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FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
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RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY IA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
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RHMFIUU/HQ USNORTHCOM  PRIORITY
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY
RUEILB/NCTC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY 0011

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 OTTAWA 000470 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER PREL CA
SUBJECT: CANADA-U.S. BILATERAL CONSULTATIVE GROUP FOLLOW UP 
 
¶1. (U) Action request: This is an action request, see para 
four items 3, 9, and 10, and para 5. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Summary: One of the commitments at the January 2008 
U.S.-Canada Bilateral Consultative Group meeting on 
counter-terrorism (BCG) was to develop a mechanism for 
tracking the action items that came out of the forum.  We now 
have an agreed list.  End Summary 
 
¶3. (SBU) During an April 3 meeting to discuss follow-up to 
the January 16-17 Bilateral Consultative Group (BCG) meeting 
in Washington, Department of Foreign Affairs and 
International Trade Senior Policy Advisor Neil Brennan 
confirmed that DFAIT's Senior Coordinator for International 
Crime and Terrorism, Mark Moher, remained very interested in 
maintaining momentum on the issues from the BCG and ensuring 
that it was not merely an annual event but more importantly 
an ongoing process that broadly improves coordination and 
cooperation. 
 
REVIEW OF BCG FOLLOW UP ITEMS 
----------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Brennan said that Canada had adopted the list that 
we presented at the conclusion of the BCG, with several 
slight changes to ordering.  The agreed action list, with 
notes on where individual issues stand, is as follows: 
 
Item 1: Broaden inter-agency testing of U.S.-Canada 
Counterterrorism Defense Plan (CT CDP) (both sides) 
 
Brennan indicated that Canada was not aware of any progress 
on the issue yet.  DFAIT understands that there will be table 
top exercises (TTX) to work through the procedures for 
implementing the plan, but has not heard of any actual 
planning.  Poloff subsequently informed Brennan -- following 
discussions with NORTHCOM -- that NORTHCOM and CANSOFCOM reps 
met February 5-7 and developed a way ahead on the CT-CDP. 
The next step is to ensure all of the appropriate bilateral 
agencies that have a role are aware of the plan and their 
respective counterparts.  CANSOFCOM told NORTHCOM that its 
officials had already briefed the Privy Council, DFAIT, and 
the Department of Public Safety.  There will be bilateral 
briefings and a TTX TTX in Embassy Ottawa May 28-29. 
 
Item 2: Finalize and agree on MOU on CT Research and 
Development (both sides) 
 
Negotiations in Washington in early March yielded an agreed 
final version of the MOU.  The text now needs to move through 
the clearance process so both sides can sign and put it into 
force. 
 
Item 3: Ensure mechanisms are in place for passing 
information on Iraqi Foreign Fighters (U.S.) 
 
Brennan indicated that DFAIT remained unclear as to whether 
and how the USG might be passing information on Iraqi Foreign 
Fighters. 
 
Item 4: Ensure embassies in Middle East are communicating on 
Iraqi Foreign Fighter issues (both sides) 
 
Brennan said DFAIT would like to send our briefing from the 
BCG to its embassies as background, both to alert them to the 
issue and to elicit reporting. 
 
Action request #1: Request Department pass electronically 
what can be shared on Foreign Fighters to Embassy for 
delivery to DFAIT in order to help advance this issue. 
Clarity on what help Canada could provide and whether the 
primary U.S. concern currently was foreign fighters going 
into Iraq would be helpful. 
 
Item 5: Enhance sharing of information and developments on 
Hezbollah in Latin America (both sides) 
QHezbollah in Latin America (both sides) 
 
Brennan said that DFAIT had directed its missions to explore 
this issue further since the BCG.  Brazilian counterparts 
were "adamant" that there was no Hezbollah presence in 
Brazil.  Canada will continue to develop its ability to 
analyze and work the issue. 
 
Item 6: Further develop information-sharing and coordination 
 
OTTAWA 00000470  002 OF 003 
 
 
on CT capacity building programs globally and in the Western 
Hemisphere in particular (both sides) 
 
Brennan said that DFAIT appreciated our suggestions on where 
Canada could contribute to ongoing programs in the 
hemisphere, and where they can complement our efforts, part 
of an enhanced dialogue established since the BCG.  Canada 
currently has two projects through the OAS' CICTE: a capacity 
building program on Document Security and Fraud Prevention in 
El Salvador for Central America, the Dominican Republic, and 
Mexico; and, a workshop for Caribbean Countries on Terrorism 
Financing in the Caribbean.  It will also fund one project on 
ID theft and law enforcement in Central America through the 
OAS' Hemispheric Security Group, and additional projects on 
port security in Jamaica and cyber-security in the 
hemisphere.  DFAIT will continue to share its programming 
with us and invites us to continue to share our information 
with it to enhance synergy and collaboration. 
 
