Car Security 101

Is there anyone but the most bubble-headed, careless individual unaware that one should never, ever, leave valuable objects in full view inside a vehicle, even with locked doors? Isn't it the easiest thing in the world to remember to store anything that looks remotely valuable inside the trunk of a car? What cannot be seen cannot be an object of desire for someone who has few scruples about possessing objects belonging to others. Why tempt a thief?

And wouldn't you think that someone who is really intelligent - a professional who fully understands the gravity of the situation should documents he has in his possession fall into the wrong hands - be keenly aware of his responsibility to safeguard items of national security? Well, you might be wrong. It happens, confoundingly, in the private sector and the public sector to high-placed bureaucrat elites.

None other than Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney was fairly sloppy with official documents in his possession. Which were taken from his official vehicle, parked in downtown Montreal, while he was at a meeting. Mr. Carney exited the vehicle and took no cautionary steps to secure a briefcase carrying restricted documents.

Which proved irresistible to someone, who, in the absence of the chauffeur, smashed one of the Chrysler sedan's windows and availed himself of the irresistible briefcase. Although the RCMP has since recovered the purloined bag, it is uncertain whether all of the documents were present.

This incident "Will cause ministers and deputy ministers to re-examine what they do when they carry documents from point A to point B, and when they leave them in the car - something that should not be done", according to Norman Inkster, former RCMP commissioner, now working as a corporate security consultant.

Cannot this kind of incident have been anticipated without the professional advice of a security consultant? That the documents in question are said to have represented administrative details, such as staff reports is irrelevant; they could just as readily been data respecting markets that anyone perspicacious enough could have used to their personal advantage.

Government guidelines on the treatment of sensitive documents are in place, we are informed. Obviously the guidelines are there, but the bureaucrats are too distracted to pay attention to them. It should be taken as general knowledge that car break-ins in downtown Montreal are fairly common occurrences.

"He is a victim of a crime, and that's an unfortunate thing. We all have our security procedures and we all try to protect documents as much as we can", according to Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, when he was informed of the theft, and after speaking with Mr. Carney.

Lapses occur; sensitive documents are left where they should not be, as in the case of Maxime Bernier when he was in the Cabinet, and other Cabinet members, leaving items on public display, and then firing their office personnel - we sincerely hope that Mr. Carney's chauffeur will not now be singled out for blame...