Ministerial transition 2021: Transition binder—Organizational information

Key contacts

Canada Border Services Agency organizational chart

John Ossowski
President

Ted Gallivan
Executive Vice-President

Jacques Cloutier
Special Advisor to the President

• Strategic Policy
  Scott Millar, Vice-President
• Chief Transformation Officer
  Geneviève Binet, Acting Vice-President and Chief Transformation Officer
• Internal Audit and Program Evaluation
  Marianne Thouin, Chief Audit and Evaluation Executive
• Intelligence and Enforcement
  Scott Harris, Vice-President
• Information, Science and Technology
  Minh Doan, Vice-President
• Travellers
  Denis R. Vinette, Vice-President
• Commercial and Trade
  Fred Gaspar, Vice-President
• Human Resources
  Louise Youdale, Vice-President
• Finance and Corporate Management
  Jonathan Moor, Vice-President
• Legal Counsel
  Julie Watkinson, Executive Director and Senior General Counsel

Executive biographies

John Ossowski

President

John Ossowski was appointed President of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) on December 7, 2016.

Prior to this appointment, Mr. Ossowski was Deputy Commissioner of the Canada Revenue Agency from July 2015 to December 2016. He has also held senior positions as Associate Deputy Minister of Public Safety Canada and also as Assistant Secretary, International Affairs, Security and Justice Sector, at the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS).

Mr. Ossowski has also worked at the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) where he was Director General, Policy and Communications and then Deputy Chief, Corporate Services. Before joining CSE, Mr. Ossowski was Assistant Director, Government Relationships and Communications at the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), which is Canada's financial intelligence unit. Previously, he spent a number of years at TBS in the Government Operations Sector and finally, as the Executive Assistant to the Secretary.

Mr. Ossowski has a bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Victoria.

Ted Gallivan

Executive Vice-President

Ted Gallivan was appointed Executive Vice-President of the CBSA on September 1, 2021.

Prior to his appointment, Mr. Gallivan served as the Assistant Commissioner of the Compliance Programs Branch at the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) from January 2016 to August 2021, and as Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Compliance Programs Branch and of the Taxpayer Services and Debt Management Branch from August 2013 to March 2014.

He began his career with Customs and Excise in 1991 as a summer intern at the GST Interim Processing Centre. Since then he has gone on to hold a number of senior positions at the CRA.

Mr. Gallivan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Concordia University.

Scott Millar

Vice-President (Strategic Policy Branch)

Scott Millar joined the CBSA in June 2021, as Vice-President of the Strategic Policy Branch. He is also the Agency Champion for Indigenous Peoples, as well as the Government of Canada Workplace Charitable Campaign (GCWCC) Champion.

In his previous role as the Deputy Chief of Policy and Communications at the Communications Security Establishment (CSE), Mr. Millar led CSE's efforts in domestic and international policy and partnerships (foreign intelligence, cyber security and cyber operations), ministerial and parliamentary affairs, strategic and business planning, external review support, legal disclosure, and communications and media relations.

Previously, Mr. Millar held executive positions at both the Treasury Board Secretariat and the Privy Council Office. He also served as the Senior Advisor to the Vice-President (Policy and Programs) at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and as Acting Director of International Relations at FINTRAC, Canada's anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing agency. Scott began his public service career in 1997 as a policy analyst within the Anti-Organized Crime Division at the former Department of the Solicitor General (now Public Safety Canada).

Mr. Millar holds a Master's degree in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts (High Honours) in Psychology from Carleton University, and has earned certificates from McGill University, the Canadian Foreign Service Institute and the Canadian Forces College. He has also published on issues surrounding ministerial accountability.

Jonathan Moor

Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer (Finance and Corporate Management Branch)

Jonathan Moor joined the CBSA as Vice-President, Finance and Corporate Management Branch and Chief Financial Officer in January 2018. In this role, Mr. Moor provides national leadership for the Agency's financial administration, security and professional standards, infrastructure and environmental operations, contracting and material management, recourse and complaints.

