Border Intelligence Program Needs Improved Training, Analytical Tools: Assessment

OTTAWA — Better training and information processing tools are needed to help Canada's border agency's intelligence program combat everything from gun smuggling to people smuggling, an assessment finds internal.

The recently released evaluation report by the Canada Border Services Agency also found that the sensitive nature of activities and lack of data made it difficult to fully assess the effectiveness of the program.

The program is responsible for collecting and analyzing intelligence on drug trafficking, firearms smuggling, immigration fraud, human smuggling, human trafficking, and interdiction people from entering Canada for reasons of national security or war crimes.

The assessment, undertaken between March 2021 and March 2022, found that access to training was insufficient to support the functions of intelligence analysts and officers. “The main challenge seems to be the availability of training. »

Some basic training was only available through external providers, such as the Privy Council Office and the Canadian Police College, which provide instruction to various intelligence organizations and law enforcement agencies, says The report.

“Failing to provide available training poses a liability risk to the agency (e.g., officers are called to testify in court) and could lead to employee performance issues because employees are not prepared to succeed in their work. »

There was also a perception that the program “lacks the technological capacity necessary for efficient and effective operations.”

“Interviewees believe that the CBSA is a data-rich organization, but they also indicated that accessing and reconciling data from different sources is difficult and that the program does not have the tools necessary to take advantage of data analysis,” the report said.

Many regional staff reported that they did not have access to basic tools to conduct analysis and investigations, nor to the agency's secure network.

The evaluators found that the program mapped current data systems based on needs, highlighting gaps and identifying more advanced tools “that could collect, store, integrate, process, report and share more advanced data and intelligence.” effectively “.

“Some believe that greater access to systems and software tools could generate efficiencies in the production of intelligence products by automating research and allowing intelligence personnel to focus on anomalies and areas of concern. »

Although there is general consensus that the program's efforts lead to the disruption of criminal activity, “there is currently no way to measure the extent of this phenomenon or its impact,” the report states.

Although it was difficult to assess the program's effectiveness, perceptions of key stakeholders and limited data “suggest that the program makes an important contribution to agency operations,” the report added.

“It has not been possible to determine the extent to which the program's intelligence products adequately inform key decision makers of threats and trends and support intelligence-driven decisions. However, stakeholders expressed general satisfaction with intelligence products, such as strategic threat profiles, target profiles, watch advisories and bulletins.

A management action plan included in the evaluation report was removed from the public version.

However, in response to questions from The Canadian Press, the border services agency said it was strengthening partnerships within government to make basic training more accessible.

The border agency's college signed a five-year memorandum of understanding with the Privy Council Office in 2022 to ensure course offerings would be accessible to the agency's intelligence community, a spokesperson said of the agency.

The college also prioritizes the provision of basic training covering skills such as conducting interviews, monitoring, and planning and executing assignments.

Additionally, the border agency said it is reviewing a national training standard for intelligence analysts and officers to ensure it meets their needs.

Regarding tools, the agency is developing “a multi-year digital roadmap” to identify existing and emerging technologies, as well as data gaps. It also offers business intelligence and data analysis models and tools for the program, the spokesperson said.

To help measure performance, the program makes updates that include expected and expected results, as well as improved alignment with the agency's overall planning and reporting responsibilities, the agency added. border.