Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for coming. It's a pleasure for me to be here with the Minister of Transport, on behalf of the Anne McLellan, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.
For those who work at sea, a port can provide shelter from stormy waters. In truly every sense of the word, a port must provide security - for our people and for our country. Ensuring this kind of protection is a major part of the Government of Canada's public safety agenda.
And we have put our money where our mouth is. Since the events of September 11, 2001, the Government of Canada has allocated approximately $9 billion to public safety and security. In Budget 2005, the Government proposed a further $300 million in new marine security initiatives-to supplement activities already underway-which Minister Valeri will detail in a moment.
Marine security is a key component of Canada's National Security Policy and this round of funding will greatly enhance the security of our marine transportation system. It will allow us to build on the work already done over the last three years to improve marine security.
Funding to purchase new vessels and communications technologies
will help us to further patrol and monitor our marine border as well as better
protect Canadian citizens.
As the Parliamentary Secretary to Minister McLellan, I would like to emphasize
the role that some of our agencies within the portfolio play in the marine
security initiatives that Minister Valeri will describe today.
Our national police service, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, will work with the Department of National Defence to develop actionable intelligence and create a clearer picture of marine traffic along the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway.
This will help to identify possible threats to the health and
safety of Canadians.
The RCMP will expand its existing presence to better respond to and monitor
potentially sensitive incidents on the Great Lakes and our coasts. It will
expand the RCMP's ability to prevent terrorists and organized crime groups
from transporting goods or people through our marine transportation system.
The other agency within the Public Safety portfolio that plays a crucial role
in this coordinated effort is the Canada Border Services Agency. Under this
funding, CBSA will be provided with specially trained personnel to operate
the radiation detection equipment for use on shipping containers. Additional
officers will be trained to screen passengers and crews arriving at ports
and marinas.
While the funds to support these efforts will ensure better marine security nation-wide, more than half of the initiatives will be applied to the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway system. This valuable waterway handles more than 250 million tones of commercial cargo per year and provides access to the heartland of North America. With some 32 million people living in this region, it is important for the Government of Canada to have a stronger marine security presence here.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Government of Canada is committed to protecting the safety and security of its citizens.
I am proud to be a part of this important announcement, and I look forward to continued cooperation with Transport Canada and our other public safety partners in implementing these new marine security initiatives outlined here today.
Thank you.