Speaking Notes
for
The Honourable Bill Blair
Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Appearance Before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security
2020-21 Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates “B”
Ottawa, Ontario
November 25, 2020
Thank you, Mr. Chair and Honourable Members of the Committee.
I’m pleased to be here to present the 2020-21 Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates “B” for the Public Safety portfolio.
To help explain those figures in greater detail, and to answer your questions, I’m pleased to be joined today by, David Vignealt, Director of the Canadian Security and Intelligence Service, John Ossowski, President of the Canadian Border Services Agency, Anne Kelly, Commissioner of Correctional Service of Canada, Brenda Lucki, Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Jennifer Oades, Chair of the Parole Board of Canada.
Before I get to the estimates, I’d like to take a moment to recognize the hard work, professionalism and dedication of employees across the nine organizations in my portfolio.
Their collective efforts help protect our borders, our communities, our correctional institutions and our national security.
This year, amid the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, they’ve continued to serve Canadians and keep us safe.
And they’ve done so in difficult and trying times, and under exceptional and challenging circumstances.
Many have been on the front lines of the Government’s response to the pandemic – especially with respect to the measures we’ve put in place at the border and in our correctional institutions.
I’m very proud of the tremendous work that goes on in every corner of the portfolio.
The estimates before you today reflect the incredible breadth of that work.
In my allotted time today, I’ll provide a broad overview of these estimates, and highlight some of the most substantial items for the organizations in my portfolio.
I will begin with the 2020-21 Main Estimates.
As members will note, the Public Safety portfolio as a whole is requesting a total of $9.7 billion for this fiscal year.
Overall, the portfolio’s funding has remained stable over the last few years, averaging 2.6 percent annual growth based on available funding authorities from 2014-15 to 2019-20.
Spending increases for the portfolio this fiscal year are also expected to be in line with previous years.
To break things down by organization, Public Safety Canada is seeking a total of $725.5 million in these Main Estimates.
You will note that there is an increase in funds to protect people from unnecessary violence and work towards holding criminals to account.
This includes an additional $25M to take action against gun and gang funding; over $10M to Combat Human Trafficking and protect children from online sexual exploitation; and provide additional investments for the National Cyber Security Strategy.
Additionally, we are working towards providing additional support for funding for the First Nations Policing Program as well as infrastructure projects in Indigenous programs.
I will now turn to this year’s Main Estimates for other organizations in the Public Safety portfolio.
The CBSA is seeking a total of just over $2.2 billion in 2020-21 – a net increase of $80 million, or 3.8 percent, over the previous year.
The most substantial item affecting this change in funding levels for the CBSA is an additional $75 million to implement and maintain the Agency’s Assessment and Revenue Management project.
Once fully implemented, this project will modernize and streamline the process of importing commercial goods.
The goal is to reduce the administrative burden for importers and other trade partners, and increase the CBSA’s efficiency and Government of Canada revenues.
The CBSA’s Main Estimates for 2020-21 also include increases of: $17.3 million to enhance the operational response related to the fight against gun and gang violence.
Also, you will recall we have delivered on our commitment to improve air security and offer redress to those who were falsely flagged on the No Fly List by launching the Canadian Travel Number.
The Main Estimates include $12.3 million to implement amendments to the Secure Air Travel Act and introduce the framework for the Passenger Protect Program.
Let me now turn to the RCMP, which is seeking a total funding amount of $3.5 billion in the Main Estimates for 2020-21.
In terms of increases, additional funds relate to Contract Policing Services; support for the renewal of the RCMP’s radio communication system infrastructure in Ontario, Quebec and the National Capital Region; and over $20 million in funding to strengthen federal cybercrime enforcement.
Moving on to the Correctional Service of Canada, the organization is requesting a total of $2.6 billion in its Main Estimates for 2020-21.
The most substantial investment is being an additional $49.7 million to support the transformation of the federal correctional system following the passage into law of Bill C-83.
As members know, we are eliminating segregation.
This system is designed to provide inmates twice as much time out of their cell and meaningful human contact that focus on targeted interventions, programs and mental healthcare every day.
As we have recently been informed there is more work to do and progress to be made.
We will continue to provide the data necessary for oversight groups to ensure adequate reporting and oversight and to measure the progress being made in achieving our goals.
On that note, Mr. Chair, I will now turn to the portfolio’s Supplementary Estimates, which so far this year total $524.4 million.
That represents a small percentage, only 5.4 percent, of the $9.7 billion base funding requested in the Main Estimates.
On a portfolio-wide basis, the total authorities sought in the Supplementary Estimates “B” more specifically would result in a net increase of $203.2 million.
That represents a 1.9 percent increase over the total authorities provided to date, for a total of $10.7 billion.
I will highlight a few key items in these estimates across the portfolio.
Most notably, the CSC is seeking $145.3 million in additional funding for “Support for the Correctional Service of Canada”.
The supplementary estimates also include a transfer of $58.8 million from Public Safety Canada to the RCMP for the First Nations Community Policing Service.
This transfer covers the costs of the policing services provided by the RCMP under tripartite agreements with Public Safety Canada, the provinces and territories, and First Nations.
The RCMP is also seeking $14.5 million in these estimates to implement and maintain the National Cybercrime Solution.
This would provide the National Cybercrime Coordination Unit with the IM/IT functions it needs to receive, store, analyze and share cybercrime data, and establish a public reporting website.
The CBSA is seeking an additional $6 million for measures to enhance the integrity of Canada's borders and asylum system, and funds to crack down on fraudulent consultants.
More specifically, the funding would support IT system changes to ensure that the CBSA’s case management systems reflect recent changes to Canada’s immigration laws.
Finally, Mr. Chair, I would note that your documents also outline the 2020-21 Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates “B” for CSIS, the Parole Board of Canada, the Office of the Correctional Investigator, the RCMP External Review Committee, and the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP.
Additional funds for the Parole Board of Canada, in particular, will work towards addressing workload capacity for those involved with decisions pertaining to conditional release.
I’d like to once again recognize the professionals in one each of the organizations in my portfolio, who continue to serve Canadians with skill and dedication.
This has been a difficult year for all Canadians.
Regardless of the area in which they work – whether it’s the response to COVID-19, or one of the other myriad files that fall within my portfolio – employees have risen to the challenge and worked hard to keep us safe, secure and healthy.
Thank you, Mr. Chair and members of the Committee.
We are now happy to answer your questions about these estimates, and the collective work of the portfolio.
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