Public Safety Committee on Feb. 1st, 2022

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Vancouver Granville, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

To Deputy Commissioner White, I understand from a previous study that Crown prosecutors have not always prosecuted charges that are laid on reserve. Can you share your experience with this and any recommendations around that?

[D/Commr Stephen White]

I don't have a lot of specific insights on that. I think what I can say is that, right across the country, we work in terms of prevention and, depending on the circumstances of the investigation, individuals who are charged, and the nature of the circumstances under which they are charged, we look for alternatives to resolve the situation beyond prosecuting criminal charges.

That's something we've always worked with. When the right opportunity and the right circumstances are there for us to work together with the prosecutors, we look at a very effective resolution without proceeding to criminal charges and prosecution. However, it all depends, as I say, on the nature of the circumstances of the incident and the individuals involved.

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Vancouver Granville, BC]

Thank you.

I just might switch to Mr. Sauvé.

You spoke a lot about the impact of community outreach, healing circles, restorative justice, education and opportunity as a great way to prevent a lot of the crime we've been seeing, particularly gun crime.

Can you share a little bit about the impact generally that your members have seen when these programs have worked and when these programs are well funded and your views on the type of positive impact this can have in communities?

[Brian Sauvé]

Thank you.

That's actually a good question. What is rarely spoken about in law enforcement public proceedings is that our members serve in some of the most isolated posts in Canada. Sometimes they are the only representatives of the Government of Canada in those communities.

Even in larger centre like Burnaby, Red Deer or Fort McMurray, these programs can be life-changing for those impacted by them. They can create a lifelong bond between a public safety professional, whether it's a member of the RCMP or the Calgary Police, and that affected person. They change the image of public safety and policing for that person, which is an important aspect for all police services and even public safety agencies in Canada.

If we want to address the recruiting crisis that everyone is seeing, we have to put some shine back on those buttons on those uniforms. How do we do that?

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Vancouver Granville, BC]

Thank you very much.

I will go back to Deputy Commissioner White. Having heard this from Mr. Sauvé, when you think about the role RCMP and law enforcement agencies can play broadly in increasing engagement with communities to work on prevention, particularly around the use of firearms and some of the crimes we've been seeing, what would you say are the major areas of opportunity that lie within law enforcement agencies, particularly the RCMP?

[D/Commr Stephen White]

I think everyone is aware that the RCMP has policing jurisdiction across a good part of Canada, actually, including all provinces except Ontario and Quebec, all territories, 155 municipalities and approximately 600 indigenous communities, as well as the contracted policing of jurisdictions. In all of those areas, we work very closely with our municipal, provincial and territorial policing partners and community partners.

To add onto what Mr. Sauvé said—and he had very good insights—whether it's restorative justice or other programs, we're fully supportive of coming up with the right and the best solution for everyone involved, especially the individuals who are involved in a criminal activity, the victims and the communities. We try very hard, through a number of means, to get the right balance for everybody, because it is about looking after the individuals in those communities right across the country. We have a big role in making sure we come up with the right solutions and right resolutions.

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Vancouver Granville, BC]

Thank you very much.

Mr. Chair, how am I doing for time?

[The Chair, Liberal, Jim Carr]

You have 30 seconds.

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Vancouver Granville, BC]

I will donate that time back to the cause.

Thank you very much to all the witnesses who have spent great time with us and, I think, really helped expand our understanding.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jim Carr]

Colleagues, we are 12 minutes before the top of the hour. We can proceed in one of two ways.

One would be to say that this has been an excellent conversation and adjourn the meeting now. The other would be to divide the remaining time and give each party another two minutes. I'm in your hands. Do we have a consensus to adjourn the meeting now? Let me just see. There are a couple of thumbs up.

In that case, it's left up to me to thank the witnesses so very much. You have been very generous with your time, and it's clear to all of us that your lives are immersed in these issues. You can see it from every angle. You are living what, for many Canadians, would be a very tough life and a tough job. It's up to us as policy-makers and decision-makers to give you the best tools we can for you to combat gun and street violence in this country, especially among young people who find themselves in these gangs. We need to treat this issue with the seriousness it demands, which has been present during these three hours of questions and answers and presentations by all of you.

On behalf of the committee, representing the House of Commons, I thank you for the work you do for our country. I thank you for the generosity of your time this morning.

The meeting is adjourned.