Mr. Speaker, I always enjoy debating with that member for whom I have a great deal of respect. This will be fun.
First, I will reply to the point on marijuana. The United States will be very happy that we are increasing the penalties for the producers and pushers of marijuana. Also during that debate, I mentioned that a number of states had already done what we were proposing to do, and that was having lower penalties for the usage of small amounts of marijuana.
In relation to the border, the government takes the border quite seriously. Subsequent to September 11 that was one of the success stories between Canada and the United States. The good working relationship and the improvements that we had made to the border was loudly applauded by members from various parties in the House.
The member had a question about increasing our intelligence ability abroad. I want to deal with that question until I run out of time.
The mandate of the Canadian Security Intelligence Agency is to investigate and report on threats of security to Canada wherever they may occur in the world. This is an objective it pursues while respecting the law and protecting human rights.
Section 12 of the CSIS Act , which establishes the operational mandate of the service, does not impose any territorial restrictions on investigations dealing with threats to national security, such as terrorism.
I am sure the member across is fully aware that in response to the increasingly international nature of threats to national security, CSIS has increased its security intelligence gathering activities overseas. Given this trend, CSIS has also increased its exchange of intelligence with security intelligence organizations of friendly nations supporting Canada's commitment to fighting international terrorism.
In regard to the evolution and internationalization of the threat, the Government of Canada has made new resources available to CSIS following the events of September 11, 2001, to ensure that it has the means to meet current challenges, including increased security intelligence gathering overseas.
Section 17 of the CSIS Act allows the service to enter into cooperative arrangements for the purpose of performing its duties and functions, including the exchange of information. Section 17 also allows for the service to enter into joint operations with allied agencies abroad because no one country can do all the intelligence gathering.
That said, strict standards and guidelines are in place at CSIS to govern international cooperation and the sharing of intelligence, especially if it involves information about Canadians. All foreign arrangements made by CSIS must have the prior approval of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Public Safety.
Currently, CSIS has relationships with a number of services around the world, both security intelligence services and foreign intelligence services, and in some cases signals intelligence services. After this debate, I will give the member opposite a bit more information on that if he would like. Those relationships are often important in specific cases, in terms of being able to check information, obtain information or seek some other assistance.
CSIS also maintains liaison offices in certain countries. Liaison officers are involved in the exchange of security intelligence information and carry out a security screening role in dealing with cases of concern in national security. Liaison officers posted in foreign countries are not involved in overseas operations.
Section 16 of the CSIS Act defines the service's role in the collection of foreign intelligence.
In summary, let me reiterate that CSIS has both the mandate and the capacity to operate abroad and has done so in the past, in support of its section 12 mandate, and will continue to do so as circumstances dictate.