STAY SAFE AND HEALTHY. WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS.
We are grateful for all commissionaires who continue to deliver essential services, helping keep Canada safe and secure during these uncertain times. Our people are experienced and capable of being on the front lines in all situations. Thank you for your professionalism and for being there for Canadians.
And thank you to our clients for working with us to ensure the safety and health of our commissionaires, their employees, and the public.
Alanna Fairey
Scott Hill
By Neil Sutton
HSHARED WISDOM
How the industry is coming together to fight the pandemic
ere at Canadian Security, calamity and kudos sometimes go hand in hand.
We’re used to spotlighting the achievements of security professionals, many of whom are called upon to do difficult work.
In this issue, we’re looking at the biggest crisis of modern times while at the same time celebrating the young professionals in our Top 10 Under 40 feature who are helping to lead the security industry.
Speaking to security professionals over the last few weeks and months, I’ve heard mixed reactions about the value of existing pandemic plans and how well they have prepared us to handle the real thing.
Some organizations had already prepared their documents following outbreaks of SARS, MERS, H1N1 and other diseases that on the surface look similar to COVID-19. The value of those documents very much hinges on whether they are action plans that are continuously updated and maintained, or checklists that simply fill an organizational requirement. This is a point that was driven home during a recent virtual roundtable of security and emergency management experts that I hosted in April and is still available for viewing on the Canadian Security website.
“Security will emerge stronger on the other side.”
For this issue, we reached out to ASIS International members across Canada to get their take on the pandemic and any advice they can share. Responses came from hospitals, government, critical infrastructure, consultants and private industry.
You can read those pieces of shared wisdom in this issue, but if I can distill them down to a single thought, it would be this one: no matter how well you prepared and how well you are faring now, soak it all up as a learning experience and apply it to the next crisis.
When the Canadian Security editorial staff reached out to this year’s Top 10 Under 40 honourees, many of them were at home, working under brand new circumstances. Some were coping with ballooning workloads created by the pandemic, while others were adapting to the same out-of-office scenarios that many of us have faced, regardless of the industry we work in.
As we wrote the winner profiles, I really wanted to focus on their achievements and the work that has brought them success rather than dwell too much on current circumstances. As much as COVID-19 has usurped our lives right now, it’s important to remember that this situation is temporary. Inevitably, it will shape our experiences well into the future, but it doesn’t have to define them.
We at Canadian Security wish you and your families good health and happiness as we rise to meet these challenges. As I mentioned recently in our sister publication, SP&T News, the security industry is much better equipped than most to deal with a pandemic and I have witnessed associations, companies (sometimes competitors) and private practitioners come together to work on solutions. Right now, lessons are being learned and security will emerge stronger on the other side.
Group Publisher Paul Grossinger pgrossinger@annexbusinessmedia.com
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Toronto, Ontario
October
Maintaining mental health
Humancontact is a basic need, making self-isolation during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic a mental health challenge for many.
The ongoing self-isolation and quarantine protocols can result in an individual feeling anxious, stressed and depressed, due to a disruption in their everyday routine and uncertainty of when the pandemic will end.
The Conference Board of Canada.
“Essential workers have a different challenge — anybody that’s out every day, needs to live in a world where they need to protect themselves and stay vigilant to ensure that they don’t pick up a virus,” Howatt said.
“Not everybody has the same resiliency and not everyone’s going to be at the same place mentally.”
— Bill Howatt, Howatt Consulting
First responders, frontline workers and security personnel who are working in the thick of the pandemic are faced with fatigue, burnout and stress said Bill Howatt, founder and president of Howatt Consulting and the chief of research and workforce productivity at
“In those folks, some will face burnout or stress, and those are things that we want to have mechanisms in place to pay attention to.”
Brian Knowler, CEO and lead trainer of Balance Leadership Training and Consulting, said that after discussing the matter with a number of psychologists and mental health workers, he found that most agree that new struggles will
be faced.
“The next wave is going to be a lot of mental health issues, especially among people who have been on the frontlines driving themselves into the ground for the last six weeks and for however much longer to go,” Knowler said.
“I don’t think there’ll be enough social workers and psychologists and therapists to deal with the demand that’s going to happen.”
Howatt stressed the importance of checking in with essential workers and to not assume they require the same kind of support, as some may have different needs.
“Human beings are a finite resource, and they only have a certain amount of capacity,” Howatt said. “Not everybody has the same resiliency and not everyone’s going to be at the same place mentally.”
He added, “It’s trying to integrate
Image: alvarez / Getty images
trying to be mindful of differences and access to support.”
Knowler, who struggled with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a police officer, noted that frontline and security workers who may be on medical leave or retired are looking at the COVID-19 situation wishing that there was more that they could do to help flatten the curve.
He likened the experience to Survivor’s Guilt. He said that Save a Warrior, a U.S.-based organization that helps first responders and military personnel with PTSD recently decided that “now that their services are open to anyone.”
most people’s daily lives, maintaining some semblance of a daily routine will help them get through the pandemic funk.
“Find something that you enjoy doing, whether it be walk your dog… paint in the house, whatever you have to do find something to occupy your time,” Black said.
“There’s always the fear of bringing it home to family and fear of the unknown.”
— Sean Black,TFCA
“If you sit and just think about everything that’s going on, you’re going to feel the effects of depression and anxiety as a result of the isolation and quarantine.”
Black also advised that constantly watching the news for COVID-19 updates could also be a trigger.
and cognitive behavioral therapy, that are available for free online.
The Mental Health Commission of Canada, for example, has made a number of tools and resources available (mentalhealthcommission.ca).
One of the most important practices for mental health during the pandemic is basic self-care, which includes eating well, exercising and getting enough sleep.
“Self-care is not selfish — it’s survival,” Knowler said. “You can’t keep going through life without taking the time for yourself.”
— Alanna Fairey
CALENDAR
Etobicoke, Ont.-based Toronto Forensic Consulting and Assessment (TFCA) specializes in treating trauma, stress and burn-out, and provides their services to first responders, paramedics and those struggling with mental health issues.
“When we look at first responders, we think that there is nothing that can penetrate their goals, or there’s nothing that can actually change their mental health, their family life,” said Dr. Tiana Mash, a forensic psychologist at TFCA.
“There’s always the fear of bringing it home to family and fear of the unknown,” added TFCA vice-president Sean Black.
“Frontline workers deal with a lot of stuff on a daily basis in ways but given now the unknown, all the information that comes out, it’s being filtered. And that affects their mental health.”
Counselors are available to help individuals working in high-pressure jobs during COVID-19 to help them deal with the traumas and the stresses that they face on a daily basis.
Taking care at home
Whether working on the frontlines or self-isolating at home, finding healthy and efficient ways to cope is a universal need.
While the pandemic has shaken up
For those working in the field, and coming home to a loved one who is self-isolating, it is important to observe healthy boundaries, according to Howatt.
“If your partner is home isolated all day and you’ve been working, communicate about a stressful day, and be mindful of the strategy,” Howatt said. “Re-enter your home and say you might need half hour just to get your composure before you start checking in with each other,” Howatt said.
“This is a time where people need to be open and communicate and really focus on what this is and understand that this is about preserving and supporting each other.”
Howatt, Knowler and Mash all stressed the importance of consuming alcohol in moderation. While a drink every now and then is allowed, overindulgence can pose a risk.
“If you have a drink once, nobody can complain,” Mash said. “If you do it twice you’re a party animal, if you do it by a third time you have to start questioning where you are going with this and if you are overreacting.”
