We note in the report that the RCMP occasionally receives incomplete information from Transport Canada, and this limits its ability to search various data bases. The RCMP can, of course, see if a person has a criminal record, but the RCMP is also trying to determine if the person is involved in organized crime. The difficulty stems from the fact that Transport Canada does not see its role as including the detection of criminal activity that may occur at airports or through airports, but rather as one to prevent illegal breaches of aircraft and threats to the well-being of passengers, in other words terrorism.
So this more limited definition of the role leaves holes. There may be people who have a criminal record but who do not represent a threat. The cases may go back a very long time and be related to something relatively minor or something that does not affect the reliability of the person who wants to work at an airport. Transport Canada has not defined that, but instead conducts case-by-case evaluations. So there need to be stricter criteria and the department needs to work more closely with the RCMP to try and prevent issuing passes to potentially dangerous people.