Introduction
Thank you for making me a part of these historic celebrations. I am pleased to be here representing the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, the Honourable Anne McLellan. Minister McLellan has asked me to convey her best wishes and to congratulate the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) for a century of outstanding public service.
Our entire nation owes your members, past and present, a debt of gratitude for your enormous contributions. Thanks to your skill, leadership and dedication, Canada can lay claim to being one of the safest countries in the world.
That dedication was brought into sharp focus after the shootings in Mayerthorpe, and in other communities where on duty officers lost their lives. The Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister were proud to stand by Commissioner Zaccardelli and the RCMP to pay tribute in Edmonton earlier this year to those lost in the line of duty.
The heraldic crest unveiled this evening will act as a lasting reminder of the CACP's first century of service and the exceptional people who have kept us safe and secure. It will symbolize for Canadians how fortunate we are to have you at work in our communities.
Canadians have always held our law enforcement leaders in high regard. Recent polls indicate that over 80% of Canadians are confident in their local police force. That level of support doesn't surprise me. Since becoming involved in this portfolio, I have developed an even greater appreciation for your work, the challenges you face in doing your jobs and your progressive approach to resolving these problems.
21st Century Challenges
While you and your predecessors undoubtedly faced countless difficult situations over the past 100 years, I think it is safe to say that policing today is far more challenging than it ever was in the past.
The complexities of modern policing oblige you to operate both as a community leader and multinational executive, dealing with everything from neighborhood car thefts to international terrorism.
How you, as police leaders, relate to each other and work together is critical to this process. That is why the Government of Canada has focused on building connections in law enforcement: to give your organizations the tools you need to share information and make informed decisions.
I want to underscore that policing remains a priority for our Government and for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada. We understand that police organizations are pivotal to protecting the safety and security of Canadians. I also want to stress that partnerships - among all levels of government, police and citizens - are essential to fighting crime in our communities. I'd like to take a few minutes to bring you up to date on developments in several areas related to policing. Since we met last year, the Government of Canada and Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada has made significant progress - specifically with respect to the DNA data bank, and increasing the protection of our children. But before I explore these topics, I want to talk about the recent gun violence in Toronto.
Gun Violence
Criminal use of firearms is a critical concern in many of our communities and certainly in my community of Rexdale in Toronto. It is an issue that quickly, and rightly, draws a great deal of public attention. We are all aware of the recent shootings in Toronto and the serious concerns expressed by police officials.
As you well know, many actors are involved in combating illegal firearms, each with different roles - the courts, prosecutors, the police, customs officers, and the Canadian Firearms Program.
In May 2004, the Government of Canada announced that it would be investing almost $50 million over five years to combat the criminal use of firearms. The first of these monies is now with law enforcement agencies, such as the National Weapons Enforcement Support Team of the RCMP, which will strengthen their capacity to collect and share intelligence on firearms smuggling, trafficking and crime. With these new resources, the Team, or NWEST, is also ensured a greater degree of stability so that it can continue to help police organizations gather evidence to successfully prosecute criminals involved in the illegal movement and use of firearms.
The Canada Border Services Agency is working to interdict guns at the border, stopping more than a thousand a year. We are adding more agents to the front lines, 270 more officers at our border over the next five years in fact, with funding from the 2005 Budget. The CBSA will hire 11 new intelligence staff to help coordinate strategic assessments in Ottawa to work with the RCMP and police services in the regions. CBSA will establish two regional intelligence positions in Toronto to coordinate efforts of enforcement services in dealing with cross border movement of crime guns.
Our Firearms Program is assisting police officers and other public safety officials who use the Canadian Firearms Registry Online service more than 3,000 times each day to respond to calls, investigate offences and prevent crime. Over 15,000 licenses have been revoked or refused by Chief Firearms Officers across the country, thanks to our Government's tough stand on gun control with universal licensing and firearm registration.
Firearms program information is also helping prosecute firearms crimes. Since 2002, the Canadian Firearms Registry in Ottawa has provided over 5,000 affidavits to help support prosecutions and other court proceedings across the country.
I know that Bill Baker, Commissioner of Firearms, spoke yesterday with your Board of Directors about how the Canada Firearms Centre and police services can work together to maximize the use of Firearms Program information to support policing. Of course, the information flows two ways. The information that the police report into the Firearms Interest Police database in CPIC is vital to the continuous eligibility screening of firearms licence holders. The information is vital to decision-making on license revocations for public safety grounds, when needed. Gun violence in the community is a complex issue, and requires the concerted efforts of all levels of government.
