More airport security needed, says CBSA

The Canada Border Services Agencywill beef uppatrols and have more security checksand cameras at Vancouver's airport, saysareport released Monday thatgives a timeline ofthe night Robert Dziekanski died after he was shocked with an RCMP Taser on Oct. 14.

The timelinetraces thenine-hour period between Dziekanski's arrival at the customs hall in the international terminal of Vancouver International Airport, and his death shortly after 1 a.m. PT the next morning.

Alain Jolicoeur, the agency's president, said on Monday that "we do not have all the answers" as to how Dziekanski could spend at least six hours loitering in the baggage area of the international arrivals terminal, waiting for his mother while she tried to get information about him from the public area of the airport.

ButJolicoeur said he will try to fix what went wrong.

"I'm very, very sorry and I really wish that we had found out aboutMr. Dziekanskibefore."

Yet Jolicoeur said in an area the size of two football fields, with upwards of 4,000 passengers circulating the night Dziekanski died, the officers on duty did what they were supposed to do.

"There is no action that in my view requires discipline," he said.

The CBSA report is one of several investigations into Dziekanski's death that are underway, and the first time the agency has spoken about that early October morning.

Based on the review, released in Vancouver,the CBSA said it would take several remedial actions:

• Along with other partners such as the Vancouver Airport Authority, it will review procedures on services provided for international travellers and those waiting to meet them.
• TheCBSA will explore options to have more patrols and security checks withinthe agency'sarea.
• More cameras will be installed to provide an expanded coverage of the CBSA's area at the airport.
• The CBSAwill update its list of employees who can speak languages other than English and French. Will also review its interpreter services to make sure that the services are provided as quickly as possible.
• The CBSA will review its procedure to ensure all people referred for further examinations report to the secondary examination areas within a reasonable amount of time.

Immigrant's whereabouts for 6 hours uncertain

The timeline starts with the Polish immigrant checking in at the primary passport check around 4 p.m. PT. But the report acknowledgesCBSA cannot account for Dziekanski's whereabouts for a total of more than six hours between then and midnight because the video surveillance cameraswere partially blocked due to construction in the area.

The report says about 4,000 people passed through the hall during the time Dziekanksi was there, and that itis not unusual for people to wait several hours in the area for luggage or travelling companions who have been delayed in customs or immigration, or are arriving on other flights.

The report also shed some light on efforts by Dziekanski's mother, Zofia Cisowski, andher companion to make contact with Dziekanski through customs officials, after waiting for him for several hours in the public area of the arrivals lounge.

Cisowski had previously told CBC News that she told her son, who spoke no English and had never travelled overseas before, to wait for her by the baggage claim area. But when she arrived at the airport, she learned she could not enter that area and tried to have airport and customs officials help her contact her son.

"The traveller's stepfather contacted the CBSA secondary area at approximately 19:00 hours to inquire about Mr. Dziekanski. When asked if the traveller was in fact aboard the expected flight, the stepfather stated that he could not confirm this," says the report.

"A visual scan of the immigration secondary area was done as well as a verification of the names of persons being detained. The stepfather was advised that the CBSA did not observe anyone in the immigration secondary area that fit the description of the traveller. The officer did confirm with the caller that the traveller knew the cellular telephone number of his mother."

But the report admits Dziekanski was in the baggage area of the customs hall and did show up around 10:30 p.m. at the secondary check near the exit. CBSA officers then escorted Dziekanski to the immigration office to have his visa processed.

The report says there was alanguage barrier that made communicating with Dziekanski difficult, but that using standard procedures, officers found his checked luggagefor him and his visa paperwork was processed successfully.

"To facilitate the immigration examination, [an officer] with some limited knowledge of the Polish language assisted," says the report.

"Based on reports from the officers who interacted with the traveller that evening, Mr. Dziekanski did not ask any of the[border services officers] for assistance during the time he was waiting in the CBSA area," it says.

"Mr. Dziekanski was given several glasses of water while he was in the secondary processing area. All officers who interacted with the traveller did not observe, in their opinion, behaviour which would raise any concerns."

Mother paged, but no response

Around 11:40 p.m., a CBSA officer attempted to page Dziekanski's mother in the arrivals lounge and call her phone, but there was no response. A message was left on her phone. She had previously told CBC that by that time, she was on her way home to Kamloops.

The report says thatat around 12:15 a.m., Dziekanksi was then told his visa was complete and hecould leave.

"He remained in the area and sat on one of the chairs for approximately 30 minutes. He was subsequently approached by a CBSA officer who confirmed that he was free to go and escorted him to the exit."

Videotape from eyewitnesses has shown how shortly after Dziekanski left the customs hall at 12:45 a.m., he began causing a disturbance near the secure area that connects it with the public area of the international arrivals lounge.

Police were called when he began throwing furniture and shouting.

He died shortly after 1 a.m. when RCMP stunned him at least twice with a Taser, seconds after they arrived.

The report says that at about2:10 a.m.,Dziekanski's motherreturned CBSA's call after she arrived home in Kamloops.

"Unaware of the status of Mr. Dziekanski, the officer advised her that he had seen her son earlier in the evening and that Mr. Dziekanski had left the CBSA area."