Public Safety Committee on Oct. 23rd, 2025

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—Huntingdon, QC]

Excuse me for interrupting, Minister. I don't mean to be rude.

This is an agency whose mandate is to investigate and review files. Its total budget is $17 million. The government is asking it to make budget cuts, meaning that nearly $3 million will be cut from its budget. You're telling us that you're going to grant our agencies more power to share information, but that you're going to reduce this agency's ability to investigate and review files. I'd like to point out that this agency was set up to do that work. I understand that everyone has to do their part, but I honestly don't think that's a wise decision.

I'll move on to another topic now. In fact, I'm going to give you the opportunity to clarify something, once and for all. There was confusion again last week when it came to your public statement. Correct me if I'm wrong.

The agency is going to hire 800 border officers, who will undergo 18 weeks of training in Rigaud or Chilliwack. You're also going to hire another 200 people, who will be part of the operational personnel. They won't be trained in Rigaud, and they won't take that full 18‑week training.

Can you confirm that this is indeed the case, so that everyone understands the same thing?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON]

I can offer more certainty today than I did the last time around. We announced last week that 1,000 new CBSA officers will be hired and deployed. The training will start in November, with the first cohort being out by—

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—Huntingdon, QC]

Minister, I'm so sorry to interrupt.

You're saying 1,000 officers are going to be hired. However, it won't be 1,000 border services officers who are trained in Rigaud, but 800. The president of the CBSA told us at her last appearance that 800 border officers were to receive training in Rigaud over 18 weeks and that 200 other people would be part of the operational personnel. That's the term the president used. We don't know what training will be offered to those 200 people.

It's important to stop creating confusion. We're talking about 800 border officers and 200 operational personnel. The latter won't be trained in Rigaud.

[The Chair, Liberal, Jean-Yves Duclos]

Mrs. DeBellefeuille, I unfortunately have to interrupt you. You'll have a chance to come back to that question a bit later. In the meantime, perhaps the minister and the representatives of the organizations will have an opportunity to clarify or correct the remarks you just summarized.

I now give the floor to Mr. Lloyd for five minutes.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Parkland, AB]

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you, Minister, to you and the parliamentary secretary, for being here.

Minister, are you aware of the recent W5 report that quotes RCMP Superintendent Mathieu Bertrand, who stated that at least seven Mexican cartels are operating in Canada and using our country as a transhipment point for drugs?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON]

As you're aware, Mr. Lloyd, we did list seven cartels—

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Parkland, AB]

You're aware of this report from W5?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON]

I haven't personally seen that report, but I'm aware.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Parkland, AB]

Well, it's a shocking report.

Minister, why do you think these criminal organizations have made Canada a central point for their operations in recent years?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON]

Mr. Lloyd, across the world.... I was with the Five Eyes in September and there's a common theme of transnational criminal entities that are expanding their reach. In this case, I don't think—

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Parkland, AB]

You don't think this is a Canada problem?

[The Chair, Liberal, Jean-Yves Duclos]

MP Lloyd, if we're going to avoid points of order and all sorts of other interruptions, we should make sure that the interpretation works and that we have a conversation that's understood by everyone. As I'm making those comments, I'm stopping the clock. I'm just inviting everyone to make sure that we have an intelligible conversation.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Parkland, AB]

Thank you.

Minister, you're saying that this is a world problem, but why has this grown in Canada in recent years? Why do you think?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON]

The issues around transnational criminal organizations are something that we're deeply worried about. We've taken some concrete action, and Canada, like other countries, is facing an increase in them.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Parkland, AB]

Okay. You don't have anything specific.

Minister, your government lifted visa requirements for Mexico in December 2016. Are you familiar with that decision?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON]

I was not in cabinet at that time, but I am familiar with that decision.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Parkland, AB]

Do you agree that this decision expanded the cartel presence in Canada?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON]

I don't have a direct causal link to that, but you're aware that last year, that restriction was closed.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Parkland, AB]

I'm aware. Do you think, though, there was a connection between lifting the visa requirements and the expanded presence of the cartels and the strengthening of their smuggling networks in Canada?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON]

I'm not at liberty to speculate on that, Mr. Lloyd.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Parkland, AB]

Minister, I have a report from the Canada Border Services Agency from November 2016, one month before your government decided to lift the visa requirements. It says, “The visa lift will make travel to Canada easier in order to establish or strengthen existing cartel smuggling chains. In the next three years, Mexican drug cartels are expected to expand their presence in Canada.”

That is in a CBSA report, which was written in November 2016, one month before your government lifted the visa requirements, and you're saying you can't see any causal link to that. Is the CBSA wrong, Minister?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON]

First of all, I haven't read that report, Mr. Lloyd, and I am not at liberty to speculate on the causal link.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Parkland, AB]

Minister, the CBSA was correct. It correctly predicted that your government's actions would expand the cartels' presence in Canada. It's plain for everyone in this country to see. Your government was warned and it recklessly chose to move ahead by lifting these visa requirements.

Minister, do you accept responsibility for your government's failure in making Canada a base for organized crime?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park, ON]

My responsibility is the safety and security of Canadians. That is a task that I take very seriously each and every day. I work to ensure that the safety and security of Canadians are enhanced. This includes a number of measures that we've taken, including a number of bills, like Bill C-2, Bill C-12, Bill C-9 and Bill C-8—

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Parkland, AB]

I'm going to interrupt, Minister. I've given you some good time to respond.

If you can't see the causal link between lifting these visa requirements and the increasing cartel activity in Canada, why did your government then reimpose the visa requirements?