Public Safety Committee on Feb. 27th, 2020

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Thank you, Commissioner.

It seems that when we get one blockade cleared, there are others popping up all over the place. It just seems like we're doing whack-a-mole. I think Canadians are totally frustrated. They've had it. Canadians want some definite action.

It seems that this isn't happening with RCMP. I would like to know if this is a decision that is being made totally independently of the Minister of Public Safety or if this is strictly a decision of the RCMP.

I would also like to know how this is impacting police morale.

[Commr Brenda Lucki]

In our jurisdictions, we have been enforcing all of our injunctions in all of the blockades. I cannot speak specifically to other places of jurisdiction. Currently we have no blockades up in our RCMP jurisdictions. This is having a huge effect not only on the economy and on Canadians; it is having an effect on reconciliation, most definitely.

As for our officers, they know what kind of job they're asked to do. With the right support and the right equipment, they do that job, so the morale is good.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Thank you, Commissioner.

I'll turn to the SNC-Lavalin situation. Is the investigation continuing into the potential political interference of the Prime Minister and members of his team and cabinet in the SNC-Lavalin prosecution? Or has that been suspended since you've been unable to access information due to cabinet confidentiality?

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Let me say that we are straying into the realm of political questions. The minister was here to answer political questions. The officials are here to answer questions pertaining to the estimates.

I'm losing my sense of humour. If you could ask questions pertaining to the estimates, particularly on how we're going to reconcile the votes with the expenditures table, that would be useful. Asking officials to answer quasi-political questions is not appropriate.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Mr. Chair, I don't necessarily agree that it is a political question. I believe this falls fully under the jurisdiction of the RCMP.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

The chair does consider it a political question. You're more than welcome to continue with your questions, but I'm asking for relevance.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

If you can let us know, is the investigation continuing at this point?

[Commr Brenda Lucki]

As police agencies, we never speak about whether or not we are investigating something. It's only after it comes into the public realm of charges that we are able to disclose that information. We never disclose whether or not we are in the midst of an investigation.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Thank you, Commissioner.

My last question has to do with border security and the coronavirus, which is spreading throughout the world. What are the specific measures that have been taken in the past few weeks since the coronavirus outbreak to protect the border agents of Canada who may be exposed to the disease?

[John Ossowski]

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm happy to answer that question.

Officers are trained to screen for all types of diseases all the time, whether that is measles or coronavirus. Anybody who is feeling ill when presenting at a port of entry is dealt with appropriately.

With respect to the coronavirus, we've been taking advice from the Public Health Agency of Canada on how to manage the situation. So far, that is being done very well.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

What specific measures are being taken to also protect travellers at the border and airports in case of a pandemic? Well, it's not “in case of”—it's actually happening. Even in Italy and other places, there are cities that are being quarantined.

[John Ossowski]

There are many different measures.

Once again, based on the scientific advice from the Public Health Agency of Canada, we have an enhanced screening question on the machines when you come into the country. Depending on your answer in terms of where your travel has been—whether you are coming from China, particularly Wuhan or Hubei—there would be a subsequent interaction with us.

Advice is given. You're presented to a PHAC officer for an assessment. You're given a mask and a kit to make sure that if you do develop symptoms afterwards you will know what to do to make sure you're isolating yourself properly and protecting against further infection. It's a very robust process that we've put in place.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Do we have all the necessary equipment—the masks, the temperature gauges, everything—at the necessary border crossings?

[John Ossowski]

Yes, absolutely.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Okay.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Thank you, Mr. Dalton.

Mr. Iacono, you have six minutes.

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Ossowski, supplementary estimates (B), 2019-20 provides a transfer of some $2.1 million from the Department of Citizenship and Immigration to the Canada Border Services Agency, the CBSA, for the Air Carrier Support Centre, which plays an important intermediary role between commercial airlines and the CBSA when it comes to passenger information.

Can you explain what this transfer of funding will be used for? Do you have an example of the mission the centre might undertake thanks to this funding?

[John Ossowski]

Thank you for the question.

The $2.1 million is a transfer from the Department of Citizenship and Immigration to share the cost for the air carrier support centre. This centre is staffed by border service officers who take calls from airlines when there's a question with respect to an electronic travel authorization or some other documentation or identity issue. We resolve that over the phone with the airline to make sure either that the passenger can continue, or that further work is being done to resolve the matter.

This is a shared-cost operation that we have, which was put in place when the electronic travel authorization program was started.

Was it three years ago?

[Deputy Commissioner Brian Brennan, Deputy Commissioner, Contract and Indigenous Policing, Royal Canadian Mounted Police]

Yes.

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

My question is for the commissioner. The minister answered it earlier, but could you add a few words to what he said about how this transfer will be used to combat drug-impaired driving?

[Commr Brenda Lucki]

Yes. Thank you for the question.

Much of the money that we received was not only to train RCMP members, but to train the trainers.

We also provide support for all police agencies. It's a very specific type of training for drug recognition experts. To have that training, we try to train more officers so that they would be able to detect drugs. A lot of the money was spent on that. Then we got into drug instruments that can detect a yes or a no. Money was spent on that as well.

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Thank you.

I will give the remainder of my time to Ms. Khera.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Ms. Khera.

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Brampton West, ON]

Thank you.

I want to go back to my earlier question on cybersecurity and cybercrime.

We know that cybercrime grew by more than 100% between 2014 to 2018, according to StatsCan. Can you elaborate a bit on what our government is doing or what investments we're making to fight cybercrime and keep Canadians safe?

[Commr Brenda Lucki]

Absolutely, thank you for that question.

As part of the strategy, there is approximately $201 million over five years and $43 million per year ongoing to bolster our ability to fight cybercrime. This includes the support of the creation of the RCMP national cybercrime coordination centre, which we refer to as NC3.

The mandate of NC3 is to coordinate Canadian cybercrime investigations and collaborate with international partners. It's also to provide digital investigative advice and guidance to Canadian police across the entire country, produce actionable cybercrime intelligence for Canadian police and establish a national public mechanism for Canadians and businesses to report cybercrime to police.

We established two additional cybercrime investigative teams, in Milton and in Montreal. In addition, there has been additional funding of $78.98 million over five years for the enforcement of cybercrime from the RCMP.