Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Good evening, everyone.
I am pleased to appear before this committee for the first time as assistant deputy minister for the real property services branch at Public Services and Procurement Canada, or PSPC, to discuss the important role PSPC plays in protecting and maintaining the National War Memorial, as well as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
PSPC manages one of the largest and most diverse portfolios of real estate in the country and is the Government of Canada's real estate expert.
PSPC provides safe, healthy and productive working environments for over 260,000 federal employees across Canada, including accommodation to parliamentarians and a full range of real property services.
We are also custodian of special purpose and iconic assets, including bridges, dams and monuments such as the National War Memorial and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
This monument is deeply symbolic and important to Canadians, as it recognizes the sacrifices of all Canadian Armed Forces personnel who have served Canada and helped the country become what it is today, including Corporal Nathan Cirillo, who passed away at the site during the tragic event of October 22, 2014.
PSPC shares custodianship of the National War Memorial site with the National Capital Commission, and both organizations take great pride in playing an important role in the maintenance of the site. Over time, PSPC has developed important partnerships with the NCC, the Ottawa Police Service and the parliamentary precinct security operations centre, as well as with key stakeholders such as the Department of National Defence and Veterans Affairs Canada, to ensure appropriate coordination of security-related matters at or near the site. Ensuring the safety and security of the site is a joint effort, but ultimately the policing of the site is under the jurisdiction of the Ottawa Police Service. All security-related incidents, including any desecrations, are reported to the Ottawa Police Service immediately for their action.
Unfortunately, given the national significance of the National War Memorial, it can be perceived as a strategic target by some groups, including protestors, which has occasionally resulted in damage to the monument and otherwise disrespectful behaviour. Protests such as the occupation of the National War Memorial site from July 2020 to October 2020 by organizations known as “the Canadian revolution” and the ongoing convoy protests require a delicate balance between applying our authority under the Public Works nuisances regulations and the need to balance jurisdiction, legislation, the right to protest and human rights.
Following the occupation of the site in 2020, PSPC acknowledged that similar incidents were likely to become more frequent in the future. As a mitigation measure, PSPC developed a security incident playbook designed to facilitate an effective and coordinated response among stakeholders to similar events impacting monuments, buildings, engineering and/or architectural assets under the custodianship of PSPC. Over the last few weeks, PSPC has used the playbook to guide their actions in an attempt to mitigate risks and damage to monuments and buildings in Ottawa's downtown core.
Notably, PSPC, at the request of the City of Ottawa and the NCC, has installed temporary fencing and barriers around several monuments, including the National War Memorial, the National Aboriginal Veterans Monument and the Monument to Canadian Fallen to ensure their integrity and prevent them from damage and vandalism.
In closing, I want to stress that there is no excuse for the desecration of national monuments. Public Services and Procurement Canada will continue to work with its partners to ensure that these important monuments are safeguarded from damage and otherwise disrespectful behaviour.
I am confident that the lessons learned as part of the government's response to the aforementioned situations at the National War Memorial will be helpful to guide future decision‑making regarding the protection of monuments, and that it will help this committee in its study.
Thank you for inviting me to appear. I am happy to take your questions.