Prior to joining the CBSA and coming to Canada on an interchange program with the UK Government, Mr. Moor held a number of senior executive roles in the UK's Department for Transport, where he was appointed to the Main Board in 2013, responsible for Resources and Strategy.

In 2009, Mr. Moor was the UK's Director General for Civil Aviation responsible for aviation security and facilitation, air service negotiations, and consumer, environmental and regulatory policies. He was also Vice-President of Eurocontrol and of the European Civil Aviation Conference; and Chairman of ICAO's Evaluation and Audit Advisory Committee.

Mr. Moor trained as a Chartered Accountant in the private sector with Touche Ross & Co (now Deloitte), before moving to District Audit in 1992, and then the Audit Commission to work in a number of senior financial and corporate roles. In 2000, he was appointed as their Finance Director. In 2003, he joined the UK's Department for Transport as Group Finance Director of the Driver, Vehicle and Operator Group, before moving into a policy and program management role as Director of Airports Strategy in 2006 (responsible for the third runway program at Heathrow airport).

In the 2011 New Year's Honours List, Mr. Moor was awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for services to aviation. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales and he has a Bachelor's degree in Geography from the University of Kent at Canterbury.

Louise Youdale

Vice-President (Human Resources Branch)

Ms. Louise Youdale joined the CBSA as Vice-President of Human Resources in October 2019.

Ms. Youdale has over 20 years of executive leadership experience, including time in both the private and public sectors. Prior to joining the CBSA, she was the CIO and Director General, Information Management and Technology at the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, where she had also been Chief Human Resources Officer and Director General of Human Resources.

Ms. Youdale's extensive experience in human resources also includes roles supporting organizational success at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (DG, HR Operations / Client Services), the National Research Council (VP, HR), Alterna Savings and Alterna Bank (Senior VP, HR) and several other organizations.

She has dedicated her career to working with leaders to build organizational capability, shape culture and optimize performance.

Ms. Youdale holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Human Resources Management from Bishop's University.

Minh Doan

Vice-President and Chief Information Officer (Information, Science and Technology Branch)

Mr. Minh Doan was appointed Vice-President and Chief Information Officer of the Information, Science and Technology Branch (ISTB) in January, 2018.

Since joining the CBSA in 2014 as the Director General of the Business Applications Services Directorate, Mr. Doan has also taken on the role of interim Vice-President of ISTB from September 2016 until September 2017 and Director General of Enterprise Architecture, Information Management and Common Services from September to December 2017.

Mr. Doan has over 21 years of private and public sector experience in leading enterprise IT projects, improving the efficiency of IT and aligning IT with business operations.

Before joining the CBSA, Mr. Doan was an Executive Director at Employment and Social Development Canada where he led major business and technology transformation projects. Prior to that, he worked at the Privy Council Office (PCO) on Administrative Services Review and government-wide IT strategies to transform service delivery to Canadians. He has also progressively held more senior positions at Service Canada and Bell Canada.

Mr. Doan has a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from the Université du Québec and a certificate in Leading Change and Organizational Renewal from the Harvard Business School.

Scott Harris

Vice-President (Intelligence and Enforcement Branch)

Mr. Scott Harris was appointed as Vice-President of the Intelligence and Enforcement Branch in June 2020.

Prior to his role as Vice-President, he was the Regional Deputy Commissioner for Ontario with Correctional Service Canada (CSC), where he was responsible for ensuring public safety by strategically leading correctional operations across Ontario and Nunavut, overseeing seven federal institutions and 28 parole offices responsible for more than 6,500 federally sentenced offenders and working with a strong network of community partners and stakeholders.

Mr. Harris began his public service career with CSC in 1995 as a Correctional Officer, as well as holding other positions such as Case Management Officer, Parole Officer, and Project Officer. He later moved into various management positions such as Director of Restorative Justice, Director General – Citizen Engagement, Associate Assistant Commissioner of Correctional Operations and Programs, and Assistant Commissioner of Communications and Engagement. In addition, he has provided inter-governmental and international leadership for the federal government's strategic advancement of restorative justice for more than twenty years.

