Global Security Newswire

The Canadian military is looking toward a private firm to supply additional resources for patrolling the North American nation's coastline for sea-based terrorist threats, the Canadian Press reported on Sunday (see GSN, Sept. 10, 2010).

The nation's special forces intend to use Provincial Airlines to track the locations of suspicious sea craft sailing in Canadian waters, according to a July 2010 memorandum sent to the then-head of Canada's special forces, Brig. Gen. Mike Day. The work would be provided under a present deal for monitoring fisheries.

The memo noted that while there are a number of military, police and other government aircraft that can respond to land crises, "options are significantly reduced" for responding to sea-based dangers. Provincial Airlines "could fill a gap at minimal cost," according to the document.

Canada's highly secret special forces have already contracted with the company at least twice before for training support.

Ottawa is concerned about the potential for extremists to bring a radiological device or other weapon of mass destruction into the country via the largely empty Canadian coastline. In the last decade, the government has spent more than $1 billion to bolster maritime and port protections (Murray Brewster, Canadian Press/CTV, Dec. 11).