There are currently a number of resources, like mental health webinars
July 28-29, 2020 Grower Day St. Catharines, Ont. www.growerday.ca
August 18-19, 2020 Grower Day West Abbotsford, B.C. www.growerday.ca
September 16, 2020 Security Canada Atlantic Moncton, N.B. www.securitycanada.com
September 21-23, 2020 Global Security Exchange Atlanta, Ga. www.gsx.org
October 5-8, 2020 ISC West Las Vegas, Nev. www.iscwest.com
October 21-22, 2020 Security Canada Central Toronto, Ont. www.securitycanada.com
November 18-19, 2020 ISC East New York City, N.Y. www.isceast.com
Please continue to check with event organizers regarding COVID-19 updates.
Pandemic plans
Canadian Security reached out to ASIS International — Canadian board members, chapter leaders and members — for some advice on coping with the challenges posed by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Contributors answered the following question; their responses are published below.
“What are the biggest lessons security professionals can take away from the pandemic and apply to operations, now and in the future?”
Ibelieve that a very important element of the security profession includes specialization in business continuity planning (BCP) and emergency management, which are seen as synonymous, and inter-related, but are both separate functions meant to complement each other.
We all have a role to play in dealing with COVID-19 and other Force Majeure situations. Our role varies according to our function and the organizations we serve. One of the biggest challenges I have noticed is organizations not being prepared to deal with such a large event.
While all events such as COVID-19 should be captured in risk registers, they are only documented for this purpose alone with no formal planning (BCP) and procedures being drafted. All too often, we see organizations trying to ramp up BCP and in this case, a pandemic plan, when most of this work should already have been developed. We need to do a much better job at enabling and influencing others in this regard.
Secondly, from a chapter perspective, we have all seen a reduction in activities which is far beyond what we had even anticipated and/or predicted. Different levels of government have implemented emergency measures, given their jurisdiction. For the Southwestern Ontario Chapter — given our large geographical location — it has impacted our ability to hold monthly meetings and events. We have not attempted to engage our membership through a virtual event just yet. However, we have provided communications to our members.
We’ve had to suspend CPTED Level 1 training next month (May) and postponed it to the fall. Given the need for physical distancing, I am not sure at this point if we can provide in-class training. We have examined the feasibility of offering this training through distance education/virtual training.
Denis Lachaine, Chair, Southwestern Ontario Chapter Head of Security, Gordie Howe International Bridge
Wemust use this pandemic as the ultimate table-top exercise. Never has an incident of this magnitude impacted so many people and organizations to such an extent,
and globally. So let us learn from it.
Where were we unprepared? Were there enough VPNs and licences to get the entire workforce working from home? What did we struggle with (having enough training, having enough equipment)? What didn’t we think of that we are now paying the price for? (For example, the cyber threats that come with working from home, transferring of data between work and personal platforms, lack of training, etc.)
What plans did we get right and can expand on? What plans do we need to add and modify? What dependencies do we need to put in place and finalize? And what do we need to do now to ensure that we are ready in the event something similar happens again in a few years; so that we can ensure a more successful resiliency next time? As awful as this crisis is, we must also use it as a great learning opportunity.
Marti Katsiaras, Chair, Toronto Chapter Global Public Safety Manager, ADP - Global Security Organization
BusinessContinuity Management has traditionally focused on physical limitations. This pandemic has allowed an opportunity for the security community to relook at the way we approach our business continuity planning. Ensuring that we look at how we manage the availability of resources, in addition to an unexpected loss of a physical site, will better prepare us for the next security event or disruption.
Sloane Newton, Associate Regional Vice-President, ASIS International Region 6B (Manitoba, Ottawa, Toronto, and SW Ontario)
National Security Officer, D/CSO, Canadian Grain Commission/Government of Canada
Security is a constantly evolving area. This global pandemic allows us to learn a lot about our level of protection and how we adapt to the threat.
As a security manager in a hospital, the challenges we have faced since the beginning of this crisis are numerous, both in assessing the effectiveness of our standing (or current) measures, and in the record speed with which we can protect our infrastructure by increasing our capacity, strengthening our workforce and enhancing our technical resources.
To be successful in our fight against COVID-19, it is
important to base our efforts on proactive communication throughout the organization, from C-level to clinical departments as well as with the support units.
Security must be able to meet requirements by analyzing the threat continuously in a hostile environment exacerbated by human fear, anxiety and social distancing.
Technically, we must use all the means in place (video surveillance, access management system, CPTED, etc.) to facilitate the work of our security team to control the area. You will need to support your team as much as possible as we face an invisible threat. They may also have doubts at a time when their work is essential to the path to success.
Richard Leborgne, Ottawa Chapter
Security Manager, Montfort Hospital
During the pandemic, we have found ourselves making significant changes to our operational structure.
Everybody is experiencing stress and strain, which is putting fairly intense pressure on inter-departmental relationships. I think my organization is reacting well because we have made prior investments in developing these relationships.
Once things return to normal, I think the value of team building and departmental integration shouldn’t be forgotten — if anything we should focus more on building trust, communication and comradery!
Ian Henderson, Chair, Young Professionals committee, Vancouver Chapter; Associate Regional Vice-President, Young Professionals
Client Service Manager, Paladin Security
With a global footprint that extends into Asia, Export Development Canada (EDC) was spurred into early action by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In January, before the threat had become real for many Canadian companies, Safety & Security Services at EDC was already procuring personal protective equipment for staff working in South-East Asia. In early February, it started liaising regularly with health authorities like the Public Health Authority of Canada. Soon after, an EDC response team — including the Corporate Security Officer — was assembled and tasked with reviewing the corporation’s existing policies and plans to assess for readiness in the face of a global pandemic. This early mobilization, which engaged representatives from
across the corporation, set the foundation for the co-ordinated response that followed.
Protecting the safety and well-being of employees remains priority No. 1 for EDC. This includes ensuring clear and consistent communications with all employees in all regions on the evolving situation. It also led EDC to repatriate some employees from overseas and shift to a work-from-home model for all staff and consultants in mid-March.
Priority two is ensuring EDC can continue delivering its financial services and knowledge to Canadian businesses — a responsibility that took on even greater importance given EDC’s expanded role under the Government of Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan. To meet elevated demand stemming from new emergency programs, it would require EDC to extend contracts and hire more than 100 people in less than five weeks.
Key enablers to EDC’s security response so far have been: employee engagement, visibility and access to leadership, speedy decision-making, corporate agility and system thinking.
Rémi Combasson, Ottawa Chapter Corporate Security Officer, Export Development Canada
Weare living an unparalleled global health crisis that is moving with insidious speed and lethality.
The COVID-19 pandemic is slashing through all economic sectors, impacting security leadership and management substantially. Living our professional and organizational values is key, especially in this crisis. Security managers’ actions should reposition the role of a risk professional to one of “mission critical” to the organization. High security locations, as in recent incidents, can be very vulnerable as attention is focused elsewhere.
Risk assessments, design, response, technology, business continuity and securing supply chains are pivoting. If not already in place, start documenting as future plans will be more detailed and access ASIS Connects resources. Resumption plans should now be at the forefront. CPTED (crime prevention through environmental design) concepts are essential benchmarks. Information, communications and cyber security must secure the new reality of large remote workforces.
Our frontline staff’s value is ever more apparent as some organizations realize hazards and the issue of fair living wages. Some organizations are “micro training” to bolster skills and prepare for the future. This new reality foreshadows potential trends in security or lost opportunities and determine our organizations’ future security posture.
No matter how this situation progresses, life will forever look different for all of us.
Susan Munn, Associate Regional
Vice-President,
Canada, Women in Security / Ottawa Chapter Security Consultant / Canadian Security & Intelligence Leadership Program – University of Ottawa
By Kenrick Bagnall
THE NEW VIRAL CYBERTHREAT
How COVID-19 has changed the cybercrime landscape and what you can do about it
Let’s take a look at some of the ways cyber criminals have tried to leverage COVID-19 for nefarious gain.
First of all, be aware that cybercrime is a multi-channel industry. Every possible device and technological touch point are potential conduits to compromise. Any device you have on which you can receive and respond to a message (email, SMS, text, VoIP, etc.) makes you a potential target.
