCMP's criminal intelligence service, said imported drugs and exported stolen cars constitute the biggest smuggling problem, with authorities nabbing only a small fraction of the spoils.

"Marine ports are an attractive environment for individuals with ill means and mind to smuggle things into Canada," he said. "The amount of cargo -- shipping containers -- that moves in and out of ports is phenomenal...It's a magnitude problem."

The criminal allure of ports is simple. Airports are under too much scrutiny, and air freight is costly. Overland smuggling does occur, but on a smaller scale.

"Trying to intercept smuggled cargo at a port is expensive and disruptive, and you'll never have enough resources to catch most things through random screening," Peter Hall, an associate professor of urban studies at Simon Fraser University, said in an email. "Mostly 1/8the CBSA 3/8 focus on screening for terrorist and bio-hazards."

A 2015 federal auditor general's report found that the Canada Border Services Agency "did not fully have the necessary authorities, information, practices and controls to implement its enforcement priorities and prevent the export of goods that contravene Canada's export laws."

Just like legitimate trade, black market port activity works both ways. Incoming ships bring drugs such as cocaine and heroin, while outbound ships contain a growing number of stolen vehicles.

"The most prolific is actually in Alberta," said Henry Tso, vice-president of investigative services at the Insurance Bureau of Canada. "A lot of the cars are being shipped from Alberta to various ports in Canada, mainly Vancouver."

More than 25,000 vehicles were stolen in Alberta in 2018, part of a 50 per cent increase over the past five years that stems in part from overseas demand for high-end pickup trucks and SUVs.

The thefts, which recent cases have linked to criminal organizations in West Africa, northern Europe, the Middle East and China, rely on human as well as technological flaws.

"Certain docks, there are some you know are run by organized crime. Even in Quebec, like the Montreal ports, one terminal is clean, the other one is not clean," said Tso.

"The major issue is corruption," said Anthony Nicaso, who has authored more than two-dozen books on organized crime.

"There is no political will to fight organized crime," he said, "probably because money does not stink, so who cares -- money is money."

Back at the Montreal port, Boemi estimates the CBSA thoroughly inspects about three per cent of containers that roll through the port. The CBSA declined to give statistics, but noted that screening devices such as gamma-ray detectors -- which sense radioactive material -- scan each container.

"The CBSA requires marine carriers to electronically transmit marine cargo data to the Agency 24 hours prior to the loading of cargo at a foreign port. This requirement allows the CBSA to effectively identify threats to Canada's health, safety and security and take actions prior to cargo and conveyances leaving foreign ports," the CBSA said in an email.

A Canadian Senate report from 2006 found that 15 per cent of stevedores and more than two-thirds of checkers who worked at the Montreal port had criminal records, along with more than half of the workers at an outside company contracted to pick up waste and maintain ships at the docks.

In an effort to boost security, the Port of Montreal now requires that truckers with Transport Canada security clearance have their fingerprints scanned upon entry.

The port and CBSA have signed on for a trial run of blockchain technology that aims to better secure and streamline freight shipping.

Jean-Pierre Fortin, president of the Customs and Immigration Union representing some 10,500 CBSA employees, is not satisfied.

"With stolen cars, with drugs, with guns, we need to increase our capacity to monitor this properly," he said.

https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/port-of-montreal-busier-than-ever-creating-opportunities-for-smugglers-1.4330014

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January 23, 2019 | Local, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

Innovative Quebec start-ups are invited to participate in the CED Fast Forward Challenge
The Government of Canada will award up to $500,000 to innovative Quebec start-ups January 23, 2019 – Montréal, Quebec – Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED) The audacity and ingenuity of young innovative entrepreneurs is key in propelling Quebec into the economy of tomorrow. It is for this reason that the Government of Canada is launching a new initiative today aimed at helping these young entrepreneurs realize their business projects: the CED Fast Forward Challenge. The Challenge will allow dynamic young entrepreneurs to seize opportunities presented by ever-changing economic and technological conditions. The Challenge is being launched today by the Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport and Member of Parliament for Notre-Dame-de-Gr'ce—Westmount, who is extending an invitation to young people across Quebec who have entrepreneurial flair and who work in the high-tech sector to submit their business plans to Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED) between February 8 and April 1, 2019. In May 2019, 20 finalists will be invited to present the most promising projects to a panel of experts. The 10 businesses with the best projects will each receive a $50,000 award to carry out their business projects. Details regarding the Challenge can be found at canada.ca/ced-fast-forward-challenge. Quotes “Talent, particularly entrepreneurial talent, is a great resource. We aim to foster the emergence of new businesses by investing directly in the development of Quebecers' talent and skills. Through this initiative, our government will help young people from across Quebec launch their businesses and make their projects a reality.” The Honourable Marc Garneau, Member of Parliament for Notre-Dame-de-Gr'ce—Westmount and Minister of Transport “Initiatives such as the CED Fast Forward Challenge give innovative businesses the boost they need to carry out their projects. Through its Federal Strategy on Innovation and Growth for the Quebec Regions, the Government of Canada has adopted an ambitious approach aimed at stimulating innovation and growth for everyone. It represents a firm commitment to contribute to the development of a culture of innovation and, ultimately, the creation of more quality jobs for Quebecers.” The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister responsible for CED Quick facts Today's announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister responsible for the Innovation, Science and Economic Development portfolio, which is made up of 17 federal departments and agencies, including CED and the other five regional development agencies. The CED Fast Forward Challenge is an initiative that stems from the Federal Strategy on Innovation and Growth for the Quebec Regions. Spearheaded by CED, and involving the participation of other federal departments, the Strategy targets 4 priorities and 14 areas of intervention aimed at fostering the adoption and development of innovative practices and ensuring the inclusive growth of all the Quebec regions. The funding was provided under CED's Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) program. For more information about CED and its priorities, refer to the 2018–2019 Departmental Plan or visit www.ced-dec.gc.ca. For 50 years now, the Government of Canada has been actively involved in regional economic development in Quebec: half a century of concrete action targeting the growth of Quebec's regions and businesses. https://www.canada.ca/en/economic-development-quebec-regions/news/2019/01/innovative-quebec-start-ups-are-invited-to-participate-in-the-ced-fast-forward-challenge.html
January 23, 2019 | Local, Land

Government inaugurates new armoury for Halifax Army Reserve
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January 23, 2019 | Local, Naval

Canadian navy pressing ahead on life extensions for submarines
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