Michel Picard

[Public Safety, December 6th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the RCMP is an iconic police force, and its members serve Canadians from coast to coast to coast with professionalism and valour. Mounties are recognized the world over as a symbol of Canada's values and traditions. The women and men of the RCMP work hard every day to prevent crime, apprehend offenders, and keep Canadians safe in their homes and communities. I know that all of us in the House hold RCMP members and the work they do in the highest regard, and I agree that they must be remunerated in a manner commensurate with the job we ask them to do.

The RCMP is comprised of over 30,000 employees, of which almost 18,400 are police officers, operating from over 750 service points across Canada. The RCMP also operates internationally through a network of liaison officers strategically deployed to 30 countries. Collectively, the efforts of these individuals form an exemplary model of policing that works to keep our country and its people safe and secure.

Each year, the RCMP responds to well over two million calls for service from Canadians, while continually operating a host of long-term, complex federal investigations, from organized crime to financial integrity to corruption and terrorism-related cases.

When tragic events occur, RCMP members are there to help. This spring, for example, local RCMP in the Fort McMurray area, supported by members from detachments throughout Alberta, were fully involved in supporting search and evacuation efforts, and they have played a vital role in re-entry and recovery.

In August, when the RCMP received credible information regarding a potential terrorist threat, it worked swiftly and effectively, in concert with other security and police forces, to keep Canadians safe.

Moreover, in many places, RCMP members are de facto social workers, big brothers and big sisters, and, in countless other ways that go beyond the traditional conception of law enforcement, integral and indispensable parts of community life. That is why it is so important that the members of our national police force have the resources they need to get the job done, and that they be fairly compensated for the difficult and crucial work that they do.

It is regrettable that, in the last four years of the Harper government, the Conservatives cut over half a billion dollars from the RCMP’s budget. We are currently in the midst of an integrity review to assess the adequacy of RCMP resources. In the meantime, Budget 2016 included a temporary program integrity fund for the RCMP to address funding issues.

As well, it is worth noting that the RCMP currently provides contract policing services to eight provinces, all three territories, and some 150 municipalities across Canada. These arrangements are based on cost-sharing mechanisms. For contracts with provinces and territories, they pay 70% of costs, including salaries, and the federal government covers 30%.

Municipal agreements are based on a number of different cost-share formulas that vary depending on population size and the year the original agreement was struck.

Nevertheless, there is no question that the concerns raised by RCMP members and management about compensation are very important, and we take them very seriously. Their requests will be taken fully into consideration as we continue working to ensure that the brave women and men of the RCMP receive fair remuneration, and have the resources they need to keep Canadians safe.

[Public Safety, November 18th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I am sorry that I missed part of the question, but generally speaking, Correctional Services is undertaking consultations with its partners to make sure that when we have someone in detention, it is mainly for security reasons and purposes. This is looked at as the last resort possible, and we are working on alternative solutions to ease it.

[Health, November 18th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the government is very concerned about the increase in opioid abuse and the growing number of overdoses in Canada. In 2014-15, the Canada Border Services Agency carried out over 8,000 seizures for a total value of about $400 million. The agency is currently looking at ways to improve its ability to detect and intercept illegal drugs.

We grieve alongside Canadians who have lost loved ones to fentanyl, and we are working very hard to put a stop to the scourge of this devastating drug.

[Bullying, November 18th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, bullying and cyber-bullying are serious issues for many Canadian families and communities. According to a recent study, more than 40% of youth reported being a victim of cyber-bullying, and more than 60% have witnessed cyber-bullying.

In this Bullying Awareness Week, I encourage Canadians to get more informed on this issue, as well as the devastating consequences it may have on its victims, and the resources available to help Canadians combat it.

I especially encourage parents and teachers to visit the website www.getcybersafe.gc.ca to get informed on how to recognize and prevent cyber-bullying. I also invite everyone to discover BullyText, an interactive tool offered by the RCMP that aims to encourage conversation among youth about these questions.

On a brighter note, more than 70% of Canadian youth who have witnessed cyber-bullying said they intervened. Let us follow their example at school, at work, at home, and in all spheres of life, and let us put an end to bullying.

[Privacy, November 14th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, the government has two fundamental duties—to protect the safety and security of Canadians and to uphold the Constitution while ensuring that our laws respect the rights and personal freedoms we enjoy in this country. Our government is committed to working with Canadians and the members of this House to ensure that we achieve this dual objective.

That is why we have launched the consultations on cybersecurity and national security. We hope that members of this House will join Canadians in participating in this unprecedented and long-overdue national discussion.

[Privacy, November 14th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for his question regarding Canada’s privacy laws and the challenges faced by law enforcement in an era where communications technologies are changing rapidly. As the hon. member knows, these are important issues.

On the one hand, our law enforcement and national security agencies need to be able to collect information and evidence to investigate crimes and protect our national security. At the same time, we must ensure that the authorities that we give these agencies are consistent with our values and our rights and freedoms as set out in the charter.

As well, it is vitally important that the government work with the private sector to ensure that organizations take appropriate steps to protect the information that they receive from Canadians.

That is why the government has launched two sets of consultations. The first set of consultations on cybersecurity was launched on August 16. As hon. members know, the cybersecurity landscape is constantly evolving, and our government is committed to ensuring that Canada is an innovative leader in cybersecurity while also keeping Canadians safe online.