Secondly, how are they doing it?
This question can be answered by taking a look at two broad categories: 1. People are seeking answers and information and in some cases are desperate for anything they can get their hands on; and 2. People are either in need of help or are in a position where they can perhaps provide some help.
“In terms of answers and information, be very cautious of the source.”
In terms of answers and information, be very cautions of the source. Scammers will try to convince you to sign up for their website, or download their app to get real-time information on the pandemic. Use trusted national news and medical information sources only. Do not enter your personal information into a website, click on a link, or download an app or program to your device or computer to get up-todate information on COVID-19. In March 2020, Symantec discovered a dozen Android applications that professed to track cases and deliver pandemic related information. All of these apps contained malware and in some cases they locked up the devices and demanded payment to return control to the rightful owner. Keep your device’s operating system up-to-date, use malware detection and where possible use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to encrypt your traffic.
In terms of help, so many want to do their part with donations and contributions, but beware of fake charities, treatments and cures. Church groups and charities around the world and seeing fake websites pop up in their names with aggressive solicitations. Well known organizations like The Red Cross and The United Way have had their websites duplicated by cyber criminals in an effort to solicit “donations” from unsuspecting victims.
People also need help. I have personally seen SMS scams to mobile devices with offers seeming to originate from the Government of Canada to apply for COVID-19 financial relief. This particular scam takes the form of a URL with an IP address that may look like http://x.x.x.x (with x being a number from 1 to 254). This link will take you to a fairly legitimate looking but definitely fake website where you are asked to enter your personal information to be begin the process. This is not how the Government of Canada is processing pandemic financial relief so if you see this, delete it. Now, with so many working from home, the attack surface for cyber criminals has increased exponentially almost overnight. The popular video conferencing tool, Zoom, has gone from 10 million to over two hundred million concurrent users in a matter of weeks.
There are many things that can be done to improve your cybersecurity posture at home.
From your home, the gateway to the Internet is a device called a router, and it’s provided to you by your Internet Service Provider or ISP. Without getting into the technical details of how a router works, there are four quick and simple things that should be done in all cases after the initial installation of the device.
Changing defaults: Change the default password for the administrator account. In some cases, this password is as basic as “admin” or “password.” In other cases, it’s a password provided by the ISP and is also written on a sticker on the device. In some cases, these passwords can be found on open source hacker websites or the Dark Web. In a best case, use a pass phrase which is a series of short words that form a sentence that only you know and can be easily remembered — longer equals more secure.
Do not broadcast your SSID: The SSID, or what is called the Service Set Identifier, is basically the “Wi-Fi name” you connect to when you are searching for your Internet connection. Some
people get creative and come up with names like PrettyFlyForAWifi, ElvisHasLeftTheBuilding, or NSASecurityTruck — you get the idea. The point here being that your Wi-Fi network can be given a name, but you don’t have to broadcast it. In your router settings, simply disable SSID broadcast. If only you know your SSID, you’re more secure.
MAC address filtering: The MAC address or Media Access Control is a long hexadecimal (letters and numbers) that is unique to each device that can connect to a computer network. That is every computer, mobile phone, tablet and home start device each having a unique MAC address/number. You can configure your router to only accept the known MAC address of the devices in your home. The MAC address can usually be found in the hardware settings information of your devices.
Limit the range of IP addresses: To manage the limited IP address space, routers use a process called NAT or Network Address Translation. One side of your router will have an Internetfacing IP address issued by your ISP. The other side of your router, inside your home network, will use what’s called a non-routable IP address range likely starting with the number 10 or 192. So, for example, your router’s inside address would be 10.0.0.1 and all other devices on your home network would be 10.0.0.2, 10.0.0.3, etc. all the way up to 10.0.0.254.
So, let’s say at home you have the following: one desktop computer, two laptops, four mobile phones, two tablets, two smart TVs, a smart doorbell and thermostat for a total of 13 IP devices each with their own unique MAC address. You would first get the MAC of each device and add it to the MAC address filter list on your router. Then
limit the IP address range by selecting that option in your router’s setup and limiting the address range to be from 10.0.0.1 to 10.0.0.14. Remember that 10.0.0.1 belongs to your router. Limiting the total number of devices that can connect to your home network equals more secure.
While at first glance these suggestions and steps may seem complex, there are usually step by step instructions with the modern routers provided by most ISPs. ISP technical support can also be contacted for assistance. While any one suggestion in isolation will not guarantee complete digital security, taking the time to implement these tips as a layered approach will greatly improve your security posture.
Kenrick Bagnall is a Detective Constable with the Toronto Police Service Computer Cybercrime Unit (C3) Twitter: @KenrickBagnall.
By Elliott Goldstein
& Lawyer,Mediator
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE LAW
Author of Visual Evidence
he law of the admissibility of surveillance evidence in civil trials has seen some changes in the past
Elliott Goldstein, B.A., J.D.
Cell: 416.315.0066 elgold@rogers.com
Mediation of Disputes - Commercial, Shareholder, Employment. Litigation to Collect Debts or Defend Customer Lawsuits. Alarm Installation & Monitoring Contracts, Employment Agreements. Minute Book Reviews and Updates, Incorporations. Wills, Powers of Attorney for Property and Personal Care. Video Surveillance Law Seminars, Forensic Video Analysis Law. www. videoevidence .ca
In the 2020 case of Syed v Petrie,1 the Ontario Superior Court of Justice held that “[T]he test for admissibility of all surveillance evidence, for whatever use and whenever produced, is relevance and materiality. Relevant evidence is ‘prima facie’ admissible unless the party objecting to its admission can show that its probative value is outweighed by its prejudicial impact on the objecting party. ‘Prejudicial’ does not mean that the evidence is detrimental to the objecting party’s case, but rather that the admission of the evidence will have a negative impact on the fairness and integrity of the proceedings: Ismail v. Fleming,2”
45 Redondo Drive, Thornhill (Vaughan), ON, Canada L4J 7S7 Fax: 905.597.6226
A review of recent cases that are relevant to surveillance and the collection of video evidence
by the defendant to show that the witness is malingering (i.e., exaggerating physical impairment or faking injuries). When used for substantive purposes, the video is used to show the witness’ true functionality. For example, a short video clip “might show the witness doing a particular movement or activity that she testified she was not able to perform. It is open to the defence to use the excerpt in cross-examination to impeach the witness’s credibility, and then also to use that excerpt to show the witness’s true functionality for substantive purposes.” 5
“In civil cases, video surveillance evidence may be used for purposes of impeachment.”
Following the 2018 Ontario Court of Appeal case of Nemchin v Green3, the Court in Syed reaffirmed that the trial judge in a civil case functions as ‘gatekeeper’ and must determine the admissibility of the evidence by holding a voir dire in the absence of the jury.”
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A voir dire (literal translation “to speak the truth”) is an in-trial hearing, separate from the trial itself designed to determine the admissibility of evidence. Also known as a “trial within a trial,” a voir dire is commonly held in both criminal and civil trials.
In Nemchin, the Court of Appeal ruled, “In a voir dire, the trial judge must assess the video evidence for two purposes: First, the videographer should be examined in order to ensure that the video presents a fair and accurate depiction of the surveillance to be admitted. Secondly, the trial judge is to ensure that the use of the video evidence will not impair trial fairness.” 4
In civil cases, video surveillance evidence may be used for purposes of impeachment and to support a party’s substantive position. When used to impeach the credibility of a witness (e.g., the injured plaintiff) the surveillance video is used
Whether the surveillance video can be used for impeachment or substantive proof depends on when the video evidence is disclosed. If disclosed at least 90 days before the civil trial (in Ontario), the surveillance video can be used as both. If privilege is maintained over the video and it is not disclosed, then it can only be used at trial for impeachment. These recent developments in the civil law demonstrate the importance of the videographer’s testimony in establishing that the video presents a fair and accurate depiction of the surveillance to be admitted. In most cases that videographer is a private investigator hired by the defendant’s insurance company to conduct surveillance on the (suspected malingering) plaintiff. However, surveillance videos recorded by parties not associated with the litigation may also be used. If summonsed or ordered to produce such video, such parties should immediately seek independent legal advice to determine what must be disclosed, when, and what additional information should be produced along with the video images.
