You're quite right in talking about the amount that's being directed towards arming our border officers. Right now, the applications have gone out for those within the operation who want to become trainers themselves. We'll be using the RCMP to do the initial training. The RCMP will then train the trainers, and they will work through the system.
By the way, there were 324 people within the CBSA component who actually applied to become trainers, which was, I thought, a very healthy response. Obviously, there won't be 324 trainers--there will be a lot fewer than that--but they'll be able to pick from that group. Their estimation is that the first officers will be trained and ready to serve by July or August of this coming year. There will be up to 300 available and ready to be on site. Following that, there will be training at the rate of about 800 per year, and then if you allow for natural attrition to take place, it will probably net out to something between 625 and 650 per year after that.
There have been different speculations in terms of how long it will take to get everybody trained, and the process itself could be completed--about 4,800 officers--in about six years. But right now it's projected that the funding component, and this is an expensive thing to do, will be coming forward by so much per year for 10 years.
Looking at the experience in other jurisdictions.... When the United States started their training , if we look at how long it took them, we're about on the same timelines. So 300 by July or August, and those will be apportioned to the areas where the greatest need is, and then it will be at the rate of about 800 or so per year, and then you have to allow for some attrition.