Parliament should mandate criminal background checks on all marine port employees, a practice already required at airports, says the Commons public safety committee. MPs blamed organized crime for vehicle thefts worth $1.5 billion last year.

“The committee recognizes organized crime plays a significant role in the commission of vehicle thefts and that the real motivation is not necessarily the stolen vehicle but the financial gain,” said a committee report Fighting The Phenomenon Of Vehicle Thefts In Canada. It recommended Parliament “provide police services with the authority to conduct security clearances for all Canadian port authorities’ employees” and “establish a centralized database for employee access cards for all Canadian ports.”

“Many stolen vehic