Elliott Goldstein is a barrister, solicitor, mediator, deputy judge of the Ontario Small Claims Court and author of “Visual Evidence: A Practitioner’s Manual” (elgold@rogers.com).
1. 2020 ONSC 664 (Ont. S.C.J.).
2. 2018 ONSC 6311, at para. 13 (Ont. S.C.J.).
3.
(Ont.
Landolfi v. Fargione (2006), 79 O.R. (3d) 767 (Ont. C.A.).
Image: NickS / Getty images
There are over 140,000 licensed security guards in Canada. These professionals deliver value to the general public on a daily basis. They safeguard our workplaces, residences, and entertainment facilities. It’s a job that must be done; an essential post that must remain lled, even in times of adversity.
Their e orts often go beyond the role of ‘policing and enforcement’. There are countless examples of unrecognized incidents in which security personnel, through their direct actions have saved individuals lives.
The Canadian Security Lifesaver Association® seeks to recognize these security professionals and raise awareness of their signi cant contributions to Canadians.
What began as a collaboration between Oxford Properties and Paragon Security to recognize heroic actions of their employees has evolved into something much more. Leaders from various security companies are now working together in a non-partisan, and non-competitive e ort to deliver this program of recognition. The CSLA website is launching in May 2020 to give information about the association, provide an online nomination portal and proudly showcase past award recipients.
We look forward to receiving nominations for your heroes. Please contact the Canadian Security Lifesaver Association® today at:
By Yves Duguay
SOURCES OF RISK
Organizations should be prepared for a variety of hazards, both man-made and natural
TERRORISM
For the past 45 years, the Global Terrorism Database (GTD) of the University of Maryland has provided us with a snapshot of hot spots and statistics associated to terrorism around the world.
The overall threat of terrorist attack is not abating. In fact, considering current geopolitical conflicts, it is expected that attacks in zones of conflicts will only be increasing.
Furthermore, countries such as Canada will be impacted with the return of jihadists and the expansion in state-sponsored attacks.
As it stands, the GTD statistics do indicate an increase in the number of attacks directed at critical infrastructure in North America, where information systems and clients’ databases were targeted through cyber vectors and possibly state-sponsored actors.
NATURAL DISASTERS
There has been a significant increase in the number of natural disasters on all continents, including North America, since the 1960s. (For additional details, review the International Disaster Database, www. emdat.be, which is used by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.) Additionally, the likelihood for what was considered rare or very rare events is increasing at a frightening rate, which is supported by global statistics.
In Canada, 87 major natural disasters
were recorded between 1989 and 2019. In the previous 30 years (1969–1989), only 34 of such incidents were reported; this translates into an increase of more than 250 per cent. Canada has been particularly affected in recent years by floods, forest fires and severe weather patterns. This risk can certainly be transferred, at least partly, through adequate insurance coverage. However, considering the high frequency of natural hazards and the significant human and material impacts, it is expected that this will translate into higher premiums and more litigations in the near future.
CYBERATTACKS
Our global village and our economies are more interconnected and interdependent than ever. As a result, open information systems are extremely vulnerable, and the frequency of the attacks has reached endemic and troubling proportions.
This is best illustrated by the number of real-time maps that are currently capturing the relentless series of attacks and the countries that are most often targeted by criminals, terrorists or state-sponsored actors (for an example, visit www.lookingglasscyber. com). This risk will be further compounded by the never-ending advances in the digitalization of business processes, the Internet of Things (IoT) and the progression of the 5G network.
This persistent and constant threat is affecting all levels of businesses and it is starting to impact the public confidence. This, in turn, will undoubtedly trigger governmental interventions, in the form of more stringent regulations, enforcement, criminal prosecutions and even civil litigations.
INSIDER THREATS
The risk of cyberattacks is also closely linked to the insider’s threat. Indeed, most of the recent publicized cyberattacks and/or data thefts, were linked to employees, vendors or contractors. As with natural hazards, it is a source of risk that can also be transferred through insurance coverage. However, this does not address the reputational damage nor the legal consequences for the organization, especially with the growing and complex
regulatory framework, particularly when it comes to privacy matters. This source of risk is best exemplified by recent events, including the privacy breach at Desjardins in Canada, Capital One in New York and the significant fines that were levied against Equifax in the United States.
ADDITIONAL THREATS
“COVID-19 reinforces the importance of focusing our efforts on what we can actually control.”
are likely to affect us all. Indeed, as professionals, we must prepare a response plan that can apply to all scenarios, to deliver a diligent and reasonable response and to provide employees and clients with a safe and secure working environment and to manage and limit the impact on the business operations.
Canada and CATSA. However, nothing could seemingly prepare us adequately for COVID-19.
To this list we must add other sources of man-made risks, such as active shooter incidents in North America (affecting most severely the United States), bomb threats and other forms of threats, attacks and scenarios that
COVID-19 POST-SCRIPT
When I originally wrote this article, I positioned the risk of pandemics alongside other natural hazards, based on my previous experiences with SARS and H1N1, when I was working at Air
If nothing else, COVID-19 reinforces the importance of focusing our efforts and resources on what we can actually control. Communicating with and leveraging our workforce is a central element of this new preparedness. We need to develop a capacity to provide guidance, control, receive information and adjust our plans in real time — that’s the new normal. It’s no longer business as usual, it’s business under contingency, so let’s hope we’ll be better prepared next time a virus hits us, biological or digital!
Yves Duguay is the president of HCiWorld, a security consultancy group based in Montreal (www.hciworld.ca).
By Tim McCreight
THE VALUE OF PERSISTENCE
Learning from failure, and learning fast, is one of the keys to crisis resolution
This was a very difficult column to write.
It’s a bit overwhelming to look back just a few months to see where we were, and where we are now. There are so many articles, podcasts, webinars and posts on the coronavirus pandemic — how to plan, how to respond and how to look into the future.
I wanted to take a different path, and show how using a riskbased, business-focused approach following the principles of Enterprise Security Risk Management (ESRM) can stay the course in these very turbulent times.
“If the solution fails, that’s OK. Just get back to problem-solving as fast as you can.”
One of the components of ESRM is the principle of Design Thinking. The concept seems simple in its description, but it’s hard to implement if you’re not open to failure. And I’ve seen how Design Thinking is making a difference every day in our collective response to this pandemic.
I like to describe Design Thinking as an iterative approach, where you: fail, fail fast, fix it, fail again. The idea is to try to resolve the crisis/incident/situation quickly and if the solution fails, that’s OK. Just get back to problem-solving as fast as you can and reduce the amount of time between your ideas, your failures and documenting your successes. The Design Thinking process also gives security professionals the opportunity to continually assess risks to business objectives, and truly understand the assets required to achieve those objectives.
I only have to look at how our country, my province, and my municipality have changed their response to combat the pandemic to demonstrate how Design Thinking works in practice. Over the past 100 days, we’ve had daily news conferences on the number of infections, how many citizens have been hospitalized, how many have recovered and, most painfully, how many have passed away due to the virus.
Mixed into all these updates and news conferences are the changes to our collective response: closures to buildings, parks, playgrounds and non-essential services. The requirement to maintain social distancing, not meet in large groups, or congregate in close spaces. To stay home and work remotely if you can, order food online, and use social media instead of face-to-face interaction to keep communicating with friends and loved ones.
