That’s an excellent question, Mr. Schiefke.
We never want to be perceived by state and non-state actors as the weakest link in the chain, the one that attracts these kinds of malicious acts, which can harm Canadian companies or even critical systems. Intelligence and public safety specialists can tell you that.
I always try to compare ourselves to the G7 countries and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, or OECD. As Canadians, we want to be among the best and have modern tools. To me, it’s about modernization. When I saw, for example, that the Telecommunications Act did not include security as an objective, I thought it a glaring omission. Among our allies, I don’t think there’s a country where the Minister of Industry or the person in charge of a network as important as telecommunications doesn’t have security as an objective. Today, it’s essential. People know we need this.
The bill we are proposing will enable us to live up to the expectations of our economic partners. You’re right, it’s a step in the right direction.