Good morning, Mr. Chair. Thank you very much.
Good morning, committee members.
Thank you for inviting me to speak today about the supplementary estimates (B) for Public Safety Canada.
As many of you know, we are a very busy department that supports not only a number of agencies, but also our own programs. Our mandate touches on borders, human and drug trafficking, corrections, national security and emergency preparedness, among others.
While my colleagues will be talking about their organization's budget, I will be talking about the budget for programs and activities that fall within the mandate of the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. The funding we are requesting today will enable our department to continue its vital work on the issues that matter most to Canadians.
I'll just give you a few examples.
Today we are seeking $45.8 million for Public Safety Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency to continue to combat auto theft. While the numbers in early 2024 showed a decrease of 17% in the number of auto thefts compared to the previous year, we know that criminal networks quickly adapt and that we must be prepared.
We are also seeking additional funding to make significant investments in policing strategies, border control and community gang prevention. Our goal is to reduce the number of firearms entering our communities, and the number of gun crimes committed in our highest-risk communities.
Another way we are working to keep our communities safer is through Canada's first-ever action plan on combatting hate. The action plan includes the Canada community security program. This program replaces the security infrastructure program and provides time-limited funding to private not-for-profit organizations that are at risk of experiencing hate-motivated crime.
Eligible recipients include places of worship, provincially and territorially recognized private educational institutions, shelters for victims of gender-based violence, community centres, cemeteries, child care centres, and office and administrative spaces. The $14.9 million in budgetary expenditures will allow us to continue this work, which has become so crucial, particularly in the face of hate crime that has increased due to geopolitical tensions.
Our portfolio also includes emergency preparedness and management. One key component of that work is disaster financial assistance arrangements. These arrangements allow us to provide financial assistance to provinces and territories in the event of large-scale natural disasters, as we did this summer for Yukon flooding and last winter following significant snowstorms in Nova Scotia. This program will continue to be crucial as we see an ever-increasing number of extreme weather events. To that end, we are seeking to reprofile $800 million from a previous year.
Mr. Chair and committee members, these are just a few examples, but I once again want to thank you for inviting me to speak about and underscore the importance of funding to help fulfill Public Safety Canada's mandate of keeping Canada secure for all.
Thank you.