Public Safety committee  When we receive the 3800 form containing DNA information, that information is kept and put on hold. It isn't true that we don't have it. We keep that information. We enter it in the system. When we receive the fingerprints, the two pieces of information are put together in the criminal record.

Public Safety committee  The technology for taking fingerprints?

Public Safety committee  It's the same. The reliability or the accuracy is the same.

Public Safety committee  Some of it is similar, because they're respecting the same international standard, but it's not the same. The two systems are not connected.

Public Safety committee  With regard to the accuracy, the system respects international standards that are used around the world for other systems similar to it. The accuracy is as high as possible. It has been demonstrated in multiple worldwide analyses on this. The volume would not affect the accuracy, because each and every submission is processed individually.

Public Safety committee  It's also important, if they were arrested before or if they received a pardon, that they request a criminal records check, which will provide a certified product stating they don't have a criminal record. They could need this to present at the border.

Public Safety committee  We don't have that information. However, it is very important to know that the offences are not all our responsibility, depending whether the offences are major or minor. The information on certain offences remains the property of the police department since no fingerprints are taken for those offences under the Identification of Criminals Act.

Public Safety committee  No, we're also talking about criminal offences. In the national criminal record repository, we will enter information related to the fingerprints that we are entitled to keep. If fingerprints don't have to be taken for a particular offence committed, the information will not be forwarded to us.

Public Accounts committee  It's not about saving money. We created permanent positions in order to attract and retain qualified employees. The training is not available outside, so we do the training on site. It requires further training and staffing actions to keep our employees and train them. So it's a lengthy process to retain and staff positions.

Public Accounts committee  Yes.

Public Accounts committee  With respect to criminal record analysis, some positions have become vacant following the information technology renewal. We use a very sophisticated staffing process to fill our vacant positions. We have filled 70 permanent positions.

Public Accounts committee  Rather over the past few years. However, there are many people retiring, and some are leaving because of promotions. We always have an ongoing staffing process.

Public Accounts committee  The vacancy rate with respect to the...? I do not have the exact numbers.

Public Accounts committee  Yes, we could do that.

Public Accounts committee  We haven't done an impact analysis. The RCMP is not responsible for security issues, that falls under the department. We're only responsible for verifying criminal records.