VZCZCXRO6957
PP RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHOT #0753 1152001
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 252001Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5488
INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEAHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASH DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000753 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAN, EEB/ESC/TFS CANNON, S/CT HILL AND GALER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EFIN ETTC KTFN LE PREL PTER CA
SUBJECT: CANADA'S PROVISIONS AGAINST CASH COURIERS 
 
REF: STATE 16120 
 
¶1. (SBU) Although econoff delivered the points in reftel to 
an official from Finance Canada in February, that official 
had no comment but offered to set up a meeting for the 
Embassy with Canadian officials who are better acquainted 
with the problems of illicit cash couriers.  To that end, the 
EconMinCouns and other embassy officers met with 
representatives of Finance Canada and the Canada Border 
Services Agency on April 13. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Vincent Jalbert, Senior Project Leader, Financial 
Crimes Division, Department of Finance, explained that 
Canada's legislative framework for dealing with illicit cash 
couriers and other potential methods for financing terrorist 
and criminal activity is based on Financial Action Task Force 
(FATF) standards for monitoring, reporting, and record 
keeping.  Jalbert explained that travelers crossing the 
Canadian border are required to declare whether they have 
more then 10,000 Canadian Dollars in cash or other bearer 
negotiable assets.  Any unreported assets can be seized. 
Jalbert said that this is a fairly successful program.  He 
explained that Canada has successfully prosecuted three out 
of four offenders under the customs act. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Jalbert explained that structuring deposits to a 
financial institution in such a way as to avoid make a 10,000 
dollar deposit that would require reporting, is not against 
the law.  He also said that while Canada's Financial 
Intelligence Unit Fintrac shares information with Fincen in 
the United States, the sharing of information is not always 
automatic -- in some cases, the information needs to be 
specifically requested by Fincen.  Furthermore, any 
information needs to meet specific legal requirements before 
it can be shared.  (Note: Embassy officers will meet with 
Fintrac officials to learn more about these requirements. End 
note.) 
 
¶4. (SBU) When asked about potential future problems, Jalbert 
theorized that stored-value cards could become a problem, 
although he was not aware of any current or past cases 
involving these cards. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Meeting participants: 
Canadian Side: 
Malcolm Wakefield - Senior Economist, Financial Sector 
Division, Department of Finance 
Vincent Jalbert - Senior Project Leader, Financial Crimes 
Division, Department of Finance 
Rick Fehr - A/Manager, Borders Enforcement Division, Canada 
Border Services Agency 
Nathalie Gervais - Senior Program Officer, Contrabands 
Program, Canada Border Services Agency 
 
U.S. Side: 
Brian Mohler - Economic Minster Counselor 
John Considine - Department of Homeland Security Customs and 
Border Protection Attache 
Hank Connell - Department of Homeland Security Immigration 
and Customs Enforcement Assistant Attache 
Ryan Stoner - Economic Officer 
 
Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa 
 
WILKINS