Opening Remarks
Mr. Chair, Vice-Chairs and Committee members, good afternoon and thank you for inviting me to join you today.
I’m pleased to be here alongside: Chairperson Jennifer Oades from the Parole Board, Director David Vigneault from CSIS, Commissioners Anne Kelly and Brenda Lucki from Correctional Services Canada and the RCMP, and President John Ossowski from the CBSA.
For those of you who are new to this Committee, welcome to your new roles.
I’m sure this is the first of many opportunities for me to meet with you.
I very much look forward to working with you on the many important issues that fall within my mandate.
And I appreciate the invitation to say a few words about those issues today.
I will start my speech today by reiterating that our thoughts are with the families and friends of the recent stabbing victims during this difficult time, and we wish those in the hospital a full recovery.
We are aware that the suspect has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder. While local police have been leading the investigation we are monitoring closely.
The RCMP is ready and able to assist, if necessary.
Clearly, the world has changed dramatically since I was given this mandate last fall.
In very short order, the Government shifted its focus to the pandemic response.
That remains our key priority.
And it continues to be my primary focus.
We’ve taken unprecedented action to limit the spread of COVID-19 in Canada.
Under my purview, that has included many actions to protect our borders.
Starting on January 22, we put in place screening measures at our airports to stop the spread of COVID19
And we took the unprecedented, but necessary step of restricting optional and discretionary travel across our borders early in the pandemic.
We continue to review those decisions, in regular consultation with our domestic and international partners.
We recently announced a scaling-up of the federal public health presence at the border, now covering 36 ports of entry that account for 90 per cent of all traffic into Canada.
That represents a total force of 190 public health officers, up from 18 when the pandemic began.
The Canada Border Services Agency is working very closely with the Public Health Agency of Canada, including on strengthening compliance and enforcement efforts on mandatory quarantine and isolation orders.
Our Border Services officers are doing a remarkable job in a very challenging situation, working around the clock to protect Canadians.
I’ll continue to do everything I can to make sure they have the resources they need.
With respect to legislation, we have an ambitious agenda ahead.
As you know, the Prime Minister asked me to serve as Minister of Public Safety in part because of the unique focus I can provide – from my decades of experience in policing on the front-lines.
We can’t ignore the reality that firearms-related crime remains high in Canada.
I’ve seen that first hand.
And I’m determined to address it as a priority.
On May 1, our Government took decisive action to protect Canadians by prohibiting over 1,500 models of those firearms that were designed for soldiers to shoot other soldiers.
We have put in place an amnesty to give existing owners time to come into compliance with the law.
The amnesty also provides a temporary exception for Indigenous persons exercising section 35 Constitutional rights to hunt and for sustenance hunters to allow for continued use of a previously non-restricted firearm until a suitable replacement can be found.
We have also signaled our intent to implement a buyback program as soon as possible.
I would like to reiterate that this government is committed to ensuring that affected owners and businesses are compensated fairly, while at the same time making sure implementation and management costs of such a program are well-priced and sustainable.
And we will work with Parliament, provinces, territories and First Nations to get this right for law-abiding gun owners and businesses.
I have been very clear that we need to strengthen Canada’s gun control framework.
That’s why this Government intends to introduce a red-flag regime to reduce cases of intimate partner violence, and suicide by temporarily removing firearms from individuals who pose a danger to themselves or their partners or kids.
We will strengthen firearms storage requirements to deter theft, and enhance police tracing capacity.
And we will work with our partners to continue to provide necessary funds to help municipalities and provinces fight gang-related violence and expand diversion programs that keep at-risk youth out of the criminal justice system.
We also know that we must do more to prevent smuggled guns from entering Canada.
That is why we will introduce tougher penalties for trafficking and smuggling offences.
And we will continue to make important investments in the RCMP and CBSA, to strengthen border controls and reduce the number of guns being smuggled across our borders.
Colleagues, this is a time for action on many fronts, and this Government intends to follow through and deliver for Canadians.
I want to briefly talk about an issue that I am sure is of interest to many members of this committee.
I am here to tell you that we are seized with the growing threat of hostile state interference, including on Canadian soil.
And we know that this threat comes from specific countries that are authoritarian states with different values.
As the NSICOP report released earlier this makes clear, China is a key and growing risk in this regard.
We will not tolerate any forms of interference from hostile state actors or their representatives.
Know that our government pays close attention not only to the unofficial activities of foreign diplomats accredited to Canada, but to their official statements.
We will always call out those who stray from their legitimate role of communicating their government’s official position publically, and won’t hesitate to respond appropriately when foreign representatives make threats against Canadians.
To address one further topic, as I’ve noted to this Committee earlier this year, I welcome your thoughts on the role of the Government in combatting anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism, and ending systemic racism writ large.
As anti-racism protests continue around the world, we are all listening, learning and reflecting on how systemic racism contributes to injustice and inequality in Canada.
I want to end by acknowledging what is one of the most important objectives for me as Minister.
It is something that was also a focus reflected in the recent Speech from the Throne.
Progress must also be made throughout the policing and justice systems.
All Canadians must have the confidence that the justice system is there to protect them, not to harm them. Black Canadians and Indigenous Peoples are overrepresented in the criminal justice system. That has to change.
I seek to make progress in many aspects.
For example, enhancing civilian oversight, which is central to maintaining public confidence in our law enforcement agencies and the rule of law.
I intend to re-introduce legislation that will enhance the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission’s review powers.
Under that legislation, the Commission would be responsible for handling reviews and complaints for both the CBSA and the RCMP.
It will continue to be fully independent, and will ensure that the public can continue to expect consistent, fair and equal treatment when dealing with law enforcement agencies.
I have been very clear about the need for improved standards for responding to public complaint and review investigations in an expeditious manner.
I look forward to working with this Committee, and with all Parliamentarians, on this process, to ensure we develop the best possible legislation to serve all Canadians.
To name just a few more, I also look forward to co-developing a legislative framework for First Nations policing, which recognizes First Nations policing as an essential service.
Across the country, the RCMP is continuously working towards building trusting relationships and delivering responsive, culturally-aware and trauma-informed policing services for Indigenous communities.
That includes work in the areas of investigative and justice initiatives, crime prevention, and training, with much of this embedded as part of the organization's policing and community practices.
Our government will also introduce legislation and make investments that take action to address the systemic inequities in all phases of the criminal justice system, from diversion to sentencing, from rehabilitation to records;
Colleagues, I’m deeply honoured to carry out the mandate the Prime Minister has entrusted in me.
And I look forward to your continued advice and engagement in keeping our borders secure and our communities safe.
Thank you very much, and I look forward to your questions.
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