We heard from thousands of Canadians on the cyber security threat and how we can capitalize on the advantages of new technologies and the digital economy. That consultation wrapped up recently, and Public Safety is analyzing the many submissions.

The second set of consultations on national security was launched by both the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness on September 8. These consultations are an invaluable opportunity to engage Canadians on Canada's national security framework. They are an important step toward fulfilling this government's commitment to review Bill C-51, the Anti-terrorism Act, 2015.

As part of the consultations on national security, we have invited Canadians to provide feedback on a number of different issues, including how best to ensure that our law enforcement and national security agencies have the tools they need to protect Canadians while simultaneously ensuring that Canadians' rights, including privacy rights, are protected.

We are also inviting Canadians to provide their thoughts on how we can ensure that our national security agencies are accountable to Canadians, and a range of other issues.

We have already begun to make important changes in this regard with the introduction of Bill C-22, the national security and intelligence committee of parliamentarians act. If passed, Bill C-22 would, for the first time, enable parliamentarians to meaningfully review the activities of our national security agencies.

The Government of Canada has two fundamental duties: to protect the safety and security of Canadians, and to uphold the Constitution to ensure that our laws respect the rights and personal freedoms we enjoy in this country.

I look forward to a diverse and vigorous debate on these issues. I hope that hon. members of this House will join Canadians in participating in these important consultations.

[Disaster Assistance, October 17th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, supporting communities affected by forest fires and other emergencies is a top priority for the Government of Canada, as evidenced by our continuing support for the residents of Fort McMurray and surrounding areas, including areas on reserve.

At the same time, Public Safety Canada and Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada are working together to provide funding for eligible off and on-reserve response and recovery expenditures. Through these joint efforts all communities are supported in terms of response and recovery.

I want to acknowledge the incredible efforts of the first responder community in responding to this event. Without this tremendous effort, the impacts could have been much worse and more widespread.

The Government of Canada continues to work closely with our provincial and territorial partners to monitor forest fires across the country to ensure that we are collectively ready to respond when called upon.

[Disaster Assistance, October 17th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for the opportunity to address the concerns raised with respect to wildfire preparedness in Saskatchewan and the government's commitment to providing disaster assistance for the Fort McMurray wildfire and the surrounding areas, including areas on reserve.

The Fort McMurray fire affected over 580,000 hectares of land, not only in Alberta but also in Saskatchewan. This devastating wildfire resulted in approximately 90,000 people being evacuated and 2,400 structures destroyed. However, I am grateful to say that because of the courage and bravery of the first responders, there were no casualties directly resulting from the fire.

Emergency management in Canada is a shared responsibility between all levels of government. While provinces and territories manage actual firefighting resources on the ground, each year the federal government develops a seasonal wildfire risk assessment and corresponding contingency plan. The plan guides the federal government in preparing for and responding to any potential requests for federal assistance.

The Government Operations Centre, housed in Public Safety Canada, monitors events on a 24/7 basis, and issues notifications and situation reports, as well as creates dedicated event teams when fire activity becomes significant, as it did for Fort McMurray.

The Government of Canada was engaged from the outset to ensure a coordinated response and deployment of the appropriate federal resources and assets. Throughout the events in Fort McMurray, the Government of Canada provided a great deal of support to the province of Alberta in an effort to limit the impacts on Fort McMurray and the surrounding communities.

For example, the Government of Canada, working with the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, facilitated a request for additional resources by the province of Alberta in the form of domestic and international firefighting personnel and equipment. Key federal departments coordinated this request to ensure that over 500 international firefighters from the United States, South Africa, and Mexico, arrived without delay. These additional firefighting resources, combined with favourable weather conditions, allowed for a more efficient response to the fire, preventing further risk to additional communities in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Every fire season, the federal government monitors fire activity throughout the country and assesses the impact of specific fire activity on communities, critical infrastructure, and the national interest. Should any province request federal assistance, the Government Operations Centre will efficiently and expeditiously fulfill the request and lead a coordinated response on behalf of the federal government, as was the case with the Fort McMurray wildfire.

The Government of Canada is reviewing its response throughout the 2016 wildfire season and incorporating lessons learned from the Fort McMurray event into its forward-planning activities.

[Kristopher Letang, October 3rd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, this summer, Sainte-Julie was honoured for a second time with a visit from the Stanley Cup. Acclaimed Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman Kris Letang gave everyone, especially the Kris Letangs of tomorrow, a glorious opportunity to see the greatest trophy of them all.

Kris is not just a kid from Sainte-Julie; he is a fighter who recovered from a series of concussions determined to make a triumphant comeback to the game.

Kris Letang has given us so much more than the medals and Stanley Cups he has won over the years. He is a role model for the youth in my riding and all young hockey players. He has shown us what it means to fight, to work hard, and to never give up. Most of all, he has shown us what it means to be a great Canadian.

As I stood next to the Stanley Cup, I felt torn between blue, white, and red and black, white, and gold. Nevertheless, I promise to wear my Penguins jersey proudly, at least until the start of the next season.

[Public Safety, September 29th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, obviously we do not agree with this type of activity. However, ministerial directives are there to protect the safety and security of Canadians as well as their rights and freedoms. Although the directives are currently being reviewed, they are part of our consultation processes. They are also the reason why we submitted the plan for a committee of parliamentarians for study: precisely to review this type of activity.