CANADA SECURITY ISSUE ADDRESSED BY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT Canadian Security Magazine: "Federal government says security is a shared responsibility between public and private sector

Officials see natural disaster as more likely threat than terrorism
Managing the security threat in Canada means not only planning for a possible terror attack, but anticipating the impact of the next natural disaster or flu outbreak lurking around the corner, says the director in charge of emergency management and national security for the federal government.

"We know Canada is on Al Qaeda's list, but the things that have been affecting us the most are national disasters and health risks, such as hurricane Juan in Nova Scotia last year and SARS in 2003. We're more likely to be hit by a natural disaster," said Janet Bax, director general, programs for Public Safety and Emergency Management Preparedness Canada (PSEPC), speaking recently at the 50th anniversary of the Canadian Society for Industrial Security Inc. (CSIS) held Oct. 3 to 5 in Ottawa.

Other threats being addressed by PSEPC include infrastructure vulnerabilities that may exist as a result of blackouts or cyber attacks or an environmental disaster due to chemical or biological attack.

PSEPC was unveiled in December 2003 and Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan was given the portfolio of Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. The intention is that PSEPC become a centre of coordination on national security matters, similar to the Homeland Security department created in the United States after 9/11. McLellan says she works closely with U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge.

"Some suggest it is the same as Tom Ridge's department, and in many ways it is, but as I've pointed out, his is much bigger as his includes the coast guard which mine does not." McLellan remarked in her address to the conference on Oct 4.

The responsibilities within the portfolio include monitoring the threat of global terrorism, Canada’s national security policy and critical infrastructure protection. Bax said the PSEPC was created to strengthen national leadership in the area of public safety and emergency preparedness. It incorporates core functions, such as: national security, intelligence, policing and law enforcement, corrections and crime prevention, border service and emergency preparedness and response.


“Security is a shared responsibility and that is why the government created this new portfolio that brings together immigration, border enforcement, policing and emergency management,” said McLellan.


Bax said the challenge today for government and the private sector is to work on protecting the nation’s critical infrastructure, especially considering that 85 per cent of the country’s critical infrastructure is in private hands. Critical infrastructure comprises physical and information technology facilities, networks, services and assets that if destroyed or damaged, would have a serious impact on the safety, health and security of Canadians and the functioning of government. Sectors that are part of critical infrastructure include energy and utilities, food, water, transportation, government and others.


Bax said steps are being taken to create a more cohesive security system, including an integrated threat assessment centre, a national security advisory council, a cyber security task force and the creation of a position paper on critical infrastructure protection strategy.