Transport Canada looks at risk of laptops on airplanes

Officials travel to Brussels as country considers whether to join U.S. and U.K. in ban

OTTAWA— A team of Transport Canada officials has travelled to Brussels for meetings to assess the latest intelligence, as Canada continues to weigh whether to bar passengers from carrying certain electronic devices on board commercial flights.

Transport Minister Marc Garneau made the announcement Tuesday as the government considers whether to follow the lead of the United States and the United Kingdom and impose the ban.

“My officials are in Brussels to attend meetings with a core group of allies and experts on the issue of banned electronics in the cabin of aircraft. We are carefully assessing information of concern with partners,” Garneau said in a statement.

Garneau said that the federal government works with the U.S., Australia and countries across Europe to “develop common approaches and best practices that incorporate security priorities, minimize impacts on traveller experience and recognize concerns of potentially affected countries.”

The United States announced last week that passengers travelling di- rect from eight mainly Middle Eastern countries would be forbidden from carrying on electronics larger than a cellphone.

Britain then announced that it was implementing similar restrictions on six countries in North Africa and the Middle East.

Garneau talked to John Kelly, the U.S. secretary of Homeland Security, several times last week about the possible threat, but Canada has not rushed to impose the ban.

Instead, the minister said Tuesday that Canada already has in place what he called “enhanced and targeted” security measures.

“This is normal practice, and such measures are in effect on almost every continent, including South America, Asia and Africa,” Garneau said.

He said the government is “continuously assessing” security measures and “will not hesitate to take further action when needed.”

But the head of the International Air Transport Association raised questions about the bans, saying they were implemented with little notice or coordination and said they do nothing to improve aviation security.