Parliamentary Committee Notes: Border Lookouts

Date: January 26, 2023

Branch/Agency: IEB/CBSA

Proposed speaking points:

Lookouts are one of the many tools and strategies the Canada Border Services Agency uses to detect and stop people and goods that may pose a risk from entering Canada.
Lookouts are issued against individuals for a number of reasons, including: links to organized crime; people smuggling; human trafficking; illicit movement of drugs, or firearms; inadmissibility and threats to national security.
They contain information and/or specific instructions to guide the Border Service Officers in their examination.
The number of lookouts in our systems fluctuates as new lookouts are added, while others expire, are cancelled and/or archived.
Only quality lookouts – which are timely, complete, include key data elements, and relevant information – will remain in the system.
Lookouts assist CBSA officers, both overseas and in Canada, to identify a person, conveyance or shipment that may pose a threat to the health, safety, security, economy or environment of Canada and Canadians. Lookouts may also be issued on behalf of other government partners when they fall within the mandate of the CBSA.