Public Safety Committee on Feb. 27th, 2020

[Kristina Michaud, Bloc, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Hello, Minister. Thank you for being here today.

I see in your speech that $2 million was allocated to security for the Trans Mountain pipeline. How is that money being used precisely? Is it part of the total envelope spent on Trans Mountain?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

No, it was a direct response to a request made to us by the City of Burnaby. They anticipated that they may experience extraordinary costs as a result of the TMX terminating in their jurisdiction. They asked for help, and we agreed to provide the help they sought.

[Kristina Michaud, Bloc, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

The help for what?

There are security issues related to the location of the Trans Mountain expansion project right now.

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

The City of Burnaby specifically identified extraordinary costs that they anticipated they might incur as a result of the need to maintain public safety in their jurisdiction. It was directly related to their concerns with respect to the TMX pipeline terminating within their jurisdiction.

[Kristina Michaud, Bloc, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

Okay.

Current events bring us to the blockade happening right now. A lot of money is at stake and that money needs to be spent before March 31, so in the next few weeks. In the context of the current crisis, how do we proceed with the funding that is transferred to the RCMP?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

If we're still referring to the money allocated to the City of Burnaby, my understanding is that this money has already been expended.

[Kristina Michaud, Bloc, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

That's for Burnaby.

Has the funding that was transferred to the RCMP for the rail blockades stemming from the first nations crisis already been spent?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

There is no money in these estimates pertaining to policing activities directly related to what we are experiencing now. When I made reference to the money that went to Burnaby, that was for a specific issue, but the other things are being dealt with within the existing envelope. There are related matters because, for example, the RCMP is committed to maintaining adequate staffing levels and the money that's being invested at Depot, and that's tangentially related to the services that the RCMP is required to provide in their policing contracts, in federal policing and in all of their responsibilities across the world. There is some nexus there, but it's not direct.

[Kristina Michaud, Bloc, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

Okay.

In another area, how was all the funding allocated for implementing the Cannabis Act and access to cannabis for medical purposes spent? How was this done?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

I've actually made reference in my remarks. We've brought forward in legislation a new, expedited pardon process for people who had records for cannabis possession. The additional funding that I referenced earlier was for the Parole Board to administer that program, and that is taking place.

There are other investments that have been made, and I can provide you at another time with the amount of money that was dedicated through Health Canada. That was invested in such things as public education around impaired driving and public education directed at young people in order to reduce the incidence of use among young people.

By the way, the results of that have been quite positive. I would share with you, for example, that Statistics Canada just released data that indicates that prior to the legalization of cannabis, 19.4% of Canadians between the ages of 15 and 17 were using cannabis. Statistics Canada advises that this number is now down to just over 10%, which is nearly a 50% reduction in cannabis use among young people between the ages of 15 and 17. I believe that is directly related to the investment that has been made in public education to help young people know about the health implications of using cannabis at a young age, and it helped them make better decisions.

[Kristina Michaud, Bloc, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

The figures on the effects of these transfers have already been published by Statistics Canada. Do you have the figures for access to cannabis for medical purposes?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

That is entirely within the portfolio of Health Canada and more appropriately directed towards that ministry.

[Kristina Michaud, Bloc, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

You transfer funding to Health Canada, but after that we have no idea how this improves compliance with public safety laws. Is that it?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

What we have is funding transferred from the Department of Health to us that enables the RCMP to provide screening services for references and compliance with the regulations.

Under the legislation, the access to cannabis for medicinal purposes regulations, people make application for permits and authorizations for the growing of marijuana and for the dispensing of marijuana. One of the responsibilities of public safety portfolio partners, including the RCMP, is to conduct screening for security purposes as part of that process, so there was a transfer of funds for that.

Essentially, that is the role that Public Safety provides. It is a support to Health Canada and the important work they do in administering that system and maintaining its integrity.

[Kristina Michaud, Bloc, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

Basically, among the transfers from all the departments, how much came from Public Safety Canada during implementation of this legislation?

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

That's a fairly complicated question and an important one. Maybe the minister could undertake to get back to us, but we are beyond the six minutes.

Mr. Harris, you have six minutes, please.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you to the minister for coming this morning.

I don't notice any additional funds being requested for emergency preparedness, but I do want to ask you, as a follow-up to the disaster relief request from Newfoundland and Labrador after the blizzard, about one item that still remains outstanding. That is the idea of ensuring support for people who lost income for the period when they were legally unable to go to work or even walk on the streets.

All the businesses were closed. Particularly, vulnerable people—young people and those with hourly wages—have no access under the existing program for wage loss.

Could you advise the committee what efforts have been made to find support for that particular problem, which thousands of people have been affected by, particularly a lot of young people who have vulnerable jobs and need that money for essential items such as rent, food and upkeep?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Thank you for an important question. We did have the opportunity to communicate and work together on responding to the most recent snowstorm in St. John's, which was very impactful. I was very proud that the federal government was able to work with the provincial government in Newfoundland to provide support services as required, and we responded very quickly.

I am also aware that the Province of Newfoundland will be making an application. They gave notice that they intended to make an application under the DFAA program. That is usually administered as a result of requests through the province to us. We have not yet received that request, but when it comes, it will be processed.

There are things that the federal government, through the DFAA program, which is my area of responsibility, is able to address. There may be other matters where other considerations of other departments may be made, for example, with respect to EI payments—

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

May I cut you off?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Of course.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

You're telling me the things I already know. The things I want to know are about the specific issue of income loss. Have you been making any other efforts to find ways of solving that?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

We've had discussions with the Province of Newfoundland on their requirements, but they have not specifically identified that as a need for which they are requesting assistance. In any event, it would not be encompassed within—

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Specifically excluded—

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

It's not encompassed within the program that I'm responsible for administering.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

So, the answer is that there are no other efforts under way to solve that problem, I guess.