Procedure and House Affairs committee  Through you, Madam Chair, I very much appreciate the concern and the question. The service does everything that it can. Currently what we're looking at is a posture review for the service across the board. It's more than just adequate coverage from the elements. Our human assets are our number one priority, particularly with the role they play.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Through you, Madam Chair, to Mr. Turnbull, it's not impeded. The service is extremely agile and functions in a way to ensure the safety and security of delivering our mandate based on the parameters we currently have in front of us. I can tell you that, outside of the ownership aspect for Wellington Street, for the service there has been quite a bit of advancement on some of the other pieces specific to increasing the value of the partnership between the service and the POJ.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Through you, Madam Chair, the position of the service in supporting both administrations has not shifted on how it recognizes the risk and the vulnerability of the current openness of Wellington Street.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Through you, Madam Chair, it's just important to understand the two respective roles and responsibilities of both of those pieces. The service will always have an immediate response within the precinct. I can tell you that there have been leaps and bounds of advancement, particularly with the new chief, Mr.

Declaration of Emergency committee  Through you, Mr. Chair, that's absolutely correct, Senator Boniface. There were a couple of moments when I had two public order teams under the authority of the service, and that happened for the first time ever. There was a public order team from the OPP as well as one from the RCMP.

Declaration of Emergency committee  That's correct.

Declaration of Emergency committee  Through you, Mr. Chair, again the only thing I'd be in a position to provide to the committee would be the dates and times for verbal telephone conversations I had.

Declaration of Emergency committee  Through you, Mr. Chair, I can speak only to what my responsibility is for the Parliamentary Protective Service. We're not a policing entity, and therefore the invocation of the Emergencies Act provided no additional authority for me. With respect to what it may have provided to either the Ottawa police force or the RCMP, it would be best for them to respond to that question.

Declaration of Emergency committee  Through you, Mr. Chair, to the senator, I appreciate the question. I think part of my objective in working with the policing partners is to increase awareness as to what this territory is actually about, how sensitive it is and how important the people who work here are. I think we made quite a bit of advancement on that.

Declaration of Emergency committee  Through you, Mr. Chair, I think part of my disappointment is that I thought I had more influence with the policing partners than I actually did. I'll have to go back and talk with them on that. It saddened me throughout. I was before the Liberal caucus, and I have to tell you that my heart sank when I was looking at their eyes.

Declaration of Emergency committee  Through you, Mr. Chair, there were no direct invocations, but it was a period of time that was extremely difficult. We're talking about PPS employees who were working 10, 11 or 12 days in a row to ensure.... Yes, we have 421 protection officers, but when you take into consideration the importance of spending time with family and having adequate time for rest, it was a difficult to ensure that the numbers were there.

Declaration of Emergency committee  Through you, Mr. Chair, yes, Senator. That's an incredibly important question to ask. The health, safety and well-being of our employees is something that the service takes as a priority. The engagement of adequate counselling and what have you went on for an extended period of time.

Declaration of Emergency committee  Again I'll reiterate that my lack of situational awareness as to what was sitting on Wellington Street was my biggest concern, and it remains my concern to today.

Declaration of Emergency committee  Through you, Mr. Chair, what I can speak to is that at the NCRCC, as well as at our crisis management centre that was stood up throughout the entire period here, all the discussions and decisions were scribed, which means that notes were taken throughout those two. That's something we can look for to provide to the committee.

Declaration of Emergency committee  Through you, Mr. Chair, no.