Public Safety Committee on Dec. 16th, 2021

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Thank you, Commissioner Lucki.

I'd also like to ask a similar question of the CBSA. We know that COVID protocols at the border are very important. They are, from what we understand, putting a tremendous strain on our already limited border agents and budgets at the border.

Could you comment on what an additional billion dollars would do if it was targeted towards gun smuggling and drug trafficking?

[John Ossowski]

Thank you for the question, Mr. Chair.

Look, we've had significant investments over the past couple of years, and my immediate focus right now is on implementing those investments. I really do believe, as I said earlier, that the work we're doing on the intelligence with our colleagues to the south—whether it's Customs and Border Protection, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, or local police of jurisdiction—is where the real benefit is going to lie.

We will continue to pursue those relationships and build that picture and do our best to stop these networks in their ability to smuggle.

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Thank you very much.

Are you saying you wouldn't take another billion dollars to stop gun smuggling and drug trafficking?

[John Ossowski]

I would.

It takes time to implement these things. I think we'd want to make sure we put it in the right place.

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Absolutely.

You're right. It does take time. It's unfortunate, but a lot of this funding has only come recently in a six-year mandate from the current government.

Moving on, I would like to ask the RCMP and the CBSA—I think it may be more in the RCMP jurisdiction—about outreach to border communities, particularly communities that straddle the border. We know that there are some indigenous communities that straddle the border. We're hearing that there may be some elements of criminal activity that are taking advantage of that, using those territories to smuggle hard drugs and guns.

I'm wondering what you have done and what more can be done to support these communities, to keep them safe and to stop criminals from taking advantage of any issues we may see at the border where there is porous activity and illegal activity streaming in. Could you just enlighten the committee on some of the issues there and how we can better serve those communities on the border?

[The Chair, Liberal, Jim Carr]

An enlightenment will be given 10 seconds. I'm sorry.

[Commr Brenda Lucki]

It gives me the opportunity to say that we have joined forces with the Akwesasne, the Kanesatake and the Kahnawake police. Working with them and our international partners, of course, on the U.S. side, is the way we're going to tackle it together, as President Ossowski said.

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jim Carr]

Thank you, Commissioner.

The next five-minute slot goes to Mr. Chiang.

Mr. Chiang, the floor is yours, sir.

[Paul Chiang, Liberal, Markham—Unionville, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Good afternoon, everybody.

My question is directed to Commissioner Lucki.

As a former police officer, I would like to know your perspective on what are the most efficient ways to tackle gun violence.

[Commr Brenda Lucki]

That's a great question. First of all, I'd say that good intelligence-gathering is a good foundational piece—using technology to our advantage; making sure that we are working with all police agencies and partner agencies, such as CBSA; making sure that we are able to share that information and turn the intelligence into evidence; and following the chain of where things are seized. For example, when we do seizures at postal services, it's being able to follow those chains and action it into arrests and charges.

We're working with the United States. We do have a great task force that's recently been formed, which the CBSA co-chairs. We do have what's called a “best" approach, where we are allowed to work with our American counterparts on the other side of the border. Again, we're liaising with the various police agencies. We do that through the Canadian intelligence service, where we are working towards upgrading, for example, our technology in our information-sharing and our intelligence-gathering software, because it's quite antiquated. We do meet on a regular basis. So sharing information and translating it into enforcement would be the best way.

Obviously, on getting to the root issues, I would like to speak to gang intervention and getting people out of the gang lifestyle. Working with other social agencies is important as well, in social services, education, health—

[Paul Chiang, Liberal, Markham—Unionville, ON]

Thank you so much for those remarks, Commissioner. I'm glad our agencies are working in collaboration across the border to tackle this violence and apprehend these criminals.

Mr. Chair, I would like to cede the remainder of my time to MP Damoff.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jim Carr]

Please proceed.

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

Thank you so much.

Thank you to the officials who are here today.

I'd like to quickly use the rest of the time we have. I had distributed a notice of motion on Bill C-71. I know that the Conservative Party had made some amendments.

I'll just read an amended motion into the record, if I can. I move—

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

On a point of order, Mr. Chair, if we're going to be talking about a motion and there's no intent to question the witnesses, then maybe we shouldn't waste their time. We should let them go.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jim Carr]

Go ahead, Mr. McKinnon.

[Ron McKinnon, Liberal, Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC]

On a point of order, Ms. Damoff has the floor. She has been recognized. She is entitled to move a motion that is in order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jim Carr]

Ms. Damoff, would you proceed, please?

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

I would like to move this motion:

That, on June 21, 2021, the Government of Canada tabled proposed Regulations Amending Certain Regulations Made Under the Firearms Act, in both Houses of Parliament, as required by Section 118 of the Firearms Act, which were referred to this committee on the same day for a period of up to 30 sitting days; and that the committee instruct the Chair to report the firearms regulations referred by the Minister of Public Safety on Monday, June 21, 2021 to the House unamended at the earliest opportunity.

I think all parties will agree on the importance of getting these regulations back. In the spirit of the season, I have combined the Conservative portion of the amendment with a paragraph that I think is important to give context.

I hope we can just deal with this quickly, Chair.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jim Carr]

We can move to committee business at this point.

We have a motion on the floor.

Do we have commentary?

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

Just to be courteous, I would ask that we let the witnesses go. I know that the head of the RCMP is a very busy person.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jim Carr]

That's fair enough. We have reached the allotted time, so I think that's a reasonable suggestion. We know that we will be spending more time with these representatives when the committee resumes its work in the new year.

Thank you very much for your time this morning. We look forward to when we will resume.

I think it's reasonable to allow the witnesses to leave now, at their leisure.

Thank you.

[Commr Brenda Lucki]

Thank you.

Happy holidays, everyone.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jim Carr]

Happy holidays to all of you.

We have a motion on the floor.

[The Clerk]

Madame Michaud raised her hand, sir.