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U.S. bars Canadian engineer from aerospace conference Allison Lampert, CanWest News Service; Montreal Gazette
Published: Thursday, February 01, 2007 Article tools
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MONTREAL - An American aerospace conference that previously welcomed participants from Canada is now restricted to U.S. citizens because of security regulations.

Veteran consultant Stewart Bain, who has presented papers at the High Temple conference on composite materials in Arizona for the last three years, said he was refused entry for the first time last month. He was told the security clearance heused to attend the conference in the past no longer meets U.S. standards.

"I'm very disappointed," said Bain, 44, a board member of the Quebec Aerospace Association, who works from offices in both Montreal and Ottawa.

"When I talk to my American colleagues, they're all scratching their heads saying 'why did this happen? What changed between last year and this year?' "

Attendance at the conference, a gathering of leading experts on high-temperature polymer matrix composites, has always been limited to Americans and Canadians. That's because some of the information presented falls under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), U.S. security rules that limit access to American military and satellite technology.

Bain said he doesn't blame organizers from the University of Dayton Research Institute in Ohio for the change, as the decision "was over their heads."

It's the latest example of Canadians being refused access to U.S. technology -and potentially lucrative contracts with American companies -in the name of national security.

Last month, 24 Canadian workers at a Mirabel, Que., helicopter plant were denied access to ITAR-controlled data because they are also nationals of countries under embargo by the U.S.

Around the same time, news surfaced that certain clients with the Royal Bank of Canada were refused permission to open U.S. dollar accounts because they were also citizens of six U.S.-sanctioned countries, including Iran.

Such incidents have grabbed the attention of the Canadian government, with Prime Minister Stephen Harper publicly expressing concern.

Negotiations have been held to make the U.S. security restrictions less tedious for Canadian aerospace companies doing business south of the border.

It's especially relevant with Canada's aerospace companies now eager to obtain offsets stemming from a $17-billion plan to upgrade the Canadian military.

Since the Canadian government has agreed to purchase aircraft from American defence giants Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp., Canadian contractors would need authorization to access relevant U.S. data.

"One of the key recommendations we've been making ... is the need to ensure that the government of Canada acquires all of the necessary technical data and intellectual property rights for Canadian firms," said Peter Boag, president of the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada.

Although ITAR rules are less strict for Canada than other U.S. allies, critics say compliance can be costly and time consuming -especially for smaller companies with less administrative help.

In 2004, almost half of Canadian space companies surveyed by graduate students at York University's Schulich School of Business reported delays of three to six months on projects that require ITAR technology.
And Canadian companies are less likely to complete projects with a U.S. partner nowthan during the time before 1999, when Canada was exempt from most ITAR rules, the survey revealed.

Similarly, Bain said as he understands it, the reason he can't participate in the conference stems from bureaucratic concerns -not real security issues.

From what he was told by a U.S. government official, Bain said he believes his attendance would require some type of ITAR authorization.

A reporter's calls to a conference organizer were referred to the Ohio institute's security office, where repeated requests for an explanation weren't returned.

Since he can't attend the conference, Bain said he has asked an American colleague to present his paper for him.

What's so disappointing, he said, is that he genuinely recognizes the importance of complying with U.S. security concerns.

In his office he keeps a shredder, which he uses to destroy any sensitive material. He gets audited every year by Canada's Controlled Goods Directorate -a department of Public Works and Government Services Canada.

"What I'm concerned about -and put out by -is that I complied with all this," he said.

"This conference changed all the rules."

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Montreal Gazette

   

Security Issues.

Oooooh, let me guess, Canadian Terrorists?

We are out to get ya.

   

...but just like Canadians, life goes on as usual. We keep selling our precious resources that the United States they so desperately need, Oil and Gas.

Canadians keep getting reamed in the ass, business as usual. China get's more respect than Canada.

If we are such a national concern, why are we in Afghanistan?

At times like these, patriotism says cut these fuckers off and seek other buyers.

   

China has big bank accounts.Maybe it's time to build a wall on our side of the border .

   

Sometimes I agree with you.

Though extremely rare.

This would be one of those times.

Although I don't understand exactly what your saying with the A'stan comment. We are int here to rebuild and help the people.

And to get rid of those filthy pests known as the Taliban.

   

Actually, I think I have the solution.

http://www.canadaka.net/modules.php?nam ... c&p=484903

NATIONALIZE THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY!

Canada and Venezuela represent the most important sources of oil outside the Middle East.

Nationalize the oil and gas sector and start going into other provinces such as sask that has just as much oil as Alberta, and Newfoundland offshore drilling.

We would be a stronger nation, and we can start building more refineries in Canada, selling the finished product.

Currently well sell the USA the OIL and buy back the gasoline at crazy expensive rates.

   

Wan't that the whole idea behind Petrocan?
I don't know about you but I'd rather keep my provinces resources in the province, not the federal governments hands.

This was just a glitch by some unqualified security geek. The people who actually set up this conference didn't agree with this exclusion. Tempest in a teapot.

   

Are you sure it's not an under laying sentiment......America does not respect us any more than they do the rest of the world.
They only covet what we have and they do not.....if it was not for the fact that they need our oil there would a fence just as high on our border as there is on the Mexican side.

   

Well, I was at the conference last year. This man had way too many drinks and made a scene. We got together and agreed it was best that he didn't attend this years conference, so we asked Homeland Security to bar him from entering. We figured they could take another image hit.

Seriously, there are alot of US laws that have restricted foreigners way too much. I for one don't see the problem on having exemptions for people who are from certain trustworthy countries(Canada, UK, etc).

   

Hear hear.

Why would the Americans respect us? We are like their colony just here to be exploited as much as possible. After all they are paying for our defence and hopefully if we are ever invaded they will protect us to secure their own corporate interests within this country. I guess it is not the worst deal they do pay to buy our things but as little as they possibly can. We also are permitted to have our own government mostly independent except for foreign affairs we usually check with Washington first. Plus we can raise our own armed forces mostly for ceremonial purposes and on the occasion we participate in greater causes and will send some to fight alongside with our other fellow dominions and our new imperial leader the United States. But this is really nothing to respect us for we pose no threat to them, we cannot defend ourselves, we barley stand up for ourselves, and our economy it totally reliant on the United States.

   

You are so frighteningly anti-American, it's little wonder you grasped this straw.

   

Me?

   

No. Old Fatty there.

   

He was probably a Quebecois working for heavily subsidized and bloated Bombardier. No big loss.

   

Part of the problem here is that Canada is handing out citizenship to just about anyone who wants it and Canada isn't being very careful in checking the backgrounds of the people you're letting in.

I will also be the first to note that the US actions are a tad hypocritical because these same Canadian residents we're keeping out could just as easily walk across our southern border without any incident whatsoever...thank you, Mr. Bush.

   

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