These incremental changes are following the principles of Design Thinking. It’s amazing to see how all the new restrictions, legislative changes and enforcement orders are the result of Design Thinking, and truly support the philosophy of ESRM. We just need to take a step back and look at the decision making framework. It’s Design Thinking that creates the opportunities to change our response so quickly after we try something, gather new data, and review past mistakes.
I continue to apply Design Thinking and ESRM principles to safeguard my employees and citizens. One example brings clarity to this point. We focused on restricting access to our facilities and objectively identified the potential safety and security risks to our employees and citizens accessing the facility. We reviewed options to enforce physical distancing, what personal protective equipment would need to be deployed and how we could manage vulnerable members of our population in our facilities.
Based on the data we presented, and the residual risks if we left facilities open, we made the decision to close access to the general public, and further restrict our facilities to employees who must work from the office, and citizens needing limited services.
It took time, data and an objective review of the risks — but it was a great example of ESRM and Design Thinking at work. I’m proud of what my team accomplished.
Tim McCreight is the acting chief security officer for The City of Calgary (www.calgary.ca).
WHY “TRUS TED ADVISO R” IS MORE THAN A S LOGAN
Amidst the unce r tainty that has pervaded our communities - both professionally and personally - we have taken time to pause and think about what it means to be a par t of the security industry today and what it means to be an employer of one of the largest security teams in Canada.
What an awesome responsibility we have to support our clients and our communities through this crisis… even as we are challenged with business continuity and watching our friends and colleagues stand on the front lines, despite the risk. To every one of our employees, we thank you for continuing to support our communities. You are true heroes.
In times of stress, our clients look to us for answers. They look to us to protect what is most impo r tant to them as a business. They look to us to keep calm when those around them panic. In times of stress, our employees look to us for direction. They trust that we are doing what is best to keep them safe - both financially and personally.
It’s time for a gut check. We talk about leading with a risk-based approach to security and leading with our core values in everything we do. These last few weeks have really put us to the test. Have we risen to the challenge? Have we acted with integrity and respect when we’ve been so busy trying to action our own Business Continuity Plan? Have we balanced service excellence with safety and security, when during this pandemic, they have often been at odds? Have we worked as a team to suppo r t each other in times of need, while innovating on solutions to meet our clients’ most basic security challenges?
At G4S, the answer is a resounding YES.
At G4S, we can proudly say that at every turn we have thought about our clients’ and our employees’ best interests with every decision.
We have encouraged our employees to think about their health, and the health of their families first.
We have walked our clients through each stage of this pandemic to mitigate business disruption.
We have worked around the clock to recruit and ensure that we have guards on post and could respond quickly to each request.
And we’re not done yet.
So , to us, Trusted Advisor is more than words . It is tr uly at the core of what we do, and in tim e s o f unce r tainty and stress, we ar e proud to say that we have live d up to our standards. To our clients, we give our hea r tfelt thanks fo r allowi ng us to stand strong with you. You have o ur commitment that we will continue to suppo r t you as we rebuild... to gethe r.
Peter
Loughlin
Tim Saunders Chief Operating Officer, Aviation
Chief Executive Officer
Peter Panaritis Chief Financial Officer
Darren
Pedersen
Remco Loevendie SVP, Manned Guarding, Canada
Chief Business Development Officer & SVP, Secure Integration
Cedric MacKellar
SVP, Human Resources
Security in the time of COVID-19
In the first few weeks of stay-at-home instructions from federal and provincial governments, Canadian Security magazine spoke to emergency management and security experts about how they are handling the crisis and advice they can share.
By Alanna Fairey
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has taken the world by storm.
As defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), COVID-19 is a new strain that was discovered in Dec. 2019 and has not been previously identified in humans. Symptoms are similar to that of the flu and common cold.
Since the rapid spread of the virus, businesses, educational institutions and other organizations have taken extra steps to not only ensure that the spread of the novel coronavirus is minimal, but to minimize panic.
In contrast to the 2003 outbreak Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV), coronavirus has had a much more widespread impact, resulting in governments and businesses making some massive decisions.
Individuals who have been infected by COVID-19 can be contaminated without showing symptoms for up to two weeks, which can result in rapid transmission of the virus.
According to Darryl Culley, president of Emergency Management & Training Inc., the potential for a quick
spread has resulted in tough security measures.
“It’s about adding that extra vigilance on how do we identify who may be potentially at risk to the disease, and then how do we protect them?”
Culley said in a recent interview with Canadian Security.
“From a security perspective, it’s about monitoring and trying to reduce that risk.”
Richard Moreau, director of business development at Calian Emergency Management Solutions, had similar thoughts about the need for the public to take such security risks seriously.
“We’ve made sure we’ve provided the best practices and reinforce what we needed to do in the workplace from the get-go,” Moreau said.
“It was a gradual build up that we heard further refine our communications.”
Business under contingency
With the status of COVID-19 evolving on a daily basis, the need for updates and communication has been a top priority.
Yves Duguay, president of
HCiWorld and Canadian Security columnist, feels that many companies are not aware that there’s a very frequent occurrence of hazards — both natural and manmade.
Duguay has advised that companies should invest in what they can control, which is how they should respond to a pandemic crisis.
“We don’t control the threat environment and the risk, but we can invest our limited resources into being prepared,” Duguay said. “You don’t have control of the laws and the regulations, you’re not in control of the environment. But you certainly can take control in how you can prepare yourself to better respond to emergency.”
Duguay added that the best way for companies to have control over COVID-19 is to prioritize communication in real time as strategies develop.
“I heard a couple of people on a conference call saying, ‘We have to consider that we’re running this company in business as usual,’ and it’s not business as usual — it’s business under contingency,” Duguay continued.
“In the future, people and companies are going to be working
under the auspices of business on the contingency more often than anything, and just as often as what we used to consider business as usual.”
Effective communication
Recently, companies have sent out numerous emails and messages with updates regarding cancelled events and how they are tackling COVID-19. This is a step in the right direction, according to Moreau, but the public needs more to feel safe.
“I think in a situation like this, you need to leverage all communication means to reach your internal and external audience,” he said.
to work from home when possible, avoid physical contact with others and wash their hands on a regular basis.
Meanwhile, colleges and universities, such as Humber College, have moved their remaining classes and exams to online platforms.
Robert Kilfoyle, director of public safety and emergency management for Humber College, shared that the school’s Critical Response Team (CIRT) monitored the situation almost hourly as the COVID-19 situation escalated.
“If you’re being asked to self-isolate, do selfisolate — don’t decide to self-isolate when it’s convenient.”
— Richard Moreau, Calian Emergency Management Solutions
“Doing it only via one set of media — whether it’s social media, whether it’s just TV, or whatever is not going to get the job done.”
Moreau and Culley agreed that solutions such as videoconferences and hotlines were an effective way to inform the public about security updates.
“Video messaging is a lot more effective because it engages the visual and the auditory as well as the kinaesthetic,” Culley explained. “When you pass those messages out via video, for a company that is dealing with the public is actually demonstrating it.”
Culley shared that he became aware that a plethora of Costco locations had been advised to designate employees to be stationed in front of the store to wipe down the handles of the carts with a disinfectant towel as customers are entering. This is an effective way to give people peace of mind of health and safety precautions, according to Culley.
“That really sends a message that we’re not just telling you to be careful,” Culley explained. “We’re actually taking steps in order to do that.”
Better safe than sorry
While some businesses have closed down indefinitely, employees have been asked
“Early on, we implemented enhanced cleaning protocols and screening of individuals presenting at our various medical clinics and centres on campus,” Kilfoyle said.
“There has been ongoing communication to our community advising them of the appropriate protocols to follow to limit the spread of the virus.”
Kilfoyle shared that all departments and faculties at Humber endured thorough Business Continuity Plans that provide details on how best they can continue operations during a business disruption. Humber has seasonal flu cleaning protocols on campus, in addition to early screening and detection of health issues through the Student Wellness Centre and student residences.
“All of these plans are effective and have allowed us to rapidly respond to this pandemic.”
