Evidence of meeting #150 for Public Safety and National Security in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was safe.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Gilles Michaud  Deputy Commissioner, Federal Policing, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Ruby Sahota  Brampton North, Lib.
Malcolm Brown  Deputy Minister, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Jim Eglinski  Yellowhead, CPC
David Vigneault  Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
Jennifer Oades  Chairperson, Parole Board of Canada
Bill Blair  Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction
Tina Namiesniowski  Executive Vice-President, Canada Border Services Agency

February 25th, 2019 / 5:20 p.m.

Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction

Bill Blair

Yes, we know that in a number of different jurisdictions, other jurisdictions, the clarity of beneficial ownership can be very helpful to our financial institutions to maintain their integrity and for law enforcement conducting investigations.

We recognize there is work that can be done to improve that. There have been discussions already with our provincial and territorial partners, because they also have a role in that. The issue has been well identified. It's part of the discussion we've been having most recently with British Columbia, but all of the provinces and territories are involved in this discussion. It's a concern that is well understood and there are ongoing discussions on how best to deal with it.

5:20 p.m.

Liberal

Michel Picard Liberal Montarville, QC

One of my favourite units was the IMETs unit. Last year, there were a number of initiatives where we were talking about how to recruit new skilled persons, new talent, and do business differently. What is the evolution since last year with respect to how the IMETs unit is working on this financial crime business?

5:20 p.m.

Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction

Bill Blair

I'm aware of the acronym, but for everyone else, it's the integrated market enforcement teams, which were established by the RCMP. The complexity of financial crime does require a set of skills and sometimes things that are not necessarily taught at Depot or in other police academies and do require a higher level of skill.

Again, I'm reluctant.... I wouldn't presume to speak for our officials. I will tell you that it's very clear to me that they understand the need for a broad range of skills in these very complex investigations, and some of the successes they've achieved most recently in those investigations I think are evidence of that commitment.

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

Michel Picard Liberal Montarville, QC

With respect to the border, when it comes to the asylum seekers, we talk a lot about the number of persons getting in, but we have never established the comparison with how many get out. They don't all stay in Canada. Can you talk about the real impact, in fact, of those asylum seekers after a while? Not everyone stays in the country.

5:25 p.m.

Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction

Bill Blair

I can tell you that the important work.... It's primarily the responsibility of CBSA to conduct removals. Once a person has been determined not to be eligible and has exhausted the available appeals processes and due processes in our law, they are subject to removal. I believe that in 2017-18 the CBSA removed approximately 8,000 people, and they've set their own goal for themselves to increase that to 10,000. They've redeployed some resources to effect that.

What we have seen is that because of the length of the processes, our legal processes of determining eligibility, we're only now beginning to see people who have come into the country irregularly beginning in 2017 actually subject to removals, but there has also been a greater concentration on ensuring that we expedite the determinations for those who enter irregularly.

Again, there are a number of issues that we are addressing in order to facilitate the timely removal of those who are not eligible to stay, which includes working with countries to ensure that travel documents are issued in a timely way, for example. Again, CBSA has been working on the efficiencies with those removals and making real progress.

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

Michel Picard Liberal Montarville, QC

Thank you.

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal John McKay

Thank you.

That brings us to the close of our questioning. On behalf of the committee, I want to thank Minister Blair and his colleagues for their presentation.

As I indicated earlier to you, colleagues, I'm going to be calling the votes on the supplementary and interim estimates.

The first vote is on the supplementary estimates. I believe you have copies. It's a vote on Correctional Service of Canada, vote 1b; Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, vote 5b; and Royal Canadian Mounted Police, votes 1b, 5b, and 10b, as referred to the committee on January 28.

CORRECTIONAL SERVICE OF CANADA

Vote 1b—Operating expenditures, grants and contributions..........$6,556,326

(Vote 1b agreed to on division)

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

Vote 5b—Grants and contributions..........$1

(Vote 5b agreed to on division)

ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE

Vote 1b—Operating expenditures..........$10,174,531

Vote 5b—Capital expenditures..........$1,738,000

Vote 10b—Grants and contributions..........$9,900,000

(Votes 1b, 5b and 10b agreed to on division)

Shall the chair report that to the House?

5:25 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

5:25 p.m.

An hon. member

On division.

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal John McKay

On interim estimates, there are quite a number of other votes, all of which you have in front of you. If you wish, I can read them all, but I'm assuming that all of you can read. Shall the interim estimates pass?

CANADA BORDER SERVICES AGENCY

Vote 1—Operating expenditures..........$387,553,464

Vote 5—Capital expenditures..........$31,182,156

(Votes 1 and 5 agreed to on division)

CANADIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE SERVICE

Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$133,898,201

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

CIVILIAN REVIEW AND COMPLAINTS COMMISSION FOR THE ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE

Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$2,425,100

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

CORRECTIONAL SERVICE OF CANADA

Vote 1—Operating expenditures..........$515,737,745

Vote 5—Capital expenditures..........$46,952,171

(Votes 1 and 5 agreed to on division)

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

Vote 1—Operating expenditures..........$32,533,994

Vote 5—The grants listed in any of the estimates for the fiscal year..........$149,413,839

(Votes 1 and 5 agreed to on division)

OFFICE OF THE CORRECTIONAL INVESTIGATOR OF CANADA

Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$1,183,926

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

PAROLE BOARD OF CANADA

Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$10,444,350

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE

Vote 1—Operating expenditures..........$812,003,729

Vote 5—Capital expenditures..........$62,173,355

Vote 10—The grants listed in any of the estimates for the fiscal year..........$71,618,371

(Votes 1, 5 and 10 agreed to on division)

ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE EXTERNAL REVIEW COMMITTEE

Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$1,538,473

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

SECRETARIAT OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE OF PARLIAMENTARIANS

Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$817,831

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

SECURITY INTELLIGENCE REVIEW COMMITTEE

Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$1,157,257

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

Shall I report that vote to the House?

5:25 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

5:25 p.m.

An hon. member

On division.

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal John McKay

Thank you very much, colleagues.

With that, we are adjourned.