Updates
DNA
In terms of partnerships, we are already working more effectively together as a result of several new initiatives we have launched since last year's conference. For instance, Bill C-13, which received Royal Assent last May, has strengthened Canada's DNA data bank legislation so more DNA samples can be collected from more convicted offenders. In passing the law, Parliamentarians recognized that this is a critical crime-fighting tool that will significantly contribute to public safety in Canada.
When it is fully implemented, it will be possible for a court to make a DNA data bank order against anyone convicted of an offence punishable by a sentence of five years or more. This will also apply to an offender found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder. For a limited number of the "worst of the worst" criminal offences, a DNA order will be mandatory following conviction.
One of the most important provisions of Bill C-13 will be the addition of Internet luring of a child, as well as child pornography and criminal organization offences to the list of "primary designated offences."
Already in force, the retroactive provisions of the Bill mean that someone convicted before June 30, 2000 of murder, manslaughter or a sexual offence, and who is still under sentence, could be included in the National DNA Data Bank.
Child Exploitation
Combating child exploitation is at the top of our Government's public safety list. Last October, the Minister of Justice introduced Bill C-2 to amend the Criminal Code and Canada Evidence Act to increase the protection of children and other vulnerable people from sexual exploitation, violence, abuse and neglect. This Bill, which received Royal Ascent on July 21, 2005, provides the most comprehensive child protection legislation of any country in the world.
Among other things, the legislation broadens the definition of child pornography, increases maximum penalties, and narrows existing defences to a single legitimate defence. It also creates a new sexual exploitation offence that better protects youth between the ages of 14 and 18.
As well, in January of this year we launched cybertip.ca - Canada's National Tipline to report the online sexual exploitation of children. A recent case highlights the valuable role the public can play in preventing online child victimization. In July, a report filed with Cybertip.ca by a Colorado woman concerning sexually explicit e-mails sent to her 14-year-old son resulted in the arrest of a 41-year-old
Hamilton-area man, and averted his plans to meet the boy. In the three months after its official launch on January 24, Cybertip.ca received 1,394 reports of child sexual exploitation on the Internet. Just as important, Cybertip.ca provides the public with information, referrals and other resources to help Canadians keep their children safe while on the Internet.
This will augment the work of the RCMP's National Child Exploitation Centre, which links police agencies across Canada to aid investigations of child sexual exploitation using the Internet. In its first year of operation, the centre has helped law enforcement agencies to identify 55 Canadian victims through these integrated investigations.
Looking Ahead
Lawful Access
We have more improvements planned when we return to the House of Commons in the fall, when we intend to introduce lawful access legislation.
As we were reminded with the horrific bombings in London and Egypt this summer, criminals and terrorist groups are taking full advantage of cutting-edge technologies. Yet, police departments and security agencies are still using legislation dating back to the days of rotary phones and analog technologies. We recognize that the enforcement community is at a disadvantage in trying to keep pace with tech-savvy criminals and terrorists. That's why the Government of Canada wants to ensure police and national security organizations have a modern legal framework to investigate crime in the digital age.
We carried out consultations from February to June of this year with police services and other key stakeholders on our draft legislation to ensure it reflects and responds to the needs of frontline police. Through the consultations, we heard from Canadians who expressed concern about its privacy implications. As you know, lawful access to private communications - like other police activities of this nature - is subject to rigorous reporting and accountability requirements. Updates to the lawful access legislation will not modify this.
Organized Crime
We are also working with police through the National Coordinating Committee to combat about organized crime. In recent years, we have undertaken important legislative and law enforcement initiatives targeting criminal organizations. We have also invested significant amounts of money to fighting organized crime. We will continue to take steps to combat this significant problem.
Integrated Policing
We recognize that partnerships are integral to the work of police organizations as well. We know that one of your association's priorities is improving these partnerships through integrated policing, and with good reason. The modern law enforcement environment places enormous pressures on all of us delivering public safety services. As we become increasingly connected and interdependent to deal with complex law enforcement issues, not only on a national but global basis, it leads naturally to thinking about sharing common services, integrated teams and strategic priorities.
This is indeed a challenge. The CACP and other stakeholders have been working hard with the department to develop a way forward for Integrated Policing which was evidenced at recent Federal-Provincial-Territorial meetings of Assistant Deputy Ministers and Deputy Ministers. The CACP and others will be key players in developing a work plan based on concrete, "near-term" results.
Conclusion
All of these initiatives and the progress made around legislation are helping to create safer communities and a more secure society. However, as necessary and valuable as these initiatives are, there is no question that the police are the key element in the protection of our citizens.
We look forward to continuing to work in close and productive partnership as we move ahead with our shared agenda of fighting crime. On behalf of all Canadians, I once again salute you for a century of exceptional service to the public and wish you all the very best in the months and years to come.
Thank you.