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Q&A: Travel advisories
Foreign Affairs official Bernard Nguyen on warnings about travel abroad
Last Updated Jan. 5, 2007
CBC News
| Bernard Nguyen is a spokesman with the federal department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. |
The Consular Affairs Bureau of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada keeps a list of countries subject to travel warnings, based on reports of violence or natural disaster in that country.
The list is divided in categories based on the danger presented by travel to that country. The highest level, A, advises against travel to all parts of a country and advises Canadians already in the country to leave. The lowest, I, advises against non-essential travel, such as tourism, to specified areas of a country.
Recently, Thailand was added to the list, in the lowest danger category, because of bombings that occurred in Bangkok on New Year's Eve.
Cheryl Everall and Kimberly Kim, the Thunder Bay, Ont., women accused by Mexican authorities of slaying a Canadian couple at a resort near Cancun, are petitioning the government to add Mexico to the government's list of travel warnings.
"As is exemplified by our case, Mexico is not safe, and we, the Canadian citizens, need to push for political change to ensure Canadian citizens are protected abroad," Everall and Kim say on their website.
CBC News Online asked Foreign Affairs spokesman Bernard Nguyen about the warning list and the petition by the women.
How do countries get on the travel warning list?
The decision to make a travel warning is made on a case-by-case basis. All decisions on travel warnings are based on consultation within the department: the geographic division, the consular office and the mission. There's no specific formula in place to determine which level of travel warning would be appropriate.
There are many events that can trigger the issuance of a travel warning for a particular country or region:
- Threat of terrorism.
- Civil unrest.
- War or rebellion.
- Catastrophic conditions resulting from a natural disaster.
- Serious political instability.
- Election-related violence.
- Health reasons such as SARS or avian flu.
How do you determine which category the warning goes into?
It's based on the reports from the mission. The mission is in contact with the local authorities. If it's only one event that occurred at a particular time, then we can adapt the warning to see it's for a particular region or particular city and not necessarily the entire country.
Who makes the decisions?
The consular office in Ottawa makes the decisions in consultation with the mission because they are on the ground in the country and because they're in contact with the local authorities so they can more accurate information than you can from Ottawa.
Does consular affairs inform the country that they've been listed?
No, the travel warnings are for Canadians who are planning to travel to other countries.
Do the services offered by consular affairs change when a travel warning is given?
No, it would take major unrest or civil war. Then, maybe there would be a change in our policy, but the chance of that occurring is very small.
Do the bureau's travel warnings include bans on travel to dangerous places?
No, they're only to advise Canadians. If you go to a destination and it's on the list, it's up to you. We don't monitor Canadians when they travel.
Can Canadians petition the government to add a destination to the travel warnings list, as Cheryl Everall and Kimberly Kim are attempting to do with Mexico?
Travel reports reflect up-to-date safety and security conditions based on best information and assessments provided by our consulates and embassies abroad. Official warnings against travel are only issued when there is a recurring and important security issue and isolated incidents do not justify such a warning.
Our current travel report for Mexico accurately reflects the situation and will be updated as necessary in order to help travellers make informed decisions.
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