Good afternoon, Madam Chair.
Thank you for the invitation to appear before the committee today.
My name is Laureen Kinney, and I am the assistant deputy minister for safety and security at Transport Canada.
Today on the beyond the border action plan, I will be speaking specifically to initiative six, which was the passenger baggage screening initiative of the mutual recognition of outbound checked baggage.
As part of the beyond the border action plan, Canada has deployed new baggage screening technology, certified by the United States, at Canada's eight airports with pre-clearance services. This has enabled the U.S. to gradually lift the requirement to rescreen baggage from these airports prior to departure on a connecting flight from a U.S. airport. The new technology has been installed and is operational at all eight airports. At this time, the United States has lifted its rescreening requirement at six out of the eight airports, and the technology at the remaining two airports is in the final stages of being approved.
In regard to the benefits of this initiative, the elimination of the rescreening requirement is directly in line with the beyond the border action plan principle of screen once, accept twice. It increases security harmonization between Canada and the United States, and results in cost savings, simpler operations, and a better traveller experience. Airlines have already reported a reduction in complaints from mishandled bags and less complexity in arrival procedures. The reduction in the amount of checked baggage that must be rescreened has also led to savings, both for airlines operating in the United States and the Transportation Security Administration. The modernization of screening technology has also enhanced security at Canadian airports by upgrading previously operational screening equipment that was nearing the end of its life cycle.
In response to the Auditor General's recommendations in the fall 2016 report, Transport Canada and the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority have developed new performance indicators on the security benefits of the initiative and are thus better able to track these benefits, as of December 2016.
In conclusion, ultimately we continue to seek better security screening by leveraging new technologies and new methods that enable shorter connection times and a more efficient experience for the traveller at the same time.
Thank you.