Organization Profile - Canadian Air Transport Security Authority

CATSA’s mission is to protect the public by securing critical elements of the air transportation system as assigned by the government.

A Crown corporation based in the National Capital Region, CATSA reports to Parliament, through the Minister of Transport and is governed by an eleven member Board of Directors, including representatives of the airline industry and airport operators.

CATSA is responsible for several key aviation security services and its responsibilities fall into four major areas:

• Pre-board screening of passengers and their belongings;
• Acquisition, deployment, operation and maintenance of explosives detection systems at airports;
• Implementation of a restricted area identification card;
• The screening of non-passengers entering airport restricted areas.

There shall be a board of directors of the Authority consisting of eleven directors, including the Chairperson, appointed by the Governor in Council on the recommendation of the Minister.

Two of the directors must be nominees submitted by the representatives of the airline industry designated under section 11 whom the Minister considers suitable for appointment as directors, and two must be nominees submitted by the representatives of aerodrome operators designated under that section whom the Minister considers suitable for appointment as directors.

Each director holds office during pleasure for any term of not more than five years that will ensure, as far as possible, the expiry in any one year of the terms of office of not more than one half of the directors.

If the Governor in Council has not appointed all of the directors referred to in subsection (1) but the number appointed constitutes a quorum, the directors who have been appointed may exercise all the powers of the board.

The Minister may designate representatives or classes of representatives of the airline industry and of aerodrome operators to propose nominees to the Minister for appointment to the board.

The directors must be persons who, in the opinion of the Governor in Council, have the experience and the capacity required for discharging their duties and functions.

No person may be appointed or continue as a director of the Authority who

• is not a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act;
• is a member of the Senate or House of Commons or a member of a legislature;
• is employed on a full-time basis in the public service of Canada or of a province; or
• is a mayor, councillor, officer or employee of a municipality.

If a director is not appointed to take office on the expiration of the term of an incumbent director,

other than an officer-director, the incumbent director continues in office until a successor is appointed.

The Governor in Council may renew the term of office of any director for a maximum of one further term of not more than five years.

The directors must carry out the duties and functions of their office on a part-time basis.

The chief executive officer of the Authority is to be appointed by the Governor in Council to hold office during pleasure for any term that the Governor in Council considers appropriate.

The chief executive officer may not be appointed as a director.

The chief executive officer must carry out the duties and functions of his or her office on a full-time basis.

In the event of the absence or incapacity of, or a vacancy in the office of, the chief executive officer, the board may appoint an employee of the Authority to exercise the powers and perform the duties and functions of the chief executive officer, but the employee has no authority to act as chief executive officer for a period exceeding 90 days without the approval of the Governor in Council.

The Financial Administration Act requires that before an officer-director of a parent Crown corporation is appointed, the Minister shall consult the Board of Directors of the Corporation with respect to the appointment.

The Auditor General of Canada is the auditor of the Authority.

The directors must be paid by the Authority the remuneration fixed by the Governor in Council for each day that they attend meetings of the board or any of its committees or perform other duties required of them as directors of the Authority.

The Authority must pay the chief executive officer the remuneration fixed by the Governor in Council.

The chief executive officer is entitled to be paid reasonable travel and living expenses incurred in the course of performing his or her duties while absent from his or her ordinary place of work.