Good afternoon, Mr. Chair and honourable members of the committee. Thank you for the invitation to appear today, as we gather on the traditional and unceded territory of the Anishinabe nation and recognize the continuing presence of first nations, Inuit and Métis people in this region.
My name is Mathias Van Laer. I served as a regular member of the RCMP for 25 years and, eventually, retired in 2022 as a staff sergeant.
I would also like to point out that I am of French-speaking origin. I will be happy to answer your questions in the official language of your choice.
During my service, I was a non-commissioned officer in charge of the RCMP E Division's integrated child exploitation unit, located in the Lower Mainland district but representing the whole province of British Columbia. Following my retirement in 2022, I returned to the RCMP as a reserve constable for the city of Kamloops, B.C., to continue my work within their sex crimes unit, where I actively work on ongoing investigations, prepare judicial authorizations and oversee the intake of all online child sexual abuse investigations within the city of Kamloops, providing guidance, direction and training.
To provide you with some background, the RCMP's child exploitation units are specialized teams dedicated to preventing, detecting and investigating crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children, both online and off-line. Their mandate focuses on protecting vulnerable victims, identifying and apprehending offenders, and working collaboratively with domestic and international partners to disrupt networks involving child abuse material and exploitation. Key priorities include proactive intelligence gathering, victim identification and support, digital forensic analysis and public awareness initiatives to reduce risk and increase reporting.
During my time with the B.C. ICE unit, I have worked to address the growing demand, driven by the increasing use of the Internet, for online child sexual exploitation investigations. In collaboration with the RCMP's digital forensic services, B.C. ICE supports law enforcement agencies across British Columbia, works to identify and assist child victims, and identifies offenders to support appropriate criminal charges.
As investigators, we are constantly adapting investigative techniques to try to keep up with criminals, especially those who operate in the digital space and who do the greatest harm to vulnerable Canadians, including children. Bill C-22, an act respecting lawful access, would modernize our law so that Canadian police services can investigate crimes and target those who prey on the vulnerable.
RCMP child exploitation units increasingly rely on digital tools, data analysis and collaboration with intelligence partners to make progress in investigations. The Criminal Code amendments, proposed through Bill C-22, could improve timeliness and consistency in obtaining digital evidence, particularly in urgent or rapidly evolving cases.
Child exploitation investigations predominantly depend on IP address tracing, subscriber information and preserving volatile online data before it is deleted or purged. Enhanced lawful access provisions could streamline production orders and preservation demands, allowing investigators to act more quickly to identify suspects and to safeguard victims.
Protecting children remains a core priority for the RCMP. Teams are committed to safeguarding vulnerable victims, pursuing offenders and adapting to evolving online threats through strong partnerships and modern investigative tools. Whether through enforcement, victim supports or prevention efforts, the RCMP continues to place the safety and well-being of children at the forefront of its mandate, recognizing the critical importance of protecting them from harm in all environments.
Thank you very much. I look forward to your questions.