While the repercussions of COVID-19 have changed daily, Humber had already prepare for such an outbreak.
After the 2017 outbreak of Norovirus in their student residences, Kilfoyle and his team used that as a learning experience for future outbreaks and pandemics.
“We learned valuable lessons that have been applied to our response to
this current pandemic,” Kilfoyle shared.
“Particularly as it relates to issues of communications and making necessary adjustments to the academic expectations for students that have been impacted — our enhanced cleaning protocols are a direct result of lessons we learned during the Norovirus outbreak.”
Looking ahead
Since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Canada would be closing its borders to most foreigners to fight the spread of COVID-19 on March 16, it has become abundantly clear that security is not a department but a value and should be treated as such, according to Duguay.
“Security is probably not going to be worth very much unless there’s a really strong support from the CEOs, the senior executives and the board to say that this is on our heat map, and here’s what we need to do to be serious about how we approach [this],” Duguay said. “And not just a tick-the-box type of approach.”
Moreau and Culley also stressed that it is in everyone’s best interest to follow the appropriate directions.
“The bottom line is to reinforce what people are saying out there and take the measures that are being asked seriously,” said Moreau.
“If you’re being asked to selfisolate, do self-isolate — don’t decide to self-isolate when it’s convenient.”
As companies and schools continue to enforce their security and safety measures, Culley believes that if the public does its part, the challenges of COVID-19 can be overcome.
“As a country and as a society, we’ve gotten through major issues before, whether they’ve been world wars, outbreaks of tuberculosis or limited issues with SARS,” Culley concluded.
“But in the end, we will bounce back and hopefully be a better, more caring group of people — we’ll have empathy for each other, as we get through this.”
YOUNG LEADERS SHAPING SECURITY
Ten professionals share their security stories, ambitions and insights
Terri Govang, Director of technology, Western Canada, WSP Canada Group Ltd., 36
Canadian Security’s second annual Top 10 Under 40 recognition program returns with an impressive list of security professionals working in government, retail, property management, health care and more. Through dedication, mentorship, achievement and leadership, they are helping to shape the security profession for their colleagues, clients and organizations, as well as the new professionals who will follow in their footsteps. Please join us in congratulating our 2020 winners. (Winner profiles by Neil Sutton and Alanna Fairey.)
Working in security and technology means that no two days are the same, WSP Canada Group Ltd.’s Terri Govang quickly learned.
“I am fortunate to work with a team of brilliant people — both security and technology professionals — who are all equally passionate about what they do,” Govang says. “We come together to help engineer building systems, such as high-performance buildings, intelligent technologies, smart buildings, along with sophisticated integrations, and can then take engineering and design to the next level.”
Govang was first introduced to the world of security when she was working as an electrician for a systems integrator based in Calgary, where she eventually took on an executive role.
When the financial crisis of 2008 hit, Govang attended the company’s annual general meeting and saw the success and growth trajectory of the industry, despite the recession.
“I don’t know how being so young back then I had the kind of foresight to recognize how small the industry was and the way the world was evolving both for a security requirement and technology advancement,” Govang says.
Looking ahead, Govang would like nothing more than to help establish security as a destination career and show others who are interested in the industry that there are many different career opportunities beyond frontline personnel. Govang is also the current chair of the Calgary chapter of ASIS International.
“If I can contribute to the overall betterment of the industry as a whole and the betterment of technology and security programs and applications throughout corporate Canada, that would be something remarkable to achieve,” Govang says.
Robert Hastings, Director of global security strategy, Manulife, 40
Robert Hastings’ security career has been one of discovery.
When he started out as a guard in the late 1990s, it didn’t occur to him that he would be where he is today.
His current role at Manulife is one that marries mathematics and intelligence (among other disciplines). As director of global security strategy, “my job is really to be aware of what’s going on in the world either from a security perspective or a political stability one. Particularly in the places that our company operates, and to really understand what that looks like,” he explains.
“At the same time, I have to have a strong understanding of what our internal security posture looks like and evaluate those two things in comparison to one another. Not just now but into the future as well.”
That skillset has been particularly useful as the global pandemic unfolds. “It’s allowed us to try to provide guidance and advice to our executive team. Really our global crisis team is the one who’s on the front lines.”
From a guard in the 90s, Hastings’ career accelerated after the 9/11 terror attacks — an event that proved to be a watershed moment in the security industry.
“All of a sudden, all of these opportunities in private sector security started to become available. They entered the public sphere of discourse. I realized I was going to make my longterm career in security,” he says.
His role expanded into investigations, executive protection and other security disciplines.
Eventually, he took a break to earn a Bachelor’s degree in business. But by the time he was finished, the 2008 recession hit and employment was scarce, so he remained in academia,
earning a Master’s in infrastructure protection and international security from Carleton University in Ottawa.
From there, he took on consulting roles at G4S Canada and as an independent before accepting his current role at Manulife. He credits his acumen to his pursuit of higher education and business knowledge.
As a security professional today, you need that business insight, he says, because ultimately you will likely be reporting to someone outside the security profession.
He is able to give back to young people now entering the profession as a guest lecturer at colleges and through a job shadowing program available to security students through Manulife.
Mike Wilkinson, General manager, Ontario, Allied Universal Security Services, 36
Before joining Allied Universal Security Services as a general manager, Mike Wilkinson began his undergraduate studies potentially thinking about becoming a teacher.
From there, he dabbled in real estate as an appraiser before deciding that he wanted a career change and began looking at security guard jobs.
Wilkinson has held a number of different roles in the security industry with various employers, including working as security guard, assistant supervisor and supervisor prior to his role at Allied Universal.
“I’ve come a really long way in the last 10 years,” Wilkinson says. “Nothing’s really off the table.”
As an Allied Universal general manager, Wilkinson’s everyday tasks include managing professional relationships with customers, overseeing the branch’s performance in terms of finances and business development in addition to mentoring field supervisors, and working with managers and his own management team.
“I tend to work more with kind of mentoring the management team and I’m directly involved in mentoring essentially all of them,” Wilkinson adds.
Noting that Allied Universal is one of the largest security companies in the U.S. with a strong presence, Wilkinson shares that he would like to see the Canadian company grow to the same extent.
“I would love to see us and the brand grow,” Wilkinson shares. “We’ve got a small footprint in Canada just based on the short amount of time that we’ve really been operational here.”
When he is not busy running his own branch, Wilkinson coaches minor league sports and volunteers with the Optimist Club.
While he has not had the opportunity to do so yet, Wilkinson shares that one day he would like to get involved with ASIS International.
“I am always looking to better myself and to do what’s best for my colleagues in the company,” Wilkinson says.
Jeff Hannah, Founder, principal consultant, JH & Associates, 38
Before founding JH & Associates, Jeff Hannah originally joined the security industry because he had aspirations to be a police officer.
After working as a mall security guard for some time, Hannah discovered that the policing side of the industry was not for him. Instead, Hannah decided to stay with security and after years of hard work, he launched his consulting agency.
“I like consulting, because it always changes and there’s always a need to learn new things,” Hannah says. “You identify a need, you build a product around it, and then you go and see if somebody needs what you built.”
As a consultant, Hannah shares that he uses his skillset to help companies that often do not have the luxury of employing somebody full-time who is entirely focused on security, as every organization to some degree has some security need.
“I end up working with a lot of people in companies where there’s somebody who’s in charge of security, but they’re also in charge of other tasks,” Hannah says. “I’ve been able to provide my skillset and my time to make sure that the organization gets what it needs.”
Being able to offer consulting services to other companies has been a highlight for Hannah, adding that he benefits from the flexibility of the industry.
“I love consulting,” Hannah says. “I love the freedom of it, because I really have a lot of control over what I do and what I focus on.”
