Public Safety Committee on March 24th, 2021

[Damien Kurek, Conservative, Battle River—Crowfoot, AB]

Please, if you could, that would be helpful.

With regard to CBSA, I asked the minister about a specific program to ensure that the frontline staff, literally the front line of our country, and certainly because of the origins of the pandemic....

The government has talked a lot about border security measures, and Conservatives called for some strong measures. Certainly there's a whole bunch of politics in that, but I found it troubling that the minister left it up to the provinces to deal with the vaccine situation for frontline staff. I'm wondering if the CBSA could comment on that, and if there's been any plan or any indication that vaccines will be administered on our border's front lines.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

We're way past Mr. Kurek's time, and in addition it's unlikely that a civil servant will comment on a minister's answer.

With that, we'll move on to the final four minutes. Mr. Iacono and Madam Khera are going to split those four minutes, apparently.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Ms. Kelly, as you know, penitentiaries and detention facilities have not been spared during the pandemic. In my riding of Alfred-Pellan, many cases were identified at the Federal Training Centre and, more recently, the immigration holding centre in Laval. I know you're keeping a very close eye on the problem.

Can you give us a quick update on where things stand in those facilities?

[John Ossowski]

I'm sorry. Was that question for me?

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

I thought it was for Madam Kelly.

[Anne Kelly]

Yes, the question was for me.

I can certainly give you an update, but I first want to say that staff are doing an extraordinary job as they cope with the pandemic.

As far as the institutions go, we have 13 active cases at the Drumheller Institution, one case at the Stony Mountain Institution, a medium-security facility, and one case at the Saskatchewan Penitentiary, also a medium-security facility, for a total of 15 active cases in the country right now. We have no active cases in Quebec.

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

You mentioned what a great job staff were doing. In tangible terms, can you tell us how the $135.8 million in announced funding will help them keep up the good work?

[Anne Kelly]

The $135.8 million will go towards various expenditures: personal protective equipment, cleaning equipment in the institutions, staff and inmate testing, overtime to cover staff who have contracted COVID-19—which has its challenges—and computer equipment for employees working from home.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Ms. Khera, you have the last minute and a half.

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Brampton West, ON]

Thank you. My question is for Commissioner Lucki.

Commissioner Lucki, in both the supplementary estimates and the mains, the RCMP sought funding for the establishment of the independent centre for harassment resolution, which will oversee the resolution process. Obviously this is seen as a response to the extremely troubling findings of the Bastarache report.

In your opinion, how will this independent centre bring about better outcomes, and what other measures have you taken to respond to the Bastarache recommendations?

[Commr Brenda Lucki]

Thank you for that question.

The independent centre for harassment resolution is there to, first of all, be compliant with Bill C-65, which came into play in January. It's also to provide a transparent and trusted system where people who want to bring harassment complaints can do so in a safe and non-retaliatory manner, as per Justice Bastarache's recommendations in that report.

It will be externalized. It will be outside of the chain of command as far as the investigators go, who will actually make the finding of harassment or not. That will be done externally, so it will increase the trust amongst our employees in that regard.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Okay. I think that brings it to a close.

On behalf of the committee, I want to thank the witnesses for their attendance and their service to our country in very difficult circumstances. It's probably not said enough how much we appreciate you, even though we may ask some very direct questions from time to time. You can rest assured that there will be more direct questions that will be asked from time to time.

With that, I will invite the witnesses to leave and ask colleagues to turn to the votes that are before us. I will seek the guidance of the clerk as to how to conduct these votes. We can do it on division or we will call them one by one. It's up to colleagues.

The first vote that's up before us are votes 1 and 5 under Canada Border Services Agency.

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

Chair, if I may indulge you or the clerk, if we are able to lump some of these together, our position will be on division. We will leave it to the clerk to determine which ones we can group together to have that happen.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

I'll take guidance as well from the clerk on that.

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

On a point of order, I would certainly agree with that.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Mr. Clerk, can all of these votes be done on division?

[The Clerk]

Yes, they can.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Okay.

May I then move that all of the votes for the Department of Public Safety, National Security and Intelligence Review Agency, Canada Border Services Agency, Canadian Security Intelligence Service, Civilian Review and Complaints Commission, Correctional Service of Canada, Office of Correctional Investigator, Parole Board, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, RCMP External Review Committee and Secretariat of the National Security and Intelligence be moved on division?

CANADA BORDER SERVICES AGENCY

Vote 1—Operating expenditures..........$1,752,432,513

Vote 5—Capital expenditures........$106,457,799

(Votes 1 and 5 agreed to on division)

CANADIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE SERVICE

Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$572,188,443

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

CIVILIAN REVIEW AND COMPLAINTS COMMISSION FOR THE ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE

Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$9,345,025

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

CORRECTIONAL SERVICE OF CANADA

Vote 1—Operating expenditures, grants and contributions..........$2,359,350,375

Vote 5—Capital expenditures..........$187,796,912

(Votes 1 and 5 agreed to on division)

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

Vote 1—Operating expenditures..........$181,272,861

Vote 5—Grants and contributions..........$858,170,860

(Votes 1 and 5 agreed to on division)

NATIONAL SECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE REVIEW AGENCY SECRETARIAT

Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$28,490,287

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

OFFICE OF THE CORRECTIONAL INVESTIGATOR OF CANADA

Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$4,879,527

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

PAROLE BOARD OF CANADA

Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$49,323,723

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE

Vote 1—Operating expenditures..........$2,642,741,385

Vote 5—Capital expenditures..........$251,946,081

Vote 10—Grants and contributions..........$194,973,483

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

ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE EXTERNAL REVIEW COMMITTEE

Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$5,800,710

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

SECRETARIAT OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE OF PARLIAMENTARIANS

Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$3,409,991

(Vote 1 agreed to on division)

Shall I report the main estimates to the House?

[An hon. member]

Yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Okay. Thank you.

It's always a good day if you survive a non-confidence and an impeachment vote.

Thank you, Glen, for that.

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

Any time, John. It's a belated birthday present.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Thank you, folks. For the next two weeks, whatever it is you do, be safe.

Have a good Easter, everyone.