Air Consultative Committee

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Transport Canada (TC) are committed to consulting with their stakeholders on strategies, policies, operational programs and administrative procedures that govern, or have a nexus with, international movement of travellers and goods by air, and related air industry issues.

The purpose of these consultations, in general terms, is to promote mutually beneficial collaboration between the CBSA, TC and the Canadian air industry community on matters that benefit Canada, the Canadian economy and Canada's air transportation sector.

To this end, the CBSA and TC have established the Air Consultative Committee (ACC) with a mandate, membership list and procedures as described below.

1. Mandate

The overall mandate of the ACC is to provide the CBSA, TC, other government department partners and air industry stakeholders with a forum for dialogue and collaboration on policies and programs related to Canada's air industry, and for developing solutions to issues affecting the economic competitiveness of Canada's air industry. The committee is a strategic forum and addresses forward thinking issues and concepts. Issues of a tactical nature are handled by sub-committees and working groups, which in turn, advise the ACC.

Without limiting that goal, the Committee provides:

• Air industry stakeholders with an ongoing mechanism for suggesting new ideas or raising issues or concerns regarding the strategies, policies, programs or administrative procedures of the CBSA and TC;
• CBSA and TC officials with an ongoing mechanism to receive input and feedback related to its strategies, policies, operational programs or administrative procedures and any contemplated changes to them; and
• Air industry stakeholders, CBSA and TC officials with a forum and clearing house for sharing information and views on issues affecting Canada's air industry.

The CBSA and TC are committed to involving individual Canadians, stakeholders and their intermediary organizations in the development, design and evaluation of policies, programs and services that affect them. As such, the CBSA and TC leverage the ACC to develop and promote forward-thinking solutions to issues affecting Canada's air industry, which are responsive to the needs of the air industry and promote its economic competitiveness, while respecting the Government of Canada's mandate.

In carrying out this commitment, the CBSA and TC consult with Canadians in a manner that is timely, transparent, inclusive, accessible and meaningful. To this end, the CBSA and TC, collaboratively with the members of the ACC:

• Develop and articulate clear objectives and desired outcomes for any consultative exercise;
• Actively seek solutions to industry issues from all Government of Canada participants, which respect broad departmental mandates while minimizing the economic impact on industry and the compliance burden on stakeholders and the public;
• Undertake consultations early enough in any decision-making process so that input received can be used to make informed decisions;
• Allow adequate time for participation so as to ensure that participants can contribute to deliberations in an informed, thoughtful and interactive manner;
• Document consultative processes, and input received, and share this information with participants to show that their views have been noted and considered; and
• Respect the rights of Canadians to deal with the Government of Canada in either official language.

2. Membership

• The Vice-President, Programs Branch, CBSA, and the Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy, TC, co-chair the Committee.
• Committee membership is reviewed every five years, or as needed.
• The CBSA and TC Chairs consult internally on membership eligibility; however final authority rests with the Chairs.
• The federal sector membership of the Committee consists of the CBSA, TC and other government departments that have responsibilities associated with air travel or otherwise affecting Canada's air industry.
• The private sector membership of the Committee consists of representatives appointed by organizations representing Canada's air industry interests involved in air travel activity.
• Each organization appoints one regular and one alternate delegate to the Committee. Only one representative from each organization will attend each meeting.
• The heads of the participating private sector organizations advise the Chairs in writing of the names of their designated regular and alternate members on the Committee.
• For continuity of discussions, members must commit to their attendance at ACC meetings or name a reliable alternate.

3. Procedures

• The Committee meets two times a year and as otherwise required at the call of the Chairs. Should circumstances warrant, the Chairs may also convene teleconferences of the Committee.
• Notices of meetings and meeting agendas are provided as early as possible.
• Records of decisions of the Committee are prepared under the authority of the Chairs and distributed to all members as early as possible.
• The Committee may establish sub-committees and ad hoc committees as it sees fit and may recruit Committee members and others to serve on any such committees.
• Sub-committees are co-chaired by a private sector representative and the CBSA and/or TC representative.
• Updates on ACC and sub-committee activities are provided semi-annually to ACC members.
• During ACC meetings, members of the Committee may use their official language of choice to conduct their business.
• Proposals or discussion papers for presentation at meetings are provided to the ACC secretariat for distribution to the members prior to meetings.
• The CBSA and TC are each responsible to organize one meeting per fiscal year.

4. Administration

• The CBSA and TC jointly administer the activities of the Committee.