2015 Federal Budget
On April 21, 2015, Finance Minister Joe Oliver delivered the government’s latest
federal budget. Of interest to members of the Canadian Association of Police
Governance are the following:
Mental Health:
§ Economic Action Plan 2015 proposes to provide funding to support health system
innovation and research to address specific health issues affecting many Canadians
and their families, particularly mental health.
§ The Government of Canada’s intention to renew the mandate of the Mental Health
Commission of Canada for another 10 years, beginning in 2017-18 is something that
CAPG lobbied the Minister of Health on and we are pleased to see that this much
needed funding is continuing.
§ This new funding will allow the Commission to continue its important work to promote
mental health in Canada and foster change in the delivery of mental health services,
including suicide prevention.
§ Following consultations with stakeholders, including Partners for Mental Health, the
Minister of Health will be outlining the new mandate and direction of the Mental Health
Commission in the coming months and we look forward to these consultations.
Law Enforcement & Public Safety:
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Investing $292.6 million over five years in intelligence and law enforcement
agencies for additional investigative resources to counter terrorism.
Providing $12.5 million over five years, starting in 2015–16, and $2.5
million ongoing thereafter, in additional funding to the Security
Intelligence
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Review Committee to enhance its review of the Canadian Security Intelligence
Service.
Providing $58 million over five years, starting in 2015–16, to further protect
the Government of Canada’s essential cyber systems and critical
infrastructure against cyber attacks.
Investing $36.4 million over five years to support the operators of
Canada’s vital cyber systems in addressing cyber security threats, as
required by new legislation.
Providing $60.4 million over three years on a cash basis to support an
enhanced security model on Parliament Hill.
Investing $27 million over five years, starting in 2015–16, to enhance
security measures at Canada’s federal courts and registry offices and the
Supreme Court of Canada.
Providing $10 million over five years to the City of Ottawa to support policing
services in the Nation’s Capital.
Providing $3 million over two years, starting in 2016–17, to take initial steps
to establish a Public Safety Broadband Network, a high-speed mobile
network dedicated to emergency management.
Supporting a memorial for the three Royal Canadian Mounted Police
officers killed in Moncton in June 2014
From Economic Action Plan 2015 - Chapter 4.3 Protecting Canadians
The Government’s foremost responsibility is to ensure the safety and security of
Canadians and defend our sovereignty. Canadians want to feel safe and secure in their
homes, online and in their communities.
In the past year, Canada has again demonstrated its resolve to stand with our allies.
Canada has been at the forefront of the international community’s fight against the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and in providing support to Ukraine. Tragically,
Canadians were also reminded by recent events at home that the world can be a
dangerous place and that Canada is not immune to the threat of terrorism, cyber
attacks and other evils.
Violent Jihadist terrorism is not just a threat elsewhere in the world. It seeks to bring
harm to Canada, and to destroy our values of freedom and diversity. The Government
does not hesitate to confront this evil.
The Anti-Terrorism Act, 2015, introduced in Parliament on January 30, 2015, will help
our law enforcement and national security agencies stop those who promote terrorism,
prevent terrorist travel, thwart efforts to use Canada as a recruiting ground for terror and
prevent attacks on our soil.
Economic Action Plan 2015 builds on these efforts and proposes further action to better
protect Canadians from the threat of terrorism and cyber attacks, maintain the integrity
of our borders and the safety of our communities, and support the Canadian Armed
Forces as they continue to uphold Canadian interests and values. In addition, the
Government will introduce new legislative and regulatory amendments to improve the
effectiveness of Canada’s economic sanctions regime.
Enhancing National Security
Economic Action Plan 2015 proposes initiatives to combat the threat of terrorism and
better secure government institutions and the vital cyber systems that Canadians rely
upon on a daily basis.
Countering Terrorism
Economic Action Plan 2015 proposes to provide $292.6 million over five years,
starting in 2015–16, to counter terrorism.
Canada is not immune to the threat of terrorism. This was tragically demonstrated by
last October’s attacks in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu and Ottawa. Economic Action Plan
2015 proposes to provide additional resources to counter terrorism to the Royal
Canadian Mounted Police, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and the Canada
Border Services Agency. These funds will provide additional investigative resources to
our law enforcement and national security agencies to allow them to keep pace with the
evolving threat of terrorism and terrorist financing, in order to continue to protect
Canadians.
Enhancing the Review of National Security Agencies
Economic Action Plan 2015 proposes to provide up to $12.5 million over five years,
starting in 2015–16, and $2.5 million ongoing thereafter, in additional funding to the
Security Intelligence Review Committee to enhance its review of the Canadian Security
Intelligence Service.
As we empower our law enforcement and national security agencies with the tools they
need to better protect Canadians from the threat of terrorism, we must also ensure that
these practices are governed by an effective and transparent framework that protects
the rights of individual Canadians. For this reason, Economic Action Plan 2015
proposes to provide the Security Intelligence Review Committee with up to $12.5
million over five years, starting in 2015–16, and $2.5 million ongoing thereafter, in
additional funding so that it can continue to provide a robust and independent review of
the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.
Enhancing the Security of Government of Canada Networks and Cyber Systems
Economic Action Plan 2015 proposes to provide $58 million over the next five years,
starting in 2015–16, to further protect the Government of Canada’s essential cyber
systems and critical infrastructure against cyber attacks.
Since 2010, the Government has shown a strong commitment to cyber security, having
released and invested in Canada’s Cyber Security Strategy. A core priority has been
protecting the Government’s cyber systems and infrastructure, to defend against
significant security breach attempts by cyber attackers who present ongoing threats to
Canada and our allies abroad.
To better defend and protect these systems, the Government is taking action by
upgrading critical cyber systems, such as Internet network paths and connections that
are used on a regular basis to provide services to Canadians. Taking these measures will
ensure that the Government is able to continue to detect and repel infiltration attempts on
the Government’s cyber systems and identify malicious actors that seek unauthorized
access.
Canada’s Cyber Security Strategy Canada’s Cyber Security Strategy was announced in 2010 and outlines the Government’s plan for protecting Canadians from cyber security threats. The Strategy is built on three pillars: • Securing Government systems—Canadians trust the Government with