Mr. Harris graduated from the University of Alberta with Bachelor's degree in Criminology and from Queen's University with Master's degree concentrating in restorative justice.

Denis R. Vinette

Vice-President (Travellers Branch)

Mr. Denis Vinette is the Vice-President of the Travellers Branch and has enjoyed a distinguished career in border management spanning 29 years at the CBSA.

Prior to his current role as Vice-President of Travellers Branch, Mr. Vinette had been the Associate Vice-President of the Operations Branch since 2016.

Mr. Vinette was hired in 1992 as a Customs Inspector in Prescott, Ontario. He joined the management ranks when he became a Customs Superintendent in Cornwall and then the Chief of Operations at Macdonald Cartier International Airport in Ottawa.

Mr. Vinette gained experience in increasingly senior management positions, including those of Director, Border Enforcement; Director, Personnel Security and Professional Standards; Director General, Strategic Planning and Integration; Regional Director General, Northern Ontario Region; and Director General, Border Operations Directorate before becoming Vice-President.

Mr. Vinette has been recognized for his service, having been awarded a 2005 Public Service Award of Excellence, and in 2012, he was given both the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Peace Officer Exemplary Service Medal.

Mr. Vinette has a Bachelor of Social Sciences, with a concentration in Criminology and Psychology from the University of Ottawa.

Fred Gaspar

Vice-President (Commercial and Trade Branch)

Fred Gaspar was appointed as Vice-President of the Commercial and Trade Branch in September 2021.

Prior to his role as Vice-President, Mr. Gaspar was the Director General responsible for the Commercial Program Directorate, Commercial and Trade Branch.

Mr. Gaspar joined the CBSA in January 2019 from the Canadian Transportation Agency, where he served as the Chief Compliance Officer from April 2016 to January 2019. In that role, he held corporate responsibilities for various industry regulatory determinations related to Canada's federally-regulated transportation regime.

Before that, he held senior positions at the National Capital Commission, InterVISTAS Consulting, The Air Transport Association of Canada and Air Canada.

Mr. Gaspar graduated from the University of Western Ontario and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Planning.

Geneviève Binet

Acting Vice-President and Chief Transformation Officer (Transformation Branch)

In July 2019, Geneviève Binet joined the Chief Transformation Officer Branch as Director General of Enterprise Transformation; she has been acting in the position of Vice-President since April 2021. She originally joined the CBSA in March 2018 as a Director General in the Information, Science and Technology Branch, after serving as Chief of Staff to the Commissioner of Revenue.

At the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), Ms. Binet held various executive positions. In these roles, Ms. Binet was responsible for the CRA's relationship with the province of Quebec, self-funding options for First Nations communities, information sharing agreements, departmental planning and reporting, as well as various public affairs portfolios. Ms. Binet also worked at the Privy Council Office (PCO) and prior to that, spent more than a decade in private sector market research.

Ms. Binet holds a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology and Business from Carleton University. She also holds certificates in Advanced Moderating from the Washington-based RIVA Institute and a Masters Certificate in Innovation Leadership from York University's Schulich School of Business.

Domestic and international partnerships

The CBSA is dependent on partnerships with federal agencies and departments, provincial and international governments, and private sector partners and stakeholders in order to achieve its mandate. Leveraging partnerships gives the CBSA access to the right information to make decisions that protect Canada and Canadians; provide for excellent service in safe and secure facilities; and negotiate agreements and arrangements that contribute to modern, integrated global border management strategies.

The CBSA administers more than 90 Acts, regulations and international agreements, many on behalf of other federal departments and agencies. Working collaboratively with partners, the Agency is better positioned to set priorities and manage its operations by developing processes and designing controls that contribute to the safety and security of all Canadians while facilitating the movement of admissible people and goods, and providing excellent service.

Key federal partners

RCMP

Within the Public Safety Portfolio, a key relationship is with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The CBSA is responsible for controlling the movement of goods and people through Canadian ports of entry (POEs), whereas the RCMP is responsible for the control between POEs and on First Nations reserves. Criminal investigations pursuant to Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) generally are led by the CBSA, although those involving organized crime, human trafficking or national security issues are led by the RCMP. At the operational level, the RCMP leads a number of integrated teams in which the CBSA actively participates. The CBSA also collaborates with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service on national security issues and Correctional Services Canada on the potential removal of those foreign nationals serving a sentence of imprisonment.

