Nominations Invited for the Bank of Canada's Law Enforcement Award of Excellence for Counterfeit Deterrence

Beginning today, the Bank of Canada is inviting nominations for the fourth annual Law Enforcement Award of Excellence for Counterfeit Deterrence. This award recognizes police officers, employees, or volunteers of a Canadian law-enforcement agency who have demonstrated outstanding commitment and initiative in counterfeiting deterrence and prevention.

Nominations may be submitted by any serving member of a Canadian law-enforcement agency and must be received at the Bank of Canada by 30 March 2007. Award recipients will be chosen by a selection committee comprised of three representatives from the Bank of Canada and two from the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) and will be honoured at the 2007 CACP conference to be held in Calgary in August.

The Bank of Canada, in collaboration with the CACP, established the Award of Excellence in March 2004 to recognize the efforts of Canadian law-enforcement personnel in deterring the counterfeiting of bank notes.

In 2006, Sergeant Mary Kostashuk from the RCMP "E" Division Commercial Crime Section in British Columbia and Constable Kurtis Bosnell from the Upper Fraser Valley Regional Detachment of the RCMP received the award for their foresight, teamwork, and meticulous attention to detail in a counterfeiting investigation that led to the prosecution and conviction of the leader of a significant counterfeit production and distribution ring. Their joint efforts shut down an operation that had been responsible for producing more than $1.8 million in counterfeit notes in Western Canada since 2003.

For more information on the award, as well as the nomination process, application procedures, and forms, visit www.bankofcanada.ca/en/banknotes/law_award.html. You may also contact Michael Duncan at or by calling 613 782-7057.