Public Safety Committee on June 3rd, 2019

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

I also want to be very clear. The mandate I was given by the government was to examine every measure that could keep people safe with a very important specific caveat and that was an acknowledgement and a recognition that the overwhelming majority of firearm owners in this country are law abiding and responsible in their ownership. They acquire their firearms legally. They store them securely. They use them responsibly and they dispose of them according to the law.

Firearm ownership in this country is a privilege that is predicated on people's willingness and acceptance of our laws and regulations as they pertain to firearms. In my experience the overwhelming majority of Canadians are exceptionally responsible and law abiding with respect to their firearms, and I think it's really critically important that we always respect that. They are not dangerous people, and particularly hunters and farmers and sport shooters are very careful with their weapons.

At the same time, we have a responsibility to make sure that those weapons don't end up in the hands of people who would commit violent crimes with them. In my experience and from my discussions across the country, I believe those responsible gun owners are equally concerned with public safety and ensuring that their firearms don't end up in the hands of criminals.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

I appreciate that.

Do I still have time, Chair?

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

You have a full five minutes, Mr. Graham, in part due to the efficiency of—

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

I thought you wanted 10 minutes left at the end.

I appreciate your responses.

I wanted to ask Mr. Tousignant—I believe you're from CSC—a very quick question before I come back to Mr. Blair.

I would have asked this at the previous panel, but I didn't have a chance. In my riding there is the La Macaza Institution, which has 28 Bomarc missile silos. I would like to know if CSC can help us prevent those from being torn down.

[Alain Tousignant, Senior Deputy Commissioner, Correctional Service of Canada]

I'd have to get back to you on that.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

They're on La Macaza Institution land. That's why I ask you.

[Alain Tousignant]

Yes.

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

I don't have an answer for that either.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

I just want it on the record because it is part of our heritage. I don't want to lose that heritage. It is used as storage units and it has asbestos and they want to take it out. They want to remove these silos. I don't want that to happen.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

So we want to save—

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Save the Bomarc silos. Save the missile silos.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

—the missile silos. Okay.

That's different.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Blair, I don't know if it's you or Health or both, but I'd like to dive into the marijuana laws a bit.

As you know, it's a large rural riding. There are a lot of medical marijuana operations being set up. A lot of towns are complaining to me that they're not finding out about them. I would like to know what responsibility a licence requester has to notify the police, fire and municipalities. Could you help me with that?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Those are regulations that are outside of the Cannabis Act, where someone gets an authorization for growing cannabis, but they still have to adhere to, first of all, Health Canada's regulations with respect to those facilities, and they are also subject to municipal bylaws and zoning regulations, where they exist. I say that because not every place has such bylaws.

We've had a number of these incidents where there have been issues with respect to smell, light pollution, noise and other things that are problematic. In those circumstances, Health Canada has a role, and there are regulations that apply specifically to those authorized growers of medical marijuana, which are not the licensed producers under the Cannabis Act. There is also a significant role for local regulatory authorities, particularly bylaw enforcement, to address those things.

I would encourage you, if you have such facilities in your riding that are problematic for your community, to reach out to us and we'll make sure that Health Canada, to the extent it is able, assists with their regulations. In many circumstances we're able to work with the local municipal authority or regional authority in order to address those concerns.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

With that, I'm going to bring questioning to a close.

[Jim Eglinski, Conservative, Yellowhead, AB]

Wait. I had a really nice question.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

It would be the first time in a long time that you've had a nice question.

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

I'd love to answer your nice question.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

You can ask your nice question offline. We do have to pass the estimates, which is the purpose for which we're here.

On behalf of the committee I want to thank you, Minister Blair, and all your officials for being here while we go through these estimates.

With that, I'm going to suggest, and it's up to the colleagues whether we want to do roughly 30 votes all at once, presumably all with one vote on division. Is that a preferable way to proceed, or do you want to divide up the votes?

We're agreed that it will all be done at one.

CANADA BORDER SERVICES AGENCY

Vote 1—Operating expenditures..........$1,550,213,856

Vote 5—Capital expenditures..........$124,728,621

Vote 10—Addressing the Challenges of African Swine Fever..........$5,558,788

Vote 15—Enhancing Accountability and Oversight of the Canada Border Services Agency..........$500,000

Vote 20—Enhancing the Integrity of Canada's Borders and Asylum System..........$106,290,000

Vote 25—Helping Travellers Visit Canada..........$12,935,000

Vote 30—Modernizing Canada's Border Operations..........$135,000,000

Vote 35—Protecting People from Unscrupulous Immigration Consultants..........$1,550,000

(Votes 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 agreed to on division)

CANADIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE SERVICE

Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$535,592,804

Vote 5—Enhancing the Integrity of Canada's Borders and Asylum System..........$2,020,000

Vote 10—Helping Travellers Visit Canada..........$890,000

Vote 15—Protecting Canada’s National Security..........$3,236,746

Vote 20—Protecting the Rights and Freedoms of Canadians..........$9,200,000

Vote 25—Renewing Canada's Middle East Strategy..........$8,300,000

(Votes 1, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 agreed to on division)

CIVILIAN REVIEW AND COMPLAINTS COMMISSION FOR THE ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE

Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$9,700,400

Vote 5—Enhancing Accountability and Oversight of the Canada Border Services Agency..........$420,000

(Votes 1 and 5 agreed to on division)

CORRECTIONAL SERVICE OF CANADA

Vote 1—Operating expenditures, grants and contributions..........$2,062,950,977

Vote 5—Capital expenditures..........$187,808,684

Vote 10—Support for the Correctional Service of Canada..........$95,005,372

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

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

Vote 1—Operating expenditures..........$130,135,974

Vote 5—Grants and contributions..........$597,655,353

Vote 10—Ensuring Better Disaster Management Preparation and Response..........$158,465,000

Vote 15—Protecting Canada's Critical Infrastructure from Cyber Threats..........$1,773,000

Vote 20—Protecting Canada’s National Security..........$1,993,464

Vote 25—Protecting Children from Sexual Exploitation Online..........$4,443,100

Vote 30—Protecting Community Gathering Places from Hate Motivated Crimes..........$2,000,000

Vote 35—Strengthening Canada's Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing Regime..........$3,282,450

(Votes 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 agreed to on division)

OFFICE OF THE CORRECTIONAL INVESTIGATOR OF CANADA

Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$4,735,703

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

PAROLE BOARD OF CANADA

Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$41,777,398

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE

Vote 1—Operating expenditures..........$2,436,011,187

Vote 5—Capital expenditures..........$248,693,417

Vote 10—Grants and contributions..........$286,473,483

Vote 15—Delivering Better Service for Air Travellers..........$3,300,000

Vote 20—Enhancing the Integrity of Canada's Borders and Asylum System..........$18,440,000

Vote 25—Protecting Canada’s National Security..........$992,280

Vote 30—Strengthening Canada's Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing Regime..........$4,100,000

Vote 35—Support for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police..........$96,192,357

(Votes 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 agreed to on division)

ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE EXTERNAL REVIEW COMMITTEE

Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$3,076,946

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

SECRETARIAT OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE OF PARLIAMENTARIANS

Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$3,271,323

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

SECURITY INTELLIGENCE REVIEW COMMITTEE

Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$4,629,028

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

Shall the chair report the votes on the 2019-20 main estimates, less the amounts voted in interim estimates, to the House?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

The meeting is adjourned.