As Hannah looks ahead at his career, he would like to take on a large national role, and help to build a security program for a large organization. “I’ve done that on a smaller scale and various roles throughout my career and it’s really rewarding,” Hannah says. “I’d love to do it on a bigger scale now that I have more experience.”
Katrina Franczak, Client service manager, Paragon Security, 32
Katrina Franczak currently works at Paragon Security, where her daily tasks include guard interaction and developing security programs for clients.
For Franczak, the most important part of her role is that she remains transparent and easy to approach.
“The guards always know who their representative and management is, which to me it’s personally so important because this is my leadership model and how I operate,” Franczak says. “I want to have that close relationship with my staff.”
Maintaining a professional relationship with staff is not the only thing that Franczak believes is important.
Volunteering has also been a top priority for Franczak, who has been an executive director for Toronto Crimestoppers for the past eight years. Her tasks with the organization include overseeing community outreach, the volunteering program and handling correspondence.
“This is my biggest passion — I love what I do,” Franczak says. “I love to give back to the community.”
Franczak believes in giving back to the community; she is always willing to go for coffee with anyone new to the industry.
“Some people just come in and think they’re not good because of a language barrier, which is something that you can learn,” Franczak says. “I’m trying to encourage them to see that the field can be rewarding and with a lot of opportunities.”
In addition to working with Paragon, Franczak is also pursuing a criminology degree at Toronto’s Ryerson University.
Reflecting on her future with Paragon, Franczak would like to move up in the company and eventually obtain a senior manager role.
Most of all, Franczak hopes to continue creating her own path in the security industry. “I want to make the company proud and learn new things,” Franczak concludes. “You can never become perfect at something — there’s always things that you can improve on and new things that you can learn.”
Richard Leborgne, Security, parking and emergency manager, Montfort Hospital Ottawa, 39
When he was still living in France, Richard Leborgne spent 17 years working at the French Gendarmerie Nationale with roles at different levels of responsibility from police officer to police manager; he specialized in public safety, and the fight against organized crime and terrorism.
When Leborgne decided to move to Canada, he was focused on making a name for himself in the security industry.
“My main goal was to network when I arrived because it’s really hard when you’re arriving in a new country to first try to explain to the people that you want to be involved in the security industry and to serve the community,” Leborgne says.
His networking brought him to Ottawa’s Montfort Hospital, where he is the security, parking and emergency manager. Working in the hospital in the midst of COVID-19, Leborgne feels that more than ever, security is essential for the community. “There is nothing we can do without it — we are important,” Leborgne reflects.
Throughout his career, Leborgne has received several outstanding achievement awards from his law enforcement agency in addition to medals from the French government from 2003 to 2018. “It is my first award in the security industry in my new adoptive country so this one honours me a lot and motivates me to go even further,” says Leborgne of the Top 10
Victoria Eisener, Risk supervisor, Enterprise Holdings, 32
As a risk manager for a large car fleet, Victoria Eisener’s security duties cover a broad range of activities from compliance to auditing to working with police and government agencies.
Eisener oversees her company’s rental vehicles, comprising Enterprise, National and Alamo, across Northern Alberta. If a driver is suspected of using one of those vehicles for illegal purposes, Eisener’s department is immediately on the case. “I will work with the police and government agencies to identify the person who’s driving [the suspected vehicle] quickly. And use any ability we have to try to help locate that person as quickly as possible to prevent any further crime in the community,” she says.
Eisener got her start at Enterprise Holdings in August 2011 cleaning cars. A few years later, she moved into an account specialist role. In 2015, she was promoted to the risk management department, after she had successfully fostered relationships with law enforcement in Edmonton and fraud investigators. Eisener says her interest in the law developed early — at the time she joined Enterprise, she was enrolled in a legal assistant diploma program. “As I grew into the company and took on more responsibilities, this was a perfect area for me to be in. It gave me the opportunity to use that legal background to help protect the company and protect the customers.”
Throughout her career she has collaborated with agencies including the CBSA (Canada Border Service Agency), Service Alberta and Homeland Security in the U.S. She has been recognized multiple times for her work, including by Service Alberta’s special investigations unit for assisting in shutting down fraud rings in the Edmonton area. The Enterprise risk department has also been recognized internally for excellence, through the company’s own awards program.
“Alberta received their first [award] for this department in 2018 and we won back to back Exceptional Achievement Awards in 2018 and 2019,” says Eisener.
Adam Hutchings, Deputy chief security officer, Canada Energy Regulator, 32
When Adam Hutchings speaks of his professional career, he talks about his “federal family” and the colleagues he has learned from.
Hutchings joined the federal public service right out of university, originally through a co-op program. He had already made security part of his education — earning an undergraduate degree in criminology from the University of Ottawa. “Right off the bat, out of high school, I was exposed to some of the concepts and theory of policing across cultures, transformative justice,
security in the pre- and post-9/11 worlds. Some of that was my introduction into the field,” he explains.
Working for the government, he learned to apply his education to risk assessments, business continuity planning and physical security. He says he has worked with several mentors who showed him the ropes early in his career and continue to provide guidance. “I’ve been lucky enough to work with some really top notch professionals.”
While working in Ottawa, he responded to a job posting in Calgary and was hired on by the Canada Energy Regulator (then known as the National Energy Board), first in a security advisory capacity. He was later promoted to his current position. He describes his current role as one of advice, guidance and recommendations. “It really boils down to keeping people safe, whether it’s our staff, whether it’s those we work with, or whether it’s members of the public. It’s that holistic approach.”
A dedicated learner, he has been back to school twice — first for a graduate certificate in emergency management and business continuity planning at Fleming College, and he is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in leadership studies at Royal Roads University in Victoria, B.C. Reflecting on his career, he says his professional life has put him in touch with issues that affect people across the nation: Indigenous reconciliation, sustainability, and more recently, COVID-19. “These are the stories that will define this generation of Canadians.”
O V I D - 1 9
A Message to Our Readers and Security Industry Partners
The situation created by COVID-19 has challenged our collective resolve. It has forced us to re-examine the way we work and how we relate to our co-workers, customers and partners. It has taken a devastating toll on our economy and put many industries and jobs in jeopardy. Most difficult of all, lives are being lost and all most of us can do is stay in our homes. These are difficult days and there may be many more ahead.
But in the last few weeks, we have also found new ways to be creative, to tell stories, and to connect with our readers and partners — whether that’s through webinars, virtual roundtables or simply an encouraging phone call or video chat from time to time. We couldn’t have done any of these activities without the support and leadership of the security industry in Canada.
Whenever we have questions about how security professionals are coping with these dramatic changes, there are people who are more than willing to step up and answer, taking time away from their own busy lives and businesses. They are leading by example and sharing their knowledge so that all of our readers may benefit.
Our friends at the Canadian Security Association (CANASA), ASIS International and the International Association for Healthcare Security & Safety (IAHSS) have been there for us, as have many other trusted and valued industry colleagues. We thank you all for your support, especially the frontline and essential workers who are out there keeping us safe. Please let us know what we can do to help you during these challenging times.
Sincerely,
Canadian Security, SP&T News and Sécurité Québec staff
IDENTITY THEFT PREVENTION
AsDaniel
Reio is the director of product and partner management for CDW Canada (www.cdw.ca).
workplaces become more mobile, identity management is becoming of greater concern for organizations.
Not only do you need to provide service to an increasingly mobile workforce, but you need to manage user access and permissions to ensure that confidential company data remains protected. A key step is to ensure you are educating employees on the latest security threats to ensure their devices and corporate identities remain protected. Sharing internal updates with information on some of the latest scams, for example, will keep employees aware and make them think twice before clicking on something they shouldn’t, or offering information that should remain private. Some of the biggest potential identity threats to an organization include:
Impossible logins
Even with a remote workforce, it’s not likely to have a user log in from two far-flung countries in the same day. If you’re unable to verify that a certain employee is on a business trip to a remote location, it’s likely that someone accessed their accounts from an unverified IP.
