Visit to the Canada Border Services Agency

Ottawa, 16-17 March 2011

Report

At the invitation of Luc Portelance, President of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Secretary General of the WCO, Kunio Mikuriya, visited Canada from 16-17 March 2011 to discuss global Customs issues and receive a briefing on CBSA’s ongoing priorities and challenges.

During the meeting, Secretary General Mikuriya acknowledged Canada's active role at the WCO and urged CBSA to continue its high level of participation. He also thanked them for their positive input at various committees and their support for a number of WCO activities, especially capacity building and the Management Development component of the Fellowship Programme.

President Portelance recognized the global role and importance of the WCO and said CBSA would continue to play a prominent part in the activities of the Organization given the WCO’s position as the global centre of Customs expertise.

“Canada plays a valuable role in international and regional Customs matters and I am pleased that under President Portelance’s leadership CBSA is continuing to do so,” said Secretary General Mikuriya.

Whilst in Canada, the Secretary General also visited three key CBSA facilities: the National Learning Centre in Rigaud (Quebec), and the National Risk Assessment Centre and the Laboratory and Scientific Services both in Ottawa (Ontario).