Evidence of meeting #26 for Public Safety and National Security in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was subamendment.
A video is available from Parliament.
Bloc
Claude DeBellefeuille Bloc Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—Huntingdon, QC
Okay, I have my answer. That's perfect.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Jean-Yves Duclos
Thank you, Mrs. DeBellefeuille.
Ms. Kirkland, the floor is yours.
Conservative
Rhonda Kirkland Conservative Oshawa, ON
Thank you, Chair.
My clear question, then, is, does G-7 add anything? It sounds like it's redundant.
Director, National Cyber Security Directorate, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
I think it could be, yes.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Jean-Yves Duclos
If there are no further interventions, is it the will of the committee to adopt G‑7?
(Amendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])
That brings us to G-8.
Is G-8 being moved?
Liberal
Jacques Ramsay Liberal La Prairie—Atateken, QC
Yes, absolutely.
Mr. Chair, as we read it, there are no legal or legislative barriers preventing the sharing of information between entities in Bill C‑8. However, for greater certainty, we are proposing G‑8 to ensure that solicitor-client privilege will continue to apply to information shared with the government. This is known as an exempting provision.
That was a concern the industry expressed. The amendment will make it easier to share information without people feeling threatened.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Jean-Yves Duclos
Thank you, sir.
Is there any input on this?
(Amendment agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Is it agreed that clause 11, as amended several times, be adopted?
(Clause 11 as amended agreed to)
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Jean-Yves Duclos
Shall schedule 1 carry?
(Schedule 1 agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Jean-Yves Duclos
Shall the committee order a reprint of the bill, as amended, for the use of the House at report stage?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Jean-Yves Duclos
Congratulations, everyone. Given how demanding our work has been over the past few weeks, on everyone's behalf, I'd like to thank and congratulate the team here.
As you have noted, we have been very pleased and fortunate to have the company of Michelle Legault today. Of course, Andrew is also here, whom we know really well. Before Andrew came, there was Nellie Winters. These are the legislative clerks.
The law clerk's office has handled a lot of the work we've had to do over the past few weeks. All of the analysts pitched in, as well as the clerk, Paul, whom we are getting to know and love very much. I also want to thank all the technical staff who support us, as well as the extraordinary interpreters, who enable us to work together well.
Obviously, I also want to thank the witnesses, who not only spent many, many hours with us, but also spent many, many hours preparing to be with us.
I think we should give them a good round of applause to express our gratitude.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Jean-Yves Duclos
We've beaten our own record. I hope nobody is disappointed. Before I leave you, I have one more thing to say.
I would like to point out that next week is a riding week. The week after, we were supposed to host the Minister of Public Safety on March 10, but as many of you will know, he cannot come on that date. That means we are trying to have him come with his team on March 12, which is two weeks from now, on Thursday. We will be discussing together what we will do on March 10 instead. I just wanted to flag that for all members of this committee.
We are now turning to you, MP Gill.
Conservative
Sukhman Gill Conservative Abbotsford—South Langley, BC
Chair, I would like to move a motion that was tabled by my colleague, Frank Caputo, on November 20, 2025.
The motion reads:
That the committee report to the House its grave concern about the rise of extortion, which is up 330% across Canada since 2015, including a 400% spike in British Columbia and a 500% increase in the Lower Mainland, and the committee further report its recommendation that the federal government to use every tool at their disposal, including tougher sentences, more restrictive bail provisions and other measures to crack down on organized crime to protect Canadians, their property and their businesses.
This should have been brought forward to everybody in both languages. I just want to confirm that.
I would like to continue and say a couple of words.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Jean-Yves Duclos
We will suspend for a moment so that everyone has access to the motion, which, as you noted, MP Gill, was circulated a little while ago.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Jean-Yves Duclos
Thank you for your patience.
We'll start again, now that the motion has been shared.
MP Gill, I will turn back to you.
Conservative
Sukhman Gill Conservative Abbotsford—South Langley, BC
Thank you, Chair.
I have been waiting patiently to discuss this very important motion. This has been impacting the residents of my community in the Lower Mainland. As stated in the motion itself, we see that numbers have spiked like we've never seen before. We've seen these numbers jump 400% in our Lower Mainland communities. We see the number as high as 500% in B.C. as well. What we're seeing is extraordinary, and that's why it's so important to me, because I'm a B.C. resident.
Members of my community have been asking me, “Hey, what do we do? We currently feel like our public safety is vulnerable.” That's what my residents have been saying to me. We hear stories from families because, when you live on the ground, people.... A member from the Bloc the other day said that there's no way there are people living in Canada who are afraid for their lives every single day. One of our Bloc colleagues said this. I encourage him to come to my riding, come to Surrey, where they say it's ground zero.
Just recently, the mayor of Surrey came down to Ottawa. She has called for a national state of emergency. That's how bad it's gotten in Canada. That's how bad it's gotten in our community, for my residents of Abbotsford—South Langley, for Surrey and for Lower Mainland residents. They are calling on the government to bring precaution, to bring justice to the ones who have been repeat offenders on our streets and to tighten up security. They're asking for a castle law to be passed.
Members of my community are so terrified. They're sleeping, and they don't know if a bullet is going to come flying into their bedroom window. They're choosing to sleep in their basements nowadays with their kids. The kids and the wives of these men are telling them not to go to work, because they're scared that if Papa goes to work, they don't know if he's going to return back home that night. Businesses are being shot at. Family members are feeling this pressure now more than ever. It's due to these extortion cases ramping up.
The thing is, we've identified this problem. Way back, over a year ago, our deputy leader Tim Uppal brought forth a bill. It was called the protection against extortion act. The bill had “extortion” in the writing of it. This is stuff that we tabled for tougher sentencing, for real consequences. Just last year, in the fall season, we had the jail not bail bill brought forward, which we encouraged our colleagues to adopt in the House as well. Sadly, that was voted out.
Around seven to 10 days ago, we had a motion on extortion that was brought forward to the House. It was to close the loophole of these fake asylum cases that are being brought up after these criminals cause chaos and terrorize our streets. They're using and abusing the loophole in the justice system to seek asylum and to stay in Canada. We encourage that, but we don't want them to be on our streets. We want them to be sentenced. We want them not to have the bail that they are currently receiving. They should feel the full thrash of justice in Canada, and they should not be out on our streets.
We want to make sure that we bring this motion forward, because our citizens and members of our nation are terrified. They're looking for answers.
I seek unanimous consent throughout our committee here and to engage with the members and their opinions. As well, my colleagues on my side from B.C. are very concerned.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I'm looking forward to having unanimous consent on this motion.
Liberal
Jacques Ramsay Liberal La Prairie—Atateken, QC
I just want to say, on the matter of extortion, that our government has been very active on this matter. We have more boots on the ground, more tools and more means, but we all know that the problem of extortion won't be solved before we get lawful access. I would expect, then, the other side of the committee to agree to expedite the bill, whatever it is going to be named, when it is reintroduced. I think this is the solution for extortion.
Mrs. Kirkland was there this morning. She heard the experts on the panel. She will concur that they were adamant that lawful access is the way to go to fight extortion. Madame Acan was there as well and actually was the one who organized that panel.
We know what to do. We will do it. It's just a matter of expediting lawful access when it is introduced in the coming weeks.
At this point, Mr. Chair, I move for adjournment for today.