Public Safety committee  Again, the thing is that if we're not getting the proper level of resources.... It's that balance between the facilitation of the public versus the national security that could be compromised. Again, I think everybody around this table understands the level of importance of what the officers are doing to maintain the integrity of our borders and the security of Canadians.

Public Safety committee  We are not yet clear on the speed of the response after Bill C-21 goes into effect. Will it really happen in real time? That would be the ideal, between you and me. What is for sure is that, at the moment, it takes a certain amount of time. We have been told that it is also a matter of 15 minutes.

Public Safety committee  Absolutely. In our opinion, just having to start entering more data will affect our work. The critical thing, you know, is to be efficient and not to increase wait times. However, if we have to do more exit processing and pay more specific attention to the goods bound for departure, that clearly cannot be done electronically.

Public Safety committee  We are the country's first line of defence at our points of entry. One of the elements that Bill C-21 seems to want to add is a role for exits. It makes our role more specific, gives us more powers of intervention, on goods leaving the country. That role is a little fuzzy at the moment.

Public Safety committee  The best example I can give you, Mr. Picard, is about stolen cars. At the moment, we are playing an essential role in the various ports in terms of exports. I must emphasize that the people I represent do excellent work, because they produce a huge amount of results. I actually confirmed that information yesterday with people from the Port of Montreal.

Public Safety committee  The exchanges are good. Generally, according to the information that I get from customs officers, American authorities usually collaborate well. I myself have worked in a customs examination office with the Americans. They usually collaborate well with our officers. One thing is for sure.

Public Safety committee  We are immediately informed when something like that happens. Once again, both on the American side and the Canadian side, we handle it with quite remarkable efficiency. It is one of our priorities. When an AMBER alert is issued, the information is circulated very quickly, to American police forces and elsewhere.

Public Safety committee  It could be a little better defined. A good part of the training at Rigaud has been adapted. The program was just revised only a few years ago. However, we could spend a little more time on it, absolutely.

Public Safety committee  I would say so.

Public Safety committee  Certainly, the ability to obtain more information increases the responsibilities. Earlier, when I was replying to your colleague Mr. Picard, I said that the bill would allow us to have a clearer history on people, to focus on the higher risk people and to let the lower risk people go on their way.

Public Safety committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair and members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today as your committee reviews Bill C-21, an act to amend the Customs Act. My name is Jean-Pierre Fortin. I am the national president of the Customs and Immigration Union.

Public Safety committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will go because I have been told that we're going to try to keep this as short as possible. I'm going to try to do this expeditiously so that we can entertain questions.

Public Safety committee  Thank you very much. My name is Jean-Pierre Fortin. I'm the national president of the Customs and Immigration Union. I represent over 10,000 members across the country who are mainly front-line officers in different Canadian airports and all of those working at land borders also.