Executive Protection Awareness Course: Lessons 2026

Lesson 1: What executive protection is, and who does it

Executive protection (also called close protection) means keeping a person, often called the client or principal, safe as they live and work. Good protection is mostly planning and prevention. The goal is to avoid trouble, not to win a fight.

Police protection

Some people are protected by police. The RCMP's Protective Policing program and its Close Protection Units protect the Prime Minister, the Governor General, Supreme Court judges and federal ministers. The RCMP also protects Internationally Protected Persons, such as visiting foreign heads of state, and leads security at some major events. Private security never replaces this police role.

Licences

• Alberta lists body guard among the jobs that need a security service worker licence. You must complete approved basic security training (or another route the province allows) before Alberta issues the licence.
• In Ontario, licensed security guards who are hired as bodyguards are exempt from the uniform rules, but must still carry their licence and show it on request.
• Ontario licence holders can be fined for calling themselves police, law enforcement, special constable, a detective or an officer.

Under section 130 of the Criminal Code, it is an offence to falsely claim to be a peace officer, or to use a badge, uniform or equipment in a way likely to make people believe you are one. Never wear police-style badges or gear to move crowds.

Lesson 2: The law on force and arrest

A bodyguard has no police powers. You have no special right to push people, search them or hold them.

Protecting another person

Section 34 of the Criminal Code can apply when you protect yourself or another person. A person is not guilty of an offence if:

1. they believe on reasonable grounds that force is being used, or threatened, against them or another person;
2. they act for the purpose of defending or protecting themselves or that person; and
3. the act is reasonable in the circumstances.

Under section 34(2), a court looks at many factors, including the nature of the threat, how imminent it was, whether other ways to respond were available, whether weapons were involved, the size, age and abilities of the people, and whether the response was proportionate.

In practice, the safest choice is almost always to move your client away from the problem and call 911.

Arrest

Under section 494, any person may arrest someone they find committing an indictable offence. Section 494(3) says anyone other than a peace officer who arrests without a warrant must deliver the person to a peace officer right away.

Lesson 3: Protecting your client's information

A schedule, hotel name, car plate or home address in the wrong hands can put your client at risk. Share details only with people who need them.

Privacy law

Under PIPEDA, personal information is any factual or subjective information, recorded or not, about an identifiable individual. A client's itinerary is personal information. PIPEDA applies to private-sector organizations; Alberta, B.C. and Quebec have similar provincial laws that apply instead for most work inside those provinces. Two of PIPEDA's ten fair information principles matter most here:

Social engineering

People may try to trick you into giving out information. The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security describes pretexting, where someone uses a made-up story, such as "I'm the new assistant", to get information. Vishing is phishing by phone call or voicemail.

The Cyber Centre warns that audio or video alone is not proof of identity. Confirm any sensitive or unusual request, such as a new pickup place, through a second, independent form of communication.

Social media

• Get Cyber Safe suggests waiting until you are back home to post about a trip.
• Check photos before posting. A street sign or building in the background can reveal a location.
• Never post photos of your client, their car or their home yourself.

Lesson 4: Stalking, threats and suspicious mail

Watch for warning signs, such as a person who shows up again and again. Notice them, write them down and report them.

Criminal harassment (section 264)

It is criminal harassment to do the following when it could reasonably be expected to make a person believe that their safety, or the safety of someone they know, is threatened:

• Repeatedly following them or people they know
• Monitoring their location, movements, actions or social contacts
• Repeatedly communicating with them, directly or indirectly
• Besetting or watching where they live, work or happen to be
• Threatening conduct toward them, people they know or their animals

Uttering threats (section 264.1)

It is an offence to knowingly threaten to cause death or bodily harm to anyone, to burn, destroy or damage property, or to harm someone's animal. Strong opinions or complaints are not threats.

Keep threatening letters, emails and voicemails. Note dates, times and descriptions, and give them to police.

Suspicious mail

National Defence lists warning signs such as no return address, a title only (for example "President"), too much tape, oily stains, wires, strange smells and markings like "Do not X-ray". If you are concerned:

1. Do not handle, shake or smell it.
2. Leave it where it is.
3. Get everyone out of the room and close the door.
4. Notify your supervisor and the police.

Lesson 5: Travel planning

Trips bring new places, new routes and less control. Use Government of Canada travel advice early in planning.

Before you go

• Register with Registration of Canadians Abroad, a free service, so the government can contact you if an emergency affects you abroad.
• Leave a copy of the itinerary and the passport identification page with a trusted contact, as the traveller's checklist suggests.
• Get travel insurance and know where the nearest hospital is.
• Plan routes, meeting points and how the team will reach each other.