Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to have the opportunity to participate in this important debate tonight.
I have listened to many on both sides of the aisle debating this issue. It is an issue that is obviously a very emotional one for all of us who were here on October 22. It is one that we want to get right. This debate is important, and my only caution to those speaking to this issue is that they not inflame the issue or create an environment from which they cannot come back.
The government has a significant duty in the face of emerging global threats, and I believe it is the government's responsibility to protect our parliamentary precinct. The previous speaker spoke very well about the extent of this precinct, how large it is, and the importance of getting it right the first time to protect visitors, families, schoolchildren and all those who come to this place. They are intent on seeing history and seeing this place for what it is, a remarkable landmark in this country that we have a duty to protect. Our job is to ensure that we have the right security environment to protect parliamentary staff and elected officials.
Parliament Hill is a key symbol of Canadian democracy, and failure to protect it absolutely demonstrates failure to uphold the values upon which it was built. The people of this great country have put their faith in our commitment to serve and protect the public interest. That is every one of us in this House.
The public interest demands a unified parliamentary security system that allows for one chain of command and one point of accountability. Bureaucratic barriers or silos are an impediment to meeting today's evolving threats. This is why we must ensure that we have an effective, efficient, integrated security force.
The threat of terror is a daunting reality in today's world. We witnessed this first-hand in this very building on October 22. The attack on Corporal Nathan Cirillo at the National War Memorial and then the attack on Parliament Hill were reminders of the reality encompassing terrorism and its grave consequences.
The recent events at Charlie Hebdo headquarters in Paris only reaffirmed these sentiments, sparking pro-democracy demonstrations worldwide. Just this past weekend, similar shootings took place in Denmark during a freedom of speech debate, and other callous and horrific acts of terrorism are occurring around the world as we stand here tonight.
On October 22, there were four different groups of police and security services in and surrounding this very precinct: the House of Commons Security Services, the Senate Protective Service, the RCMP, and the Ottawa city police. The Auditor General's report of 2012 indicated the need for a more integrated parliamentary security system that clearly defined the roles and responsibilities of our security staff.
While we believe that the unification of the House of Commons and Senate security services is a good first step, a fully integrated security force is the best step at this time. It is significant to note that the report particularly identified that:
It is necessary to balance the desired level of access with sufficient security to ensure that risks are mitigated.
This motion today calls upon the Speakers of the House of Commons and the Senate to invite the RCMP to take operational lead on integrating parliamentary security.
The RCMP has a national presence that has access to rapid response training, security assessments, and intelligence that are essential at this time. I am confident that the Speakers will fulfill their roles and ensure that existing immunities and essential parliamentary privileges are maintained.
Specific to the motion, I would just like to read the one paragraph that I feel captures the concerns of all members of this House. It calls upon:
...the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to lead operational security throughout the Parliamentary precinct and the grounds of Parliament Hill, while respecting the privileges, immunities and powers of the respective Houses, and ensuring the continued employment of our existing and respected Parliamentary Security staff.
Other countries, including strong allies such as the United Kingdom and Australia, have already pursued integrated security models in their own parliaments, confirming the essential nature of this initiative. Given the urgency of the matter, it is the government's objective to advance the transition in partnership with all security partners as soon as feasible. I understand that a transition committee coordinated by the Speakers of the House of Commons and the Senate will work with senior officials on a clear transition path.
Our parliamentary security force is a pillar of Parliament Hill. The courageous efforts of its individual members on October 22 will forever be admired and respected. We all owe them our sincere thanks. The Sergeant-at-Arms and all those we recognized in this chamber not too many weeks ago are a clear reminder to us of the great respect we feel for the members of the security staff on all quadrants.
Today's debate though has seen members of the opposition point fingers and blame, something that concerns me greatly. Casting fault, planting seeds of dissension, discord, and division is not the way we will bring about a productive solution that will work for the House. That approach, in my mind, is shameful and reprehensible, and we cannot allow it to occur in this debate.
All of the decisions to be taken will ensure the continued employment of the current security staff and be consistent with existing collective agreements. This will be managed with full transparency. Integrating parliamentary security is essentially meant to help our security team work together through focusing on a centralized plan.
The threat of terror is frightfully tangible and should not be underestimated. The truth is that we cannot allow October 22 to repeat itself. We have heard tonight and from others throughout the day that this was a first attack, that there will be more, and that we must be prepared. We simply cannot be ill-prepared for another such occurrence as we experienced on October 22. We owe it to Canadians and to visitors to do what is necessary to ensure that Parliament Hill, a key symbol of Canadian democracy, is kept safe and secure for them to visit and for us to work in this environment.
I look forward to questions and am thankful for the opportunity to participate in tonight's debate.