Science and Research committee  I might just add that our research security advisers are in daily contact with universities, which themselves have built really significant capacity. I think they need to be lauded for the amount of investment that's been going on in our major research institutions to really understand where the risks are and how to mitigate those risks.

Science and Research committee  I think maybe that's a Public Safety question, in a way. Part of the rationale behind setting up the research security centre was to give direct linkages regionally to institutions for them to be able to come to the federal government and leverage all the expertise that's available, and also to give them good advice about the types of risks they may be confronting in specific research domains and come up with solutions.

Science and Research committee  I'm not quite sure how I might answer this. The “Seven Sons” are seven of the major research institutions that are known to have defence linkages. As a general understanding, many other jurisdictions have put in limitations around the types of research collaborations that could go on with those institutions in the context of, for example, the alliance grants program.

Science and Research committee  We might refer to the February 14 statement made by the then minister of public safety and the Minister of ISED in relation to affiliations that are known to have linkages to defence institutions. Through that statement, I think the government made it very clear that there are risks in relation to those types of linkages with foreign state military-associated institutions.

Science and Research committee  I think we're looking at what we would call “sensitive areas” of technology. Again, if you look at the February 14 statement, we haven't delineated yet fully for the public what those would be. We're talking about cutting-edge research in areas where foreign states may seek to take military advantage or seek to have a leading edge in innovation for reasons that may be entirely commercial, but they may also be contributing to a state security or military apparatus.

Canada-China Relations committee  I would add, in another context, that we have a researchers' portal that's housed through Innovation, Science and Economic Development. That also provides lots of rich information to the research community, the academic community, about how to safeguard their research. We use that in complement with seminars that we send out to universities in order to meet with students and researchers.

Information & Ethics committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. Honourable members, thank you for the invitation to join you today. In addition to my counterparts from other departments, I'm joined by my colleague Derek Melchin, the director of ATIP and executive services here at Public Safety Canada. Public Safety Canada plays a key role by ensuring coordination across all departments and agencies responsible for national security and the safety of Canadians.

Public Safety committee  I believe our minister announced that we've entered into negotiations in relation to the CLOUD Act agreement. It would be a lengthy process. Two of our international partners, Australia and the U.K., have also commenced negotiations that are nearing completion with the U.S. A CLOUD Act arrangement would put in place some mechanism that is as robust in its adherence to rule of law and civil liberties protections as the current mutual legal assistance arrangements.

Public Safety committee  It is a very important mechanism.

Public Safety committee  I hate to disappoint. It is not. I don't think I can state that clearly. What my colleagues in the intelligence world could explain more cogently is that there are a significant number of individuals who are adhering to diverse sets of voices out in the world. They're galvanizing their discourse.

Public Safety committee  In relation to the protection of parliamentarians, I would like to turn the floor over to the RCMP, because there is significant work happening in that space, so perhaps we'll start there.

Public Safety committee  I will begin, but I think the question is better placed with Cherie Henderson from the service on the data and what we understand about the threat. Certainly we don't see the terrorism threat as indistinct from other broader societal issues that are going on. We have been looking to Heritage Canada and the work they have been doing in the online hate space and in the anti-racism space.

Public Safety committee  I would begin with the significant effort we're placing on the prevention end of the spectrum, including work within our own Canada centre. I might ask that our expert, Robert Burley, speak to the amount of work that's going on in the IMVE space. Between terrorism listings, the items that Mike Duheme already referenced, the no-fly list, and the SATA list, there are a number of tools we can lever to begin to minimize the threat to Canadians, and also to work concertedly on the prevention end of the spectrum.

Public Safety committee  My colleagues at both ITAC and within the RCMP and from CSIS would be better able to paint a picture of the types of actors we're speaking of, but I think what is most important to understand about IMVE is that it is a homegrown phenomenon. It's not a phenomenon unique to Canada by any stretch; it is transnational in nature.

Public Safety committee  We are not the police of jurisdiction for investigations into IMVE. I might defer that question to my colleagues on the policing side.