Registration - In-house Organization

Subject Matters

• Agriculture
• Economic Development
• Industry
• Infrastructure
• Intellectual Property
• International Relations
• International Trade
• National Security/Security
• Science and Technology
• Small Business
• Taxation and Finance
• Transportation

Subject Matter Details

Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution

• Canada Border Services Agency export reporting, consulted with respected to possible amendments to the export reporting regulations, in respect of definition of exporter, reporting timeframes; summary reporting; mandatory electronic reporting; determining origin of exported goods; clarifying exceptions to export reporting requirements.
• Canadian budget 2013 with regard to funding for the Canada Border Services Agency; funding of infrastructure, especially at the border, and funding of programs to support importers and exporters.

Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution, Policies or Program

• Canada Border Services Agency export reporting, consulted with respected to possible amendments to the export reporting regulations, in respect of definition of exporter, reporting timeframes; summary reporting; mandatory electronic reporting; determining origin of exported goods; clarifying exceptions to export reporting requirements.
• Consumer Products Safety Act, with regard to incident reporting; recall orders; record retention; import requirements; ministerial orders for testing, studies and other requirements; confidential business information; inspections, seizures and stop orders; due diligence defences; and labelling for toxic substances.
• Licensing of importers of food in the non-federally registered sector. CIFA is expected to introduce mandatory importer licensing in 2013. I.E.Canada advocates for effective and achievable food safety standards, practical licensing requirements and a license management system that upon implementation will result in minimum disruption to trade. Of particular importance is the adoption of policy that would allow U.S. non-resident importers to be licensed to import food products and commodities into Canada.
• The Safe Food For Canadians Act was passed November 22, 2012. The Act requires a new food regulatory framework in order to come into force. Three concerns of importance to I.E.Canada members must be resolved through the regulatory framework [i] prohibition against the import of food products that do not meet the requirements of Canada at time of importation [ii] prohibition against the export of food products unless they meeting regulatory requirements of Canada and those of the exporting country and [iii] prohibition against the use of food ingredients for export use only, that are not approved for use in Canada. Additionally, I.E.Canada will advocate for implementation of an effective and achievable food producer and importer licensing system for federally regulated food products that will result in minimum disruption to trade.