Lost or stolen devices
A recent whitepaper from Zebra Technologies identified device loss as the No. 1 enterprise mobile security issue. A lost or stolen device can be doubly damaging if its new owner uses it to log in to your network and access company data.
Impersonation attempts
If your external help desk number is publicly available, it is possible for someone to dial in from anywhere, pretending to be an employee. How would you find out whether they actually work for you?
Spoofing phone numbers
This can make identity thieves more difficult to detect. What happens if the call appears to be coming from an internal number, but the caller still sounds suspicious?
Tools to help combat identity theft
It’s important to have an identity management policy in place and to assess it on a quarterly basis to ensure that users are complying with corporate requirements. If any of the above scenarios concern you, it is time to consider identity management solutions. Here are three tools that can help:
Multifactor authentication (MFA): Rather than granting access based on one piece of information, MFA requires at least two credentials from a user to successfully log in. These can include a combination of a password, security questions, security token and/or biometric verification. Some organizations have even implemented voice identification, which allows them to authenticate a caller based on a previous voice recording.
Identity and access management (IAM) tools allow businesses to manage the identities and access rights of their employees, and create rules around access and permissions. With this software, you can easily monitor and control all employee access in one place, either from your workstation or online (if it is cloud-managed).
A Cloud access security broker (CASB) can have a similar function to IAM tools, except that its purpose is to monitor user behaviour on any applications hosted in the cloud. This allows organizations to extend their security and access policies to infrastructure hosted by a third party, while monitoring network traffic between user devices and the cloud provider.
Providing help where it’s needed
Advice for security professionals who may encounter persons in distress or dealing with a mental health issue
By Scott Hill
Currently, one in five Canadians suffer from a mental health issue.
Given the nature of security work, the chances of encountering a person with a mental health issue is much higher than 20 per cent. In order to properly assist someone having a mental issue, it is important to understand what is happening and how you can best help.
In most provinces in Canada, in order to obtain a security licence, an individual is required to have a first-aid certificate. There is similar training for security practitioners that is offered by the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), which is called Mental Health First Aid.
One of the major obstacles people with mental health issues face is the reluctance to speak about what they are going through. As a society, we need to make it OK for people to discuss their issues and get the help that they need.
What is mental health?
The Public Health Agency of Canada defines positive mental health as:
“The capacity of each and all of us to feel, think, and act in ways that enhance our ability to enjoy life and deal with the challenges we face. It is a positive sense of emotional and spiritual well-being that respects the importance of culture, equity, social justice, interconnections and personal dignity.”
They go on to differentiate between a mental health disorder (which is a major change in a person’s thinking, emotional
state and behaviour) and a mental health problem. A mental health problem is a broader term that includes both mental health disorders and the symptoms of disorders that may not be severe or evident enough to warrant the diagnosis of a mental disorder.
Myths about mental health
In order to help, we must first dispense with some of the myths about mental health. Common ones include:
• People with mental health issues are violent
• People with mental health issues could make themselves better if they wanted
• Mental health issues are contagious
• People with mental health issues are faking for sympathy, to get out of work, etc.
ALGEE
We will discuss first-aid for different disorders and how security personnel can render first-aid; however, the one common acronym that is used by MHCC is ALGEE.
As security professionals, we must always be cognizant of keeping our environment safe. If there is any sense of danger to yourself or the people around
risk for suicide or harm
you, then the appropriate emergency response units (police, paramedics, etc.) should be called right away and without hesitation. Psychology should be, and must be, left to the professionals. This information is strictly a guide on how to assist in the moment and is not meant to be taken as professional advice or to replace/substitute for professional help.
The first stage of ALGEE is to (A) assess the risk of suicide or harm. With the information above in mind, it is encouraged to have a serious conversation about how they are feeling. Contrary to popular belief, discussing suicide with them will not make them suicidal. Ask them about their plans for suicide, inquire about past behaviour/ attempts, and about the support systems in place. Once you have had that conversation, work together to disable
their plans of suicide. Instead, work with them on a plan for safety. This could be agreeing to meet or speak on the phone the next day. As always, ensure your personal safety.
The second stage of ALGEE, or the first if there is no risk present, is to (L) listen non-judgmentally. This can be more challenging than it seems, but it is important to engage in a conversation on how they are feeling. There are several actions that should NOT be taken when listening to a person. These actions include expressing frustration, being critical or being confrontational. Also, one of the biggest pitfalls to avoid is offering glib advice like “pull yourself together” or “cheer up.”
When moving to (G) giving reassurance and information, it is important to convey (and remember) that the person is suffering from a real medical condition that it is common and there are treatments available. Help the person understand that their mental issue is not a character defect or weakness and that there is light at the end of the tunnel. While issues can take a while to develop and time to resolve, they will get better with the right help.
The fourth stage is (E) encouraging the person to get the appropriate professional help (such as family doctors, counselors, mental health therapists, psychiatrists, hotlines, etc.).
The final stage is (E) encouraging other support systems that are recognized treatments that help with depression and other mental health issues. Examples of these treatments include exercise, light therapy, acupuncture, massage therapy, yoga breathing, etc.
Types
of disorders and first-aid Disorders include substance-related disorders (drugs, alcohol, etc.), mood related disorders, anxiety/trauma related disorders, and psychotic disorders. As always, ensure your own personal safety before attending to others.
For a substance-related disorder, first-aid is different depending on if the person is conscious or unconscious. If they are unconscious, place them in the recovery position and call emergency services. If possible, determine the substance that was taken and keep the person warm. If they are conscious, you should reassure them that help is on the way (emergency services). It is important to remember not to give them any food or water. This information should be provided to the emergency personnel when they arrive.
First-aid for mood related disorders consists of calming the person down and listening to what they are saying. It is very important to realize that the symptoms of a heart attack are almost identical to those of a panic attack. When in doubt, call emergency services right away. First-aid is accomplished by moving the person to a quiet area and helping them to slow their breathing (usually guided breathing done in unison). Reassure them that they are having a panic attack, that it will pass, and that someone will stay with them and keep them safe until the attack stops or medical help arrives.
First-aid for trauma or anxiety consists of listening to what the person wants to say. Let the person tell the story if they want to, but do not force them to relive the trauma by telling you the story if they wish to avoid it. It is
important to reassure them that their feelings are normal and that it may last days or weeks. Advise them to avoid using drugs or alcohol to cope with the trauma. If it lasts for more than a few weeks, they should be advised to seek professional help.
Psychotic disorders are mental health problems that cause a person to lose some touch with reality. Common signs or symptoms include changes in emotion, motivation, thinking/ perception or behaviour. This can manifest in many different ways and some symptoms may include mood swings, irrational behaviour, intense suspicion of others, deterioration in hygiene, anger, fear, etc. As always, when rendering first-aid, ensure your own safety first. If necessary, call the police. It is important to create a calm, non-threatening environment. If possible and appropriate, do not restrict the person’s movement and ensure that you both have easy access to an exit. Speak in a slow, quiet and firm manner, but always remain polite. Do not respond to the person in a hostile or aggressive manner, but focus on a calm environment. It is possible that they may be experiencing delusions. If so, it is important not to dismiss, minimize or argue about their delusions. That being said, it is equally important not to reinforce the delusions by pretending that they are real. Keep the person calm and safe until help arrives.
With the growing number of Canadians that are experiencing mental health problems, it is important that a security professional be able to render help openly and honestly. As stated above, this is best done by listening empathically (rather than sympathetically) and by letting the person experiencing the issue know that it is perfectly all right to talk about it. The more attention that is called to this important issue, the sooner people will get the help they need.
Scott Hill is the owner of 3D Security Services, a Registered Condominium Manager with the Association of Condominium Managers of Ontario, a Physical Security Professional (PSP) with ASIS, and a Certified Security Project Manager (CSPM) with the Security Industry Association.
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