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada

Outside the Public Safety Portfolio, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is a priority partner for the CBSA as the two organizations share responsibility for administering IRPA. Specifically, the CBSA is responsible for administering IRPA at Canadian POEs and enforcing it inland (e.g, investigations, detentions, removals, and appearances before the Immigration and Refugee Board). In addition, the CBSA supports the security screening process for temporary and permanent resident applicants and provides intelligence support to IRCC. IRCC is responsible for processing applicants for temporary and permanent residence and their settlement and integration in Canada.

IRCC and the CBSA work together to maintain the integrity of the immigration program through the enhancement of screening tools, new controls and improved case management. Mutual priorities include irregular migration, admissibility and refugee determination issues, changes to visa requirements, international collaboration to facilitate removals, and the development of improved and integrated services to those crossing our borders. Moreover, there is a shared agenda to advance technological innovations that will improve the effectiveness and efficiency of our operations, both inland and at POEs.

Other federal partners

In addition to the above-noted organizations, the CBSA also collaborates closely with the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Transport Canada, the Department of Finance, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (Canadian Coast Guard), Health Canada, and the Communication Security Establishment. Collaborative efforts allow us to support one another to fulfil our respective mandates.

Law enforcement partnerships and other levels of government

In operational contexts, the CBSA collaborates with regional-level partners, including municipal and provincial police services, health and welfare agencies, and provincial correctional institutions. These partners support the enforcement of the various Acts administered by the CBSA.

Key domestic stakeholders

In the context of an increasingly globalized world, there are a large number of potential CBSA domestic stakeholders. Associations and individuals engaged in the commercial trade, business, immigration, human and civil rights, and travel and tourism sectors represent specific needs and interests of the Agency's clients and stakeholders. The CBSA works through a variety of fora to address concerns, and works collaboratively with external stakeholders when developing new policies and procedures. For example, the CBSA is currently engaging the Canadian Human Rights Commission and the Black Legal Action Centre to better understand the perceptions and impacts of customs practices on racialized groups.

Examples of key domestic stakeholders by CBSA business lines include:

• Air: Air Transport Association of Canada
• Land: Canadian Trucking Alliance, Railway Association of Canada
• Marine: Association of Canadian Port Authority
• Import and Export: BC Chamber of Shipping, Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters, Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Canadian Society of Customs Brokers, Shipping Federation of Canada
• Refugees/Asylum: Canadian Council of Refugees, Canadian Red Cross

Stakeholder Consultative Committees: In addition to engaging individual stakeholders, the CBSA has two main consultative committees:

• The Border Commercial Consultative Committee (BCCC), which is comprised of (and impacts) commercial stakeholders such as carriers, brokers, importers, and freight forwarders
• The Air Consultative Committee (ACC), which includes airport authorities, airlines, and the CBSA. The ACC addresses issues in the air mode that impact the competitiveness of Canadian airports, and/or impact the ability of CBSA to fulfil its mandate

International Partners: The International Strategic Framework guides the Agency's international programs and partnerships. The Agency is dependent on international partners to provide access to information, facilities and tools abroad to interdict inadmissible people and goods at the earliest point in the travel or commercial continuum, and to disrupt illicit border-related activity impacting Canada. These objectives are often achieved through the negotiation of international agreements (e.g., Customs Mutual Assistance Agreements, Free Trade Agreements) and arrangements. The CBSA participates in a number of international fora that help guide and contribute to achieving its strategic goals. Five key international fora are highlighted below.

1)  Five Country Ministerial (FCM): The FCM is an annual meeting of the security and immigration ministers of the Five Eyes (FVEY) countries: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The FCM was created as the ministerial forum to discuss policies, operational approaches, and legal measures on a range of national security and public safety issues facing the FVEY partners. It also provides strategic direction to guide current and future cooperation; establishes a more integrated policy-making and planning structure; identifies gaps and opportunities for further collaboration; and, improves accountability. Public Safety Canada is the lead department for the FCM on behalf of the Government of Canada and is supported by the CBSA and IRCC.

