Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee.
After more than 30 years in the House of Commons and attending more committee meetings than I can count, both as a member and as a witness from time to time, it is interesting to be back in this environment once again. I hope that your important work on security screening produces useful recommendations.
With respect to the specific events that sparked this meeting, I am not in a position to have first-hand knowledge of the subject matter. As you know, ministers, and diplomatic officials, for that matter, do not engage directly in active agency operations. I recall the words of former minister Jason Kenney, who often pointed out that skilled, professional public servants completely independent from politics were always best placed to do the necessary work. Ministers should expect to be kept informed, especially about contentious matters, and they can provide guidance through ministerial directives. Otherwise, they do not intervene.
Within the constraints of a police investigation, court proceedings and a publication ban, I hope I can offer some context and perspective gained from on-the-job experience.
For four years, from November 2015 to November 2019, I had the opportunity to work closely with the RCMP, CSIS, CBSA and other relevant agencies to achieve two fundamental objectives: keep Canadians safe, and safeguard our rights and freedoms. That period produced a number of policy innovations, increased funding and new legislation supporting law enforcement, national security and intelligence, including new and clarified powers to combat threats and risks.
Now, for the past three and a half years, as the high commissioner in London, I’ve had the chance to see the international end of this work. I meet periodically with the U.K. Home Office and its police and security agencies. I’ve participated in a key British security task force. I receive security briefings at least weekly from our own agencies, drawing on input from across the Five Eyes. I visit the highly secure venues where our Canadian security, intelligence and law enforcement teams operate in the U.K. It’s clear that they are really good at what they do. They are highly valued and trusted by their international colleagues.
It’s also clear that the challenges confronting Canadian agencies also exist in the United Kingdom, across the Five Eyes and in the countries with which we have co-operation agreements. We all have similar issues to confront. Close collaboration with global partners is absolutely indispensable for our security and for theirs. It’s a two-way street of mutual benefit, and it works. That’s because global partners know and trust one another. We and they are all working toward the same ends, and sometimes on the very same files. No one can do it alone. Everyone understands the huge importance of teamwork and reliable, timely information. The instant something of value is identified anywhere, it is relayed immediately to those who need it.
As the public record shows in this case, our Canadian agencies made excellent use of the information as soon as it was available to protect the public and take the suspects into custody. Getting such information in usable form at the earliest possible moment is always a prime priority. Searching the Internet, especially the dark web, is a huge worldwide task. The technology is often impenetrable. The service providers are often unhelpful. The volume of gruesome, ugly stuff to be assessed is daunting. It's like looking for a needle in a cesspool.
I worry about the well-being of the skilled professionals, Canadians and others, who tackle this vital work every day for national security, intelligence and law enforcement. They deserve strong support. Their successes must be applauded, along with the international partnerships that empower them. We all need to be committed to continuous improvement.
Mr. Chairman, thank you for your attention. I look forward to our conversation.