Policies or Program

• CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management (CARM) Consultations with CBSA regarding the design, impact and implementation on the Importing and Exporting community in relation to Phase I-Accounts Receivable Ledger (ARL) Project, Phase II-Client Identification, Registration and Enrollment, Phase III-Assessment, eServices and Reporting and Phase VI-Trade Modernization.
• CFIA Phytosanitary certificate and import certificate requirements for grain imported from the U.S. Validating those grain commodities whose handling practices in the U.S. present an environmental risk to Canada. For those where practices are suspect working with CFIA to identify options that minimize the disruption to trade.
• CFIA electronic certification: working with industry groups and CFIA to explore options to develop a system to provide CFIA electronic export certificates for food, plants and animals.
• CFIA has announced a food labelling review and reform initiative to being in Fall 2013. I.E.Canada advocates for fair and meaningful labelling requirements that are equally applicable to imported and domestically produced food.
• Canada Border Services Agency Cargo Control and Sufferance Warehouse Modernization initiative to consult, review and simplify policies and processes to find efficiencies to reduce financial cost and administrative burden to both government and industry with respect to: facilitating in-bond cargo movement to sufferance warehouses used for short-term storage of imported goods via electronic tracking methods; require warehouse arrival capabilities via RNS; reduce the number and type of warehouses; simplify warehouse licensing and storage activity requirements; permit storage of domestic and in-bond goods in same warehouse areas; and establish integrated examination facilities for inland CBSA examinations.
• Canada Border Services Agency Commercial Vision 2017, consulted by the Canada Border Services Agency for purposes of its Commercial Vision on expected trends over the next 10 years in transportation, trade patterns and e-commerce and information technology and the impact on import and export processes.
• Canada Border Services Agency Examination centres, consultations in respect of processes and procedures, establishing service standards, and funding of examination centres
• Canada Border Services Agency proposals regarding contingency planning in the event of a system outage.
• Canada Border Services Agency's Advance Commercial Information (ACI) Phase III/eManifest in respect of development and design of the program; the importer admissibility data set; first point of arrival issue, broker- freight forwarder download; in bond movement of goods; trip match notification; amendment to advance commercial information post arrival; administrative monetary penalties; exceptions to requirement to provide advance commercial information; web portal; deployment plan; communication plans; and the consultation process.
• Canada Border Services Agency's Business Resumption and Contingency Planning in the event of an emergency at the border, consulted with respect to table top exercise, proposed communication plans and prioritization of movement of goods in the event of an emergency.
• Canada Border Services Agency's Courier/Low Value Shipments (LVS) Program, consulted with respect to operational challenges and deficiencies with the program that put importers at risk and operational concerns with regarding the implementation of the NRCan Amendment 11.
• Canada Border Services Agency's Customs Self Assessment (CSA) Program in respect of expansion of the CSA clearance options and procedures and addressing operational issues relating to the program.
• Canada Border Services Agency's Other Government Departments (OGD) Single Window initiative as it impacts importers including clearing goods that require OGD permissions to clear through the CSA program.
• Canada Border Services Agency's Partners in Protection (PIP) Program, consulted with respect to new minimum security requirements; new memorandum of understanding, transition strategy for new program; guidelines for use of security seals; procedures for suspension and cancellation of program and appeals; web portal and operational aspects of the program
• Canada Border Services Agency’s Broker Licensing and Account Security Working Group, consulted by the Canada Border Services Agency with respect to licensing and regulation of customs brokers, account security and payment of duties and taxes,
• Canadian Anti-Counterfeiting initiatives with regard to implementing the legislation to address intellectual property (IP) crime and copyright reform; amending the proceeds of crime regulations to include copyright offences; providing greater resources to law enforcement, including customs officers, to address IP crime; working jointly with government to increase public awareness of IP crime.
• Canadian anti-counterfeiting initiatives providing input to government on international initiatives that address intellectual property.
• Department of Finance, made submission regarding the plan to eliminate countries from the General Preferential Tariff List.
• Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) Export Controls program in respect improving transparency and the availability of information to Canadian exporters, outreach activities to Canadian exporters and the need to ensure that Canadian export controls legislation is amended on a timely basis consistent with obligations under international treaties and agreements.
• Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) proposal to negotiate a new economic agreement between Canada and the European Union with regard to trade in goods, mutual recognition of Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) or supply chain security programs; and encryption licensing requirements.
• Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT), consulted with Canadian Embassy staff in Washington and Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) officials regarding a submission we made to the US government on U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s proposed regulatory change to account for residue in instruments of international trade.
• Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade international trade priorities, made submission with respect to the proposed free trade agreement with Japan and Panama regarding elimination of non-tariff barriers, trade facilitation, protection of intellectual property rights, rules of origin and technical barriers to trade.
• Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, consulted with Canadian Embassy in Washington and Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade officials in Ottawa regarding practical challenges associated with complying with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act.
• Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, consulted with Canadian Embassy in Washington and Department of Foreign Affairs in Ottawa officials regarding practical challenges associated with complying with new import declaration under the U.S. Lacey Act amendments.
• Meat Re-inspection on Canada and the U.S.: Advocating for changes to current Canadian practices that will reduce the risk of not reporting for inspection by carriers of product imported by U.S. non-resident importers. Working with the Canadian Embassy in Washington to minimize the impact of USDA “hold and test” on export of Canadian meat into the U.S.
• NRCan Amendment 11 - Consultations with NRCan and CBSA regarding the implementation of Amendment 11 Energy Efficiency regulations to importers on both HVS and LVS shipments. Further consults regarding an alternative to shipments that fall under the Amendment 11 requirements with a value that is considered LVS.
• New levy on imported beef: working with AAFC, Canada Beef and stakeholders to identify mechanism for collection of levy on imported beef and define criteria and oversight for allocation of collected funds for research, marketing and advocacy.
• PMO Luncheon Reception – Joy Nott was invited by the Prime Minister’s Office to attend a business luncheon roundtable honouring the PM of Japan at Parliament Hill.
• Parliamentary Reception - Members of Parliament were invited to attend a reception to learn more about the role I.E.Canada plays in fostering trade in Canada, and the importance of importers and exporters to a strong and dynamic Canadian economy.
• Transportation and Infrastructure, in respect of encouraging the federal government to develop a national transportation strategy encompassing a North American vision; a multimodal transportation infrastructure investment strategy; a competitive regulatory and fiscal environment; and an economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable plan.
• U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act [FSMA]: I.E.Canada advocates with AAFC to seek clarity regarding the intent of the FSMA and the impact of FSMA on Canadian food manufacturers and exporters. I.E.Canada particularly advocates for Canadian non-resident food importers to the U.S. and for adoption of the Voluntary Qualified Importer Program.

Policies or Program, Regulation

• Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade international trade priorities, consultations with respect to the proposed Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with European Union regarding elimination of non-tariff barriers by European Union, trade facilitation, protection of intellectual property rights, rules of origin and technical barriers to trade. A meeting to discuss the above with the Prime Minister's Office and representatives from Minister Fast’s office. The purpose to discuss update regarding current CETA negotiations as well as plan for implementation once agreement is signed.

Communication Techniques

• Written communication
• Oral communication
• Grass-roots communication

Government Institutions

• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
• Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
• Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)
• Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
• Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
• Finance Canada (FIN)
• Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
• Health Canada (HC)
• Industry Canada
• Prime Minister's Office (PMO)
• Privy Council Office (PCO)
• Public Works and Government Services Canada
• Transport Canada (TC)
• Treasury Board Of Canada Secretariat (TBS)
• Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD)

Address:
P.O. Box 189
Toronto, ON  M3C 2S2
Canada

Telephone number: 416-595-5333  Ext. 24