Evidence of meeting #20 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 division.
A video is available from Parliament.
12:25 p.m.
President, Canada Border Services Agency
We can certainly provide that for you.
12:25 p.m.
Liberal
Ralph Goodale Liberal Regina—Wascana, SK
Mr. Miller, I'd like to point out that we've tried to keep this as simple and efficient as possible. Rather than establishing a whole new apparatus for collecting exit information, we simply have this exchange at the border. When you enter the United States, they scan your passport and that's all the information we need. That passport information is then transmitted back to Canada. That's it. That's the transaction. The entry is the flip side of the coin for the exit. This way, you don't have to go through a whole new process of information collection.
12:25 p.m.
Conservative
Larry Miller Conservative Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON
Okay, I have it. Thank you. I'm going to run out of time.
Regarding refugees and the extra security, getting them here, and what have you, I have two or three questions. One is about the cost of hotels, and probably the security related to that, and the cost of getting them there.
Also, I have a training centre in Meaford, in my riding. A lot of our military bases were ordered by someone in the government to build facilities that cost them millions of dollars, which then basically were not used. Who picks up that cost? Does that come out of the military budget or your budget?
12:25 p.m.
Liberal
Ralph Goodale Liberal Regina—Wascana, SK
There was an allotment provided by the government for the incremental cost of conducting the refugee project. I'm happy to say that to the best of my knowledge, we came in well within the budget allocation. I did not take anything away from the other activities of any of the departments.
12:25 p.m.
Conservative
Larry Miller Conservative Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON
Okay. Can I be assured that there was no extra cost out of the military's budget? Is that true?
12:25 p.m.
Liberal
12:25 p.m.
Conservative
Larry Miller Conservative Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON
Is it yes or no, Ms. MacPherson? Can you answer?
12:25 p.m.
President, Canada Border Services Agency
Minister, if I may, the Government of Canada committed $678 million over six years starting in 2015-16. That was to re-settle the 25,000 Syrian—
12:25 p.m.
Conservative
Larry Miller Conservative Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON
Did any of it come out of the military's budget?
12:25 p.m.
President, Canada Border Services Agency
To my knowledge, this was new funding that the government put in place for all departments. For example, in the case of CBSA we received $23.9 million over six years. That was for the 25,000. Then there was additional funding also put in place for all of us for the additional 10,000—
12:25 p.m.
Conservative
Larry Miller Conservative Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON
I don't want to run out of time, but I'd like information, Mr. Chairman, if they can get it to me, that basically shows that the military or any other department didn't pay for this. I'd like to have those figures.
I'd like to move—
12:25 p.m.
Liberal
Ralph Goodale Liberal Regina—Wascana, SK
Mr. Miller, there will be a full accounting of the entire cost of the refugee project involving the various departments that were engaged in that so that Canadians can know the complete financial story.
12:25 p.m.
Conservative
Larry Miller Conservative Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON
Sure.
The reason I'm pursuing this is that the military has already been gutted enough in the last six months. I just want to make sure they're not cut any more.
I'd like to move into—
12:25 p.m.
Liberal
12:25 p.m.
Conservative
Larry Miller Conservative Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON
Yes.
Pre-clearance is a good thing, and I'm glad to see you carrying on what the previous government started on this.
Do you have any kind of overall cost estimate for pre-clearance of Canadians? I know it's an investment. Does anybody have that figure?
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
Ralph Goodale Liberal Regina—Wascana, SK
Actually, it's a net gain for the country in terms of the cost compared to the millions of dollars of economic benefit that flow from this.
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
Ralph Goodale Liberal Regina—Wascana, SK
It's more of a gain than a loss.
In terms of the new structures that will be put in place, they're essentially on a cost-recovery basis, so they're not incremental to the government.
12:30 p.m.
Conservative
Larry Miller Conservative Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON
One other very important thing that Ms. Damoff touched on relates to the PTSD study that we're doing right now. It's very complex and widespread. It's not just for first responders.
My fear, Mr. Minister, and it would be the same for any government, is that it's so complicated, complex, and widespread, that in the end nothing gets done or started because nobody knows where to start.
I'd like to hear your comments on where you think we need to go with it. I think everybody on this committee, no doubt, is in agreement that we need to deal with the issue, but if we make it too broad, nothing may get done.
Maybe you could comment on this.
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Rob Oliphant
We'll get back there.
You have about seven and a half minutes, Mr. Dubé, just to make sure I'm balancing the three parties. I'm sorry about that.
June 2nd, 2016 / 12:30 p.m.
NDP
Matthew Dubé NDP Beloeil—Chambly, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair. This is clearly committee proportionality day.
Mr. Minister, thank you for joining us today.
You will not be surprised to learn that I am going to be talking about the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, CSIS, about Bill C-51, and about everything that will occur as a result. However, I would like to speak more particularly about the fact that, starting next spring, funding for the Security Intelligence Review Committee is going to be reduced by an average of $2.5 million per year, meaning 11 analyst positions.
If I may, I'd like to quote the spokesperson from SIRC on the subject of these cuts, who said, “Our ability to maintain a certain level of coverage and our ability to review CSIS activities broadly and as effectively as possible will obviously be hampered. We haven’t really been given any explanation.”
How do you respond to that, given that Bill C-51 is on the books and the powers being used by CSIS and SIRC are more important than ever?
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
Ralph Goodale Liberal Regina—Wascana, SK
We are beginning now, Mr. Dubé, probably the largest and most extensive review of Canada's national security architecture the country has ever undertaken. One new piece that we will be adding, as you know, is a committee of parliamentarians to provide a new level of review and scrutiny that has not previously been there—