Item 7: Share best practices on counter-radicalization and 
coordinate counter-radicalization vocabulary (both sides) 
 
Brennan said that Canada appreciated the analytical products 
shared during and after the BCG on radicalization and would 
appreciate any further products we can share in the future. 
It will reciprocate when it has products that would be of 
interest to the U.S. 
 
Item 8: Further coordination on G-8 Roma/Lyon process and 
consult in advance of meetings (both sides) 
 
Brennan said that Canada appreciated the current level of 
consultation, especially on cyber-security. 
 
Item 9: Consider U.S. invitation to review functioning of 
Regional Security Initiative (Canada) 
 
Brennan said that Canada remained interested in consultations 
aimed at developing a fuller understanding on Canada's part 
of how the RSI works and what aspects of it could apply to 
improve Canadian CT architecture. 
 
Action request #2: Please advise if there is a venue with 
dates for Canadian officials to review the RSI with 
counterparts in S/CT. 
 
Item 10: Consider joint U.S.-Canada 
projects/training/exchanges on countering terrorist financing 
(both sides) 
 
Brennan said that DFAIT appreciates the invitations we have 
offered for Canada to send experts to participate in joint 
training and capacity building on CT financing projects. 
Although Canadian officials have not yet been able to 
participate, he expressed the hope that we will continue to 
make these approaches.  Canada appreciated the opportunity we 
have provided over the past two years to send officers to 
attend the FSI course on Combating Terrorist Financing 
(PE141).  He also suggested that this is a course that Canada 
may want to develop in its professional studies program and 
wondered if we could share our curriculum with Canada. 
 
Action request #3: Please advise whether we can share our 
curriculum for this or other pertinent courses with DFAIT. 
Please advise of other courses that our Canadian colleagues 
could attend. 
 
Item 11: Focus on getting a better picture of money flows in 
the Americas (both sides) 
 
Brennan said that Canada was interested in continuing to 
develop this connection but was not aware of any 
breakthroughs. 
 
Item 12: Develop info-sharing mechanism when bio-terrorism 
QItem 12: Develop info-sharing mechanism when bio-terrorism 
center stands up (U.S.) 
 
Brennan said that Canada was anxious to develop this when we 
are ready. 
 
Item 13: Consider three project proposals for collaboration 
on bio-terrorism preparedness in Western Hemisphere: 
 
      a. Opportunities for Western Hemisphere experts to 
 
OTTAWA 00000470  003 OF 003 
 
 
visit U.S. and Canadian research facilities (agro and 
bio-terrorism) 
      b. Exploring ways to work together under the auspices 
of the OAS to support Western Hemisphere agro-terrorism and 
food defense exercises 
      c. Co-sponsorship of a capacity building/training 
program on bioterrorism preparedness for public health and 
safety officials in the Western Hemisphere    (both sides) 
 
Brennan said that Canada was pleased with the level of 
interaction on this issue.  There is a draft agenda on the 
item c, a training program in the hemisphere that would then 
clear the way for work on a and b.  Brennan said that Canada 
can help fund this program, but believes it will be difficult 
to get the right experts to participate from Canada.  He said 
that Canada could fund experts from the U.S. if they are not 
available in Canada.  Once the training program is complete, 
there will be an opportunity to identify the right 
counterparts in the hemisphere to engage for further 
programming. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Two other items that Brennan raised: 
 
-- Joint Declaration:  Senior Coordinator for International 
Crime and Terrorism Mark Moher provided a proposed draft of 
the Joint Declaration on Counter-Terrorism in January 
following the BCG meeting.  DFAIT has not heard back from us 
on this. 
 
Action request #4: Please provide an update on the status of 
the Joint Declaration. 
 
-- Quarterly Connectivity:  Director for International Crime 
and Terrorism Evelyn Puxley separately told poloff that Moher 
would be interested in a quarterly DVC or teleconference with 
Ambassador Dailey to discuss BCG follow-up and other issues 
in our shared agenda. 
 
Action request #5:  Request S/CT explore the possibility of 
hosting a DVC with our Canadian counterparts.  Embassy has 
both secure and non-secure DVC capabilities. 
 
Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at 
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada 
 
WILKINS