2)  Border Five (B5): The B5 is a high-level forum for relevant agency heads from the FVEY to influence and shape border management discussions at an international level among advanced and trusted partners and to promote their common interest in border security, intelligence, economic prosperity, and trade and travel facilitation. In fall 2019, the Chair for B5 came to the CBSA on behalf of Canada. Canada maintained the Chair for an additional year given the global pandemic situation. [Redacted]

3)  Migration Five (M5): The CBSA actively participates in the M5, along with IRCC. The M5 is an international forum of immigration and border security agencies consisting of the FVEY. The forum shares best practices on information sharing, data, and intelligence to optimize immigration decision-making, attract and facilitate legitimate travellers, and deter and disrupt individuals who act in bad faith or deceptively. In fall 2019, the CBSA and IRCC became M5 Co-Chairs on behalf of Canada, and maintained the Chair for an additional year given the global pandemic situation. [Redacted]

4)  World Customs Organization (WCO): The WCO has 182 members, representing 98 percent of global trade. It acts as a United Nations-like organization exclusively focused on custom matters with various technical, policy and decision-making bodies. Canada is seen as a leader in the forum, as it collaborates with key partners and helps set and advance the global custom agenda in a manner aligned with the Agency's and the Government of Canada's economic and security priorities, and in a way that supports WCO members.

5)  Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC): The APEC is a multilateral forum aimed at facilitating free trade, regional economic integration, cooperation, and a sustainable business environment among the Asia-Pacific region. Canada is a founding member of APEC and is currently the third largest contributor to APEC's regular budget, which remains the only significant multilateral forum in the Asia-Pacific region in which Canada is engaged. While the Canadian engagement with APEC is lead by Global Affairs Canada, the CBSA is actively engaging with APEC at the working level through various sub-fora, namely the Sub-Committee on Custom Procedures and the Digital Economy Steering Group.

Bilateral Relations: In addition to participating in multilateral fora, the CBSA engages with key bilateral partners to advance its international strategic objectives, outside of the Five Eyes community. The Agency also leverages relationships in key regions or countries to support and advance the CBSA's international objectives. This includes nurturing and developing international engagement with China, the European Union, France, Germany and Mexico.

United States

Given the volume of travellers, goods and services that cross our shared border on a daily basis and the close cooperation required to limit the spread of COVID, and the importance of safety and security considerations associated with a shared border, the CBSA's relationship with its U.S. counterparts plays the most critical role amongst all of the Agency's partners in the management of the shared border.

On Canada-U.S. border management issues, the CBSA engages primarily with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), both of which are agencies under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In addition, the U.S. Border Patrol (BP), a component agency of U.S. CBP, is responsible for patrolling the land border between designated POEs. This includes intercepting individuals seeking to enter the U.S. by irregular means, without presenting themselves at a POE.

The current acting US CBP Commissioner is Troy Miller. In April 2021, the White House announced that Chris Magnus, the police chief of Tucson, Arizona, was nominated as the new Commissioner. Formal confirmation proceedings are not expected to begin until fall 2021.

Mexico

Mexico is a key strategic partner in the Americas, in multilateral fora, and on trilateral issues with the U.S. The CBSA and its partners in Mexico work on initiatives and programs to disrupt Trade Fraud, Trade Based Money Laundering, Contraband and Irregular Migration to Canada.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) is the CBSA's main partner in Mexico, present in all our forums of engagement and acting as a single window into the rest of the Mexican government. On migration issues, our key interlocutor is the National Migration Institute (INM), under the Ministry of the Interior. On Customs issues, the CBSA currently collaborates closely with the Tax Administration Service (SAT) , which falls under the Secretary of Finance. However, the Mexican government announced plans in 2021 to create a new customs organization, the National Customs Agency (ANAM). This new agency is expected to be operational in late fall 2021 at the earliest, [Redacted]