Thank you very much.
I'm going to ask a very pointed question, and please forgive me if this comes off as terse.
In 2018, there was an Auditor General's report on the physical security of Canadian missions abroad. The AG report concluded that overall Global Affairs Canada had not taken all measures needed to keep pace with the evolving security threats at its missions abroad. The department had identified security deficiencies that needed immediate attention at many of its missions. Many of these deficiencies were significant, and several had been identified years ago, yet not all of the recommended measures to address these security deficiencies were in place. These measures included improved video surveillance, alarms, and the installation of vehicle barriers at entrances.
The report found that most of the department's capital projects to upgrade security were at least three years behind schedule, usually because of the weakness in the department's project management and oversight. The physical security measures at any mission did not always match the levels of threat it was under. For example, one mission in a high-threat environment had no X-ray machine for visitor screening.
Two years ago, the AG reported that Global Affairs was already at least three years behind schedule. Now we're at the five-year mark and counting, and we still don't have a contract to purchase this necessary equipment. This lack of adequate or appropriate security equipment means that the safety of Canadian diplomats abroad, and of the local country staff, is still at risk.
How can you justify these delays? What do you have to say to the diplomats and their families who still don't have the equipment they need?