VZCZCXRO2444
RR RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHOT #1651 2402054
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 282054Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6445
INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS OTTAWA 001651 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAN, EEB/TRA, AND S/CT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD EWWT AMGT PTER CA
SUBJECT: NEW U.S. LAW ON MARITIME CARGO SCANNING 
REQUIREMENTS: INITIAL CANADIAN REACTION 
 
REF: STATE 119837 
 
¶1. (U) Although Embassy Ottawa is so far unaware of any 
official Canadian reaction to the new U.S. law, media reports 
indicate that administrators of Canada's posts are meeting 
this week in Montreal to figure out how exactly the law will 
affect their operations.  George Malec, vice president of 
operations and security at the Halifax (Nova Scotia) Port 
Authority was quoted in an article appearing in the August 28 
Montreal Gazette as saying "we are checking this (law) very 
closely with our U.S. contacts.  We think it needs a little 
more examination on the impact it will have on us." 
 
¶2. (U) There may be some confusion in Canada about what the 
law will require.  For instance, the Montreal Port Authority 
handles more than one million containers (20-foot equivalent) 
a year, about half of which are destined for the U.S., either 
by truck or rail.  The Gazette article indicated that senior 
port officials wonder that if the new law does not apply to 
cargo sent by truck or rail, would Canadian customs agencies 
be required to screen containers arriving in Canada?  It 
quotes Bob Hart, vice president and CFO of the Hamilton 
(Ontario) Port Authority and Don Krusel, president and CEO of 
the Prince Rupert (BC) Port Authority as believing that the 
law will not affect their operations. 
 
¶3. (U) But Malec and Montreal Port Authority president and 
CEO Dominic Taddeo questioned what kind of scanning the U.S. 
has in mind. Last spring, new radiation detection equipment 
was installed at the Port of Montreal to allow the Canada 
Border Services Agency (CBSA) to check containers for 
potentially dangerous substances.  These radiation detection 
systems are also in use at terminals in St. John, New 
Brunswick and their installation is underway in Vancouver and 
Halifax.  Taddeo said that the use of the new radiation 
detection portals to screen virtually all containers arriving 
at Montreal has not caused delays.  "All these people who are 
complaining and screaming will have to adjust," he said. 
"Our traffic keeps going up, so the figures speak for 
themselves." 
 
¶4. (U) Mission Canada will continue to monitor Canadian 
reactions to the new U.S. maritime cargo scanning 
requirements and report developments to Washington agencies. 
 
Visit our shared North American Partnership blog (Canada & Mexico) at 
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap 
 
BREESE