Organized Crime

February 28 – March 2, 2014, Ottawa, Ontario

Participants: The Deputy Minister of Public Safety Canada, the Deputy Minister of Justice, as well as senior officials from Public Safety Canada, the Department of Justice, Canadian Security Intelligence Service, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and Peel Regional Police participated in the dialogue with the members.

Discussion: The meeting's theme focused on organized crime. Members were provided with an overview of the Government of Canada’s approach to organized crime. Members were consulted on a draft organized crime strategy which focused on coordinating the work of partners on this issue. Justice Canada reviewed the legislation in place with regards to organized crime and human trafficking. The RCMP presented a profile of organized crime throughout Canada and the role of the Canadian Integrated Response to Organized Crime Committee in coordinating priorities nationally. A panel discussion by Public Safety, the Peel Regional Police and a representative of Project imPACT provided an overview of the National Action plan to combat human trafficking and updates on the stakeholder consultations. Other presentations included how fraud diffuses through communities, foreign interference, and Public Safety’s cyber-bullying awareness campaign.

Members agreed that organized crime affects all Canadians in their everyday life. Given the complexity, size and effectiveness of organized crime organizations, members invited the Government to prioritize this issue through, not only law enforcement, but through prevention and education initiatives. Members supported efforts made by local police to reach out to victims of human trafficking and congratulated Public Safety on its Get Cyber Safe campaign.

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