Evidence of meeting #33 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 40th Parliament, 3rd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was costs.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Bloc
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
Yes, we would like to continue the questioning. We still have a lot of questions. I had some questions for the Ontario Provincial Police that I was not able to ask.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
First of all, I would ask the witnesses to remain for the moment.
The request on the part of the Bloc is to extend the period of time for questioning. That is largely in the hands of the committee. Please don't ask your chair.
We also have another committee coming in here at 11 o'clock, and usually they ask for fifteen minutes to do the cleanup.
So...? We'll just debate out the time, then.
Mr. Warkentin.
Conservative
Chris Warkentin Conservative Peace River, AB
I know they need time to get the room ready. We also have to get to other meetings and different things. If there is a single question that someone would like to ask, I think there would be concurrence on this side to see that question asked. I wouldn't support going all the way to 11 o'clock. I think it's just a logistical impossibility for many around the table as well as the people coming in here.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
Is there any other comment?
Then I'll ask the question: do you wish to extend the time to 11 o'clock?
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
All right, five minutes.
Are you prepared to do one question? Okay. We'll have one question pour combien de minutes? Five minutes, two minutes...?
Bloc
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
Can I have five minutes, ten minutes? I still have questions.
If you give me five minutes, I will use the time to ask questions.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
Are you content with that? The Bloc gets an extra question for five minutes?
Conservative
Chris Warkentin Conservative Peace River, AB
Yes, let's go with it. We're going to talk it out for five minutes otherwise.
Liberal
Bloc
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
Okay. I apologize to the witnesses. You can book overtime.
You have five minutes, starting now.
Bloc
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
Great. Thank you very much.
I have two main questions. First of all, the unit cost for the RCMP in Huntsville was four times more than it was for the previous summit in Kananaskis. It turned out that the RCMP's unit cost was significantly higher than the Canadian Forces'.
Why were the Canadian Forces members not used more? They were used, but not very much. Why is that? They have all the equipment necessary; they are very well equipped in terms of communications and telecommunications. Please explain that, if you would.
C/Supt Alphonse MacNeil
It's very difficult for me to answer on behalf of the Canadian Forces. I really can't do that. What I can say is that the Canadian Forces brings a very unique capability to all of these events. They cannot replace police officers in domestic situations. It's not the role of the Canadian Forces to be dealing with the public in that environment we're talking about.
I'd have to leave it at that because I can't go into detail on it. But it really is not a role for the Canadian Forces to replace a police officer in a policing function within Canada.
Bloc
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
My next question is for the CSIS officials.
You assessed the threat level to be medium. In your opinion, did that justify the arrest and confinement of 105 people, 90 of whom were Quebeckers?
Now that all the charges against those people have been dropped, what is your take on how the situation was handled, and do you feel that the threat was accurately assessed?
Assistant Director Intelligence, Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS)
Mr. Chair, in answer to the question, I would say that I am very satisfied with how the threat was assessed with regard to distinct groups. The commanding officers on the ground made decisions based on what has happening at the time; those decisions were based partly on our information, but also on information pulled from a much larger network.
Bloc
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
So you are saying that it was the Ontario Provincial Police that decided, further to the assessed threat level, to put those people in jail.
Assistant Director Intelligence, Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS)
No, madam. I am saying that police tactics were the decisions of commanding officers in each sector, Huntsville and Toronto. Our information was simply to help guide them in their decision making.
Bloc
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
Mr. Charlebois, what is your take on this?
I would remind you that 90 Quebeckers were arrested, although the charges were dropped. They did not really pose a threat.
What is your opinion on that?