Public Safety committee  There have been no issues that have been brought to my attention.

Public Safety committee  If you mean for these other agencies being able to refer people into the witness protection program, I see that as affording them another avenue in their investigative toolbox for the protection of potential witnesses or people who are assisting them in their area of responsibility.

Public Safety committee  I don't know that percentage per se, but with the improvements and the enhancements to the program, we are going to see, in my estimation, more and more becoming more self-sufficient more quickly. The case management plan has a lot of rigour around it. There is the training we're providing to the handlers and the officers who are engaging these protectees.

Public Safety committee  My sense is that the effort we are putting in on the front end is going to pay huge dividends for us on the back end.

Public Safety committee  That is correct. We are always there in the background in the event they are passing 123 Main Street and run across somebody from their past life. If they have a fear or if a threat of some kind surfaces, we will come back into the picture as required. Aside from that, you're absolutely correct that the idea is for them to live within Canadian society and become self-sufficient.

Public Safety committee  I would have to see the specifics. There is no identified crime. It doesn't specify that you have to be involved with a specific group or crime. It's simply based upon the risk they're facing, and the decision is made at that time as to whether they should be considered for entry into the program.

Public Safety committee  For me, the simple answer would be yes. We are always learning. We learn thanks to research, our investigations and meetings with witnesses who were part of organized crime. So I would say yes, but we are always learning.

Public Safety committee  I guess from an RCMP perspective, Mr. Chair, we appreciate the fact that we were consulted along the way, and we appreciate the changes that are being brought to the federal witness protection program to help us in our daily work.