Posted on 12/04/2004 10:56:30 PM PST by Buford T. Justice
MONTREAL - Federal Transport Minister Jean Lapierre says he wants a report explaining how security uniforms and badges disappeared from airports across the country.
More than 1,000 uniforms and parts of uniforms were lost or stolen, and nearly 100 security badges went missing over a nine-month period, CBC News reported after uncovering documents from the federal agency responsible for making air travel safe.
"I want a report by Monday morning on all the details of all those elements," Lapierre said when asked for his reaction on Saturday.
Lapierre also gave assurances that all airports in Canada are "now double checking the identity of every employee that comes in."
"Since 1 p.m. this afternoon, at the 89 airports across the country, we're double-checking the identification cards, not only when (employees) enter the premises, but also during the work shift," Lapierre told reporters.
There is concern that the stolen uniforms and badges will be used to bypass security at the airports. However, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) is downplaying the security risk. "The uniform is in no way a document of entitlement if you will, or an article that allows a person to access a restricted area of an airport," said Kevin McGarr, vice-president, strategy, at CATSA.
International security expert Peter St. John, who has written a book on hijackings, told CBC Newsworld Saturday that news of the missing uniforms is not surprising.
"I suppose this information had to come out sooner or later, because all the standards are really being missed by this new agency," he said.
Ping
Any detail on what uniforms went missing? Are we talking about gate agents uniforms or security people or what?
The number missing sounds like lazyness rather than a planned event, because one would never steal that many if one wanted to remain clandestine.
YEP.
...Real Soon Now.
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