Embassy security costs set to spike

Documents reveal that fund meant to secure Canada’s foreign missions is exhausted

OTTAWA— Global instability is expected to drive up the cost of securing Canada’s foreign embassies and missions, documents obtained by the Star show.

The warning comes after Global Affairs Canada has exhausted a 10-year, $643.4-million fund to “address security deficiencies” in its network of overseas missions.

“At present, all of this funding has either been spent or committed to implement priority security programs and infrastructure projects at several of our highest risk locations,” read the documents, obtained under access-to-information law.

“Given increasing threats due to terrorism, criminality, civil disorder and ongoing natural disaster risks (particularly in earthquake zones), we can anticipate that the scope and cost of securing Canada’s international footprint and its employees abroad will continue to rise.”

The documents, briefing notes prepared for Global Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion, note that the department has a “duty of care” for the 6,000 employees working abroad at 174 missions.

Some of those facilities have been assessed as “high-risk” missions, although the number has been censored from the unclassified documents.

Officials at Global Affairs have been prioritizing high-risk missions for more urgent security upgrades, which can include the hardening of buildings to withstand natural disasters or attacks, increasing the number of security staff at missions, and providing specialized training for staff.

The previous Conservative government committed more than $640 million to upgrade security measures between 2007 and 2017, and the department notes that a decision needs to be made about resources after that money stops flowing next year.

“Canadian missions and Government of Canada employees are operating in increasingly volatile regions of the world, where threat and risk levels are rising,” the documents read.

“Ensuring the security of employees, Canadian missions and assets is a priority for the department, which undertakes regular monitoring and assessments of threats and risks faced, to ensure the appropriate mitigations measures are put in place to protect staff, missions and assets.”

The Star requested an interview with Global Affairs for this article. In a short statement, the department said it does not comment on specific security measures at Canadian missions.

Chantal Gagnon, a spokeswoman for Dion, said in an email the Liberals are committed to protecting foreign staff through “cost-effective measures that allow our international network to deliver services to Canadians and advance Canadian interests around the world.”

“Systems are in place to identify threats and assess vulnerabilities, and to mitigate risks to our mission network, personnel, information and infrastructure,” Gagnon wrote.

In an interview with The Canadian Press in March, Dion said the safety of Canadian staff overseas was his “top priority.”

“I have made that very clear, that I don’t want to compromise the security of my people, and their families, by the way,” Dion told the wire service.

According to Global Affairs planning documents, the department plans to spend more than $72 million on mission security in 2016-17, up more than $10 million from planned spending in 2014-15.

The documents note, however, that the department has spent less than they planned in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

On Monday, the federal government announced it was closing its embassy in the South Sudan capital of Juba until further notice, due to an escalating civil war in that country. Canada has no consular presence in several other countries — including Syria, Yemen, Somalia and Niger — due to security concerns and the risk of terrorist attacks.