Evidence of meeting #14 for Public Safety and National Security in the 40th Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was agencies.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
I won't speak for Mr. Zaccardelli.
Liberal
Rob Oliphant Liberal Don Valley West, ON
Lastly, I would just like to ask you how often you pray, where you pray, and where you go after you pray?
Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
It's none of your business, sir.
Liberal
Rob Oliphant Liberal Don Valley West, ON
Would that be none of the business of CSIS agents when they meet my constituents, who are Muslims?
Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
I'm not sure that those questions are currently asked—
Liberal
Rob Oliphant Liberal Don Valley West, ON
Those are questions that are regularly asked of my constituents by CSIS agents. I have many, many documented cases that this is a principal question they ask.
And I'm very glad it's on record that it is none of my business. I would hope that it is none of CSIS's business as well, because it could be the subject of oversight, if we have appropriate oversight.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
We'll have to wrap this up.
Thank you.
Mr. Rathgeber, you have two minutes.
Conservative
Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
Thank you.
In the two minutes that I have, I'm going to return to estimates, which is what I understood was the reason that we're here today.
Deputy Commissioner Sweeney, the Vancouver Olympics are less than 10 and a half months away, and we keep hearing stories of cost overruns with regard to security. I was wondering—and you may not have the exact numbers at your fingertips—if part of the reason why there have been exorbitant cost overruns with respect to the budgeted and projected budgets for security for the Vancouver Olympics is a result of the current out-of-control gang warfare that we see and hear about in the streets of Vancouver?
Senior Deputy Commissioner, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
No, I wouldn't attribute any of the costs of the Olympics to the crime issues that are currently being experienced in the Lower Mainland. These are just generally driven by economic conditions as a consequence of supply and demand. People are recognizing that as we get closer to the Olympics, construction is going to be more expensive, labour is going to be more expensive, and private security is going to be more expensive. Suppliers that are providing equipment to the security forces will obviously try to capitalize on that market. I think those economic drivers are primarily the issues that we're contending with.
Conservative
Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
I'm from western Canada, as you might know. As the western Canadian economy is catching up to the eastern Canadian economy, in terms of going into a downturn, is it projected or estimated that those costs might actually begin to reverse themselves slightly?
Senior Deputy Commissioner, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
I suppose there's always that possibility, but at this stage we're not relying upon that.
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
Thank you very much.
We want to thank our witnesses for coming before the committee today. We appreciate the testimony you have given to us. We wish you all the best.
This meeting stands adjourned.