Cross-Cultural Roundtable on Security Meeting Summary - Border and Immigration

June 11-13, 2010, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Participants: The Deputy Minister of Public Safety Canada, the Associate Deputy Minister of Justice Canada, senior government officials from Public Safety and its portfolio (RCMP and CBSA), Justice Canada, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Transport Canada, and a representative from New Age Security Solutions participated in the dialogue with the members.

Issues of Discussion: The fifteenth meeting of the Roundtable focused on the theme of borders and immigration, with a sub-theme of transportation security. A number of presentations and discussions took place including: possible projects aimed at closing the gap around knowledge of the community's role in the process and prevention of radicalization leading to violence; context and history surrounding recent events in the Sikh community in Canada; behaviour pattern recognition and its applications in the Canadian context; Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST); and, illegal migration in Canada. A summary of the Commission of inquiry into the investigation of the bombing of Air India Flight 182 was also provided.

Outcomes: Members discussed issues related to integration and its link to resiliency and social cohesion. Members reiterated the importance of taking the time to understand communities and support initiatives that build trust and give communities a sense of ownership in Canada's social, economic and cultural life. Members also emphasized the importance of information sharing with Canadians with regard to national security issues and threats in order to raise awareness about the existing risks of terrorism in Canada. Members examined the importance for institutions and government to develop language that does not promote a divide amongst Canadians when talking about terrorism and terrorist events.

Date modified:

2018-02-06