QUESTION PERIOD — Transport
Canadian Air Transport Security Authority
June 7, 2023
Would the Government Representative take a question?
Thank you for asking, but it’s your prerogative.
Sorry, I blame Senator LaBoucane-Benson. It’s become contagious across the floor.
In the United States, the Transportation Security Administration, or TSA, conducts regular tests where disguised agents attempt to sneak contraband items, including drugs, guns and fake bombs, through airport security. In 2017, America’s Department of Transportation Inspector General reported that about 70% of such contraband items went undetected by TSA inspectors. Two years before, in 2015, 95% of contraband went undetected. I have to say that under the Trump administration, however, the government in the United States stopped reporting those numbers.
My office got curious, and we contacted the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority — CATSA — and were told that similar tests are indeed run in Canada as well. But when we asked whether there was any data on how much contraband gets past our airport screeners in this country, we were told that information was classified as secret and could not be released.
My question is: Does the government see any value in making generalized information about the efficacy of CATSA screening public on an annual basis?
Thank you for your question and for raising the important issue of the security of our borders. I will certainly bring your question to the attention of the relevant minister and officials in the hope of receiving an answer.
