Air security conference will address future risks

This year’s keynote speakers include the Right Hon. Sir John
Wheeler, internationally-respected expert on policing and national
security, and Dr. Hugh Dunleavy, executive vice-president, commercial distribution with WestJet.

This year’s conference themed Sharing
Skies, Managing Risk, includes interactive plenary
sessions exploring new and ongoing threats to aviation security,
presentations and discussions focusing on the future security risks for
the Canadian aviation industry and the solutions to manage them as well
as a tradeshow exhibition.

Sir John Wheeler authored an independent review of airport security and
policing for the Government of Australia in 2005. He also conducted a
review of security at major airports across the U.K. including Heathrow
Airport in 2002. Wheeler served as British Security Minister in
Northern Ireland between 1993 and 1997 and recommended the
establishment of the U.K. National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS)
(now SOCA) in 1988.

Dr. Hugh Dunleavy has worked in the airline industry for more than 25
years. As executive vice-president of Commercial Distribution for
WestJet, Dunleavy oversees WestJet sales, distribution, cargo,
charters, Web, call centre, WestJet Vacations and Information
Technology. Prior to joining WestJet, Dunleavy held senior management
positions at Star Alliance, Air Canada and Lufthansa Systems.
 
"In order to effectively preserve the safety of our skies, strategies
and tactics for handling security threats need to be in a continual
state of evolution,” said Norm Kirkpatrick, CASC 2008 Conference
Director. “There must be close collaboration between Canada’s
government and private sector stakeholders to remain on top of security
risks to Canadian airspace. Planning for and managing risk is the key
to maintaining safe airways throughout the country.”
 
CASC 2008 also features presentations by leading experts from the
Canadian and international aviation communities including Guiliano
Zaccardelli, former Commissioner, RCMP; Captain Gilberto Lopez Meyer,
Director General Civil Aviation, DCGA Mexico; Rafi Ron, President, New
Age Security Solutions; Jim Harper, Director of Information Policy
Studies, CATO Institute; Jacques Duchesneau, CEO and President, CATSA;
Georgina Graham, Director-Security and Facilitation, IATA; Sam Barone,
President and CEO, Air Transport Association of Canada; Jim Facette,
President and CEO, Canadian Airports Council; Captain Bob Hesselbein,
Chairman-National Security Committee, ALPA; Bill McReynolds, Vice
Chairman-National Security, ALPA.

The 2008 Canadian Aviation Security Conference is an initiative created in partnership by the
Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), Transport Canada
(TC), the Canadian Airports Council (CAC), the Air Transport
Association of Canada (ATAC), the Airline Pilots Association
International (ALPA), the Police Sector Council and the Canadian
Advanced Technology Alliance (CATA). The conference provides aviation
and security professionals and managers with the most up-to-date
information, tools, trends, legislation and strategies for addressing
today’s security challenges.

Individuals interested in attending CASC 2008 can read more about the agenda here and register via the CATA
website.