Parliamentary Committee Notes: Speaking Notes for Shawn Tupper Deputy Minister, Public Safety Canada
Appearance Before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts
April 30, 2024
Check Against Delivery
Word Count: 666 (5 mins)
Good afternoon
Mr. Chair, committee members, thank you for inviting me to appear before you today, here on the traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishnaabe People.
I appreciate the opportunity to speak about the Auditor General of Canada’s Performance Audit Report on the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program.
Since 1991, the FNIPP has provided cost-matched funding to support access to dedicated, culturally responsive policing services in First Nations and Inuit communities.
This program supports 36 self-administered police services, which provide community policing in more than 155 First Nation and Inuit communities.
Through the Community Tripartite Stream, the program also provides funding to support an enhanced level of policing in communities that are served by the RCMP.
This cost-matching approach supports investments in an area of provincial/territorial jurisdiction and Public Safety Canada is committed to improving the program in collaboration with provinces and territories of jurisdiction and with First Nations and Inuit communities.
In response to the Auditor General’s performance audit report, Public Safety has developed a Preliminary Action Plan to address the report’s recommendations.
We are calling it “preliminary” because of the importance of engaging with First Nations partners and the provinces and territories to do this work.
That said, the Department has already started taking action to address the Auditor General’s recommendations.
The Department has recently aligned the delivery of the FNIPP, Indigenous policing and community safety policy and engagement and considerations into a single branch to create more efficient and coherent program delivery and to improve the integration of policy on Indigenous issues within Public Safety’s mandate.
While there is much to do, having a clear line of accountability will help to ensure that it gets done.
This branch is working with provinces and territories and First Nations and Inuit communities to identify improvements to program governance with a view to delivering its cost-matching funding faster.
In parallel, Indigenous-led regional and national engagement sessions have been held over the winter on proposed legislative options to advance the Minister’s mandate to co-develop federal legislation to recognize First Nations police services as essential services.
The Government also reiterated its commitment to this initiative in Budget 2024.
The engagement sessions build on the ongoing collaboration Public Safety Canada has fostered with First Nations and subject matter experts – like the First Nations Chiefs of Police Association and First Nations Police Governance Council – as well as provincial and territorial representatives.
Public Safety is also revisiting the program management relationship with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to more readily consider and integrate officer availability in program management decisions.
And the RCMP are continuing to work with communities to improve cultural awareness practices as they reaffirm their commitment to keeping Indigenous communities safe, including through the FNIPP.
Through all of these initiatives, collaboration is key.
Public Safety will continue to work closely with First Nations and Inuit partners, law enforcement agencies, and provinces and territories.
The provinces and territories are responsible for making decisions on the level of policing needs in their jurisdiction and, consistent with this, they drive decisions on investment priorities for this program by providing 48% of the costs which the federal government then meets with the remaining 52%, within its funding allocation.
This approach presents challenges – and Public Safety is aware of the opportunity and is undertaking the necessary work to improve program governance and, in turn, delivery and outcomes.
The audit report will inform this shared work, help strengthen our ability to overcome challenges, and ensure the continued success of the FNIPP.
I know that commitment to reconciliation is top of mind in every step we take on this shared path with our Indigenous partners.
This work directly affects the safety and security of the Indigenous communities who rely on these services.
By implementing the audit report’s recommended improvements and fostering collaboration, we aim to create a safer environment, build stronger relationships with Indigenous communities, and ensure that their unique needs are met.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I look forward to answering the committee’s questions.
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