Evidence of meeting #77 for Public Safety and National Security in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was million.
A video is available from Parliament.
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
Vic Toews Conservative Provencher, MB
Oh, all right. I just thought it was a fascinating story that Mr. Leef could share with everyone.
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
Ryan Leef Conservative Yukon, YT
Maybe we'll be able to do that after.
I could have ended up being a member of the Edmonton Police Service, because they were offering us jobs in light of those closures, but fortunately I did get my turn with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, so that was great.
Minister, you talked about funding for first nations policing in the announcement last week. What exactly does this funding represent? Maybe you can let us know how that's going to enhance the law enforcement capabilities within the first nations communities in our country.
9:15 a.m.
Conservative
Vic Toews Conservative Provencher, MB
I want to thank cabinet for approving that funding for the first time, if ever, or in a long time, because we're getting stable five-year funding. That is so important. What was happening for so many years was you get one-year funding, and then the various first nations police organizations would always be worried that at the end of that one year, they were going to have to put out the layoff notices, because they have to give these notices 60 days or so in advance.
What we were able to do is give five-year stable funding, which has incremental amounts. You have your base funding of approximately $105 million for the entire program, and then approximately, I think, the top-up is about $14 million or $15 million, and then it's a 1.5% increase in every year. So that is consistent with what other police forces, the RCMP, for example, are receiving. I think generally speaking there has been a very positive reaction to primarily that long-term, five-year funding. There are issues that we need to continue to work out with the first nations policing program, but I'm very pleased that we were able to stabilize the program in this way.
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
Ryan Leef Conservative Yukon, YT
The opposition has continued to say—and we've heard it here a number of times in committee—that we're slashing front-line policing services, and there are all kinds of cuts, but I've noticed in the main estimates that they're actually $204 million higher than last year for the RCMP. That doesn't seem like a cut, so can you maybe elaborate on that increase for us?
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
Vic Toews Conservative Provencher, MB
As the RCMP commissioner has indicated, our focus has been preserving front-line services and finding efficiencies in the administration. That's really what the goal of our deficit reduction exercise has been. I think the agencies that I'm responsible for have done an excellent job in preserving those front-line services, and then finding the efficiencies on the administrative side.
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kevin Sorenson
Thank you very much, Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Leef.
We'll move to Mr. Scarpaleggia, please, for seven minutes.
March 21st, 2013 / 9:20 a.m.
Liberal
Francis Scarpaleggia Liberal Lac-Saint-Louis, QC
Thank you.
Before I get to my main questions, I guess some of those efficiencies are achieved through double-bunking, I would think?
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
Vic Toews Conservative Provencher, MB
I would think that we have somewhere between 15% and 20% double occupancy, which is a standard practice in many western civilizations, and which a recent report indicated doesn't contribute to violence.
9:20 a.m.
Liberal
Francis Scarpaleggia Liberal Lac-Saint-Louis, QC
It still has been increasing, so my point is that some of the efficiencies that have been gained have been gained through double-bunking, which seems a pretty clear fact.
9:20 a.m.
Liberal
Francis Scarpaleggia Liberal Lac-Saint-Louis, QC
I think you will find that it probably doesn't mesh with international standards or protocols that the government has signed.
But I want to go to my main interest, which is cybersecurity. The Auditor General, if I recall correctly, Minister, mentioned that your government doesn't really have a handle on how much we're spending on cybersecurity. There are all kinds of envelopes all over the place. In the fall he said, “Look, we just don't know”. Have you been able to improve your accounting? Have you been able to compile some figures so that Canadians know, compared to other countries, for example, how much we're spending on cybersecurity, whether it be in your department or the RCMP or in some other department in the government? Do we have a number right now on how much we're spending annually on cybersecurity?
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
Vic Toews Conservative Provencher, MB
Well, I can answer to some extent. Of course, we've had a significant investment increase, about $245 million, and we have entered into various agreements internationally.
But my deputy has some more specific information that he can provide on this.
9:20 a.m.
Liberal
Francis Scarpaleggia Liberal Lac-Saint-Louis, QC
I'm just looking for one round number. I don't want to belabour the point.
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
9:20 a.m.
Liberal
Francis Scarpaleggia Liberal Lac-Saint-Louis, QC
But why not? I mean, you share this information. You sit in cabinet, you share information with your colleagues. Why can't we get a round number from the minister?
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
Vic Toews Conservative Provencher, MB
That's why you have estimates for every department. You can bring every department here and ask that.
9:20 a.m.
Liberal
Francis Scarpaleggia Liberal Lac-Saint-Louis, QC
But you're in charge of cybersecurity, and you can't tell me how much the government is spending every year on cybersecurity. That's not accountability, Minister.
9:20 a.m.
Conservative
9:20 a.m.
Liberal