Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to both our witnesses today.
Staff Sergeant Townsend, you touched on relationships a little bit when Mr. Scarpaleggia was doing some questioning. Trust, obviously, is a really important factor between handlers and informants. That must start even before the witness protection program engages, and then there is a relationship that needs to extend throughout the life of the program.
We heard from Assistant Commissioner Shean that RCMP witness protection officers are now the beneficiaries of the most progressive and comprehensive witness protection training in Canada. Obviously, training is a big part of being able to develop that trust, as a handler is able to at least articulate to their informants and the people they are working with that, yes, they are prepared and well trained for this.
How would you describe the RCMP's training and the program as it compares to that of other forces you know of, and maybe on an international level too?