I have just returned from the Deer Lake Airport where I missed my flight because of the harassment of security personnel there. Air Canada then said there was nothing they could do to rebook the flight and offered no help what so ever. I was travelling with a 10 month old infant.

The story:
I arrive a little late at the airport and upon checking in I then had to check my bags through security screening where you have to wait while it goes through the ex-ray machine. I had 3 checked bags to put through full of personal effects and Christmas gifts etc...For some unknown reason to me the security decided to check all 3 bags. The process was so slow that during the check of the second bag I was concerned about making the flight. I grew annoyed with the searching process of the check baggage with then put the security stall in a state of vengeance in my view. One of the 3 security members then decided that there was no need to check my 3rd bag and sent it through. There was no consultation with me about this but their decision only. After disheveling the packed baggage to a point where it took a long time for me to get it together again to try and limit the damage caused by them, as well as the potential damage from the flights ahead to Bangkok. I was then told by the security staff dealing with the check baggage that my son and I could proceed through the gate security. Again I was delayed during this process to a point that bordered on harassment. After getting through the passenger security I proceeded to the gate where I was informed by Air Canada employees that my bags were removed from the airplane and I would not be able to make the flight because the gate was closed. After enquiry I was informed that security requested my bags be removed because they did not search all 3 as they had wanted to do. Now what is obvious here is that I was purposely delayed by security and was marked by them because my late check-in and saying curse words at my annoyance with them for tacking so long. My opinion is that these people act with what they or their superiors deems appropriate and professional, but to a point that borders harassment and actually makes them unprofessional. Now I will have to research why security at this airport in particular and those of Eastern Canada in general are stringent to a point bordering on the ridiculous. I am also trained in international security and act as the Company Security Officer for the company I am employed with and travel about 200 000 - 300 000 air miles a year so know a thing or two about travel and airport security. As mentioned above, I believe that the behavior of airport security in Eastern Canada and in particular borders on the ridiculous. Perhaps it's because the employees at Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) security are uneducated and unworldly and the only sense of power in their pathetic lives is inflicted in a negative way on travelers. The social skill set of the security personnel leaves allot to be desired so in my view CATSA should invest in social skills training for their staff. Perhaps a little travel to other parts of the world would enlighten them to how they should behave with people in a reasonable fashion while still maintaining a god level so safety and security. I will have to forgive them for what the done even though in their view they were "just doing our jobs" because they clearly don't have enough social skills, common sense or intelligence to determine a real threat from a father and son trying to get back to their job and mother. One bright ray of hope for that airport is a gentleman named Bill who works for another security division.