Thank you.
My name is Pierre Meunier, and I am the portfolio manager for surveillance, intelligence and interdiction at the Defence Research and Development Canada Centre for Security Science. This portfolio includes leading a community of practice on biometrics for national security.
I would like to provide you with an overview of who we are, what we do, and our relationship with federal government partners and the broader public safety and national security community. I will then provide you with a brief outline of some of the work we've invested in surrounding biometrics and what expertise we can contribute to support the exploration of biometrics technology in Canada.
The Centre for Security Science was established through a memorandum of understanding between the Department of National Defence and Public Safety Canada and is managed by the Defence Research and Development Canada special operating agency under the Department of National Defence.
The centre's mission is to pull requirements and priorities from the policy and operational communities and task the science and technology community and government, industry, and academia to develop solutions and provide advice that addresses these priorities.
The centre's staff includes scientists and engineers with a wide range of relevant experience who also possess expertise in areas such as capability-based planning, risk assessment, operational research, knowledge management, project management, community-building, and the application of scientific methodologies. They are therefore well positioned to provide trusted advice.
Over the years the Centre for Security Science has built a network of experts it can draw upon to serve the needs of the federal government and the broader public safety and security communities.
Through hundreds of projects and activities the centre and its partners have improved Canada's capabilities, ensuring that responders, planners, and policy- and decision-makers have access to the scientific and technical knowledge, tools, processes, and advice they need to protect Canada's interests.
As mentioned, one of my roles as the portfolio manager for surveillance, intelligence, and interdiction is to lead the Biometrics for National Security Community of Practice. It's important to note that as a portfolio manager, my role is to oversee projects and activities that foster collaborative efforts among experts. I'm not a leading-edge technical expert in any individual biometrics technology per se. However, my engineering and scientific background, combined with my interactions with national and international partners, has allowed me to gain an appreciation of how all the pieces of biometrics security fit together.
The Biometrics for the National Security Community of Practice brings together key stakeholders from federal departments and agencies responsible for national security, law enforcement, and immigration to discuss and study technical issues surrounding the use of biometrics technology in Canada, as well as to identify and address capability gaps.
To date this community has undertaken a number of biometrics studies looking at the performance of various technologies in different operational settings and examining privacy protective measures. In addition to these studies, experts have come together on a number of occasions to discuss issues and to raise awareness of what different departments are doing in this area and to share best practices. These discussions provide valuable knowledge and guidance for future investments to support the further development of this capability.
DRDC also has experts in systems engineering, including skills and knowledge in areas such as design testing, data management, and pattern recognition, all of which can be applied to understanding biometrics systems. Bringing this type of technical expertise to the table is what the Centre for Security Science can offer to support departments and agencies responsible for national security, law enforcement, and immigration in making decisions surrounding the technical requirements and performance factors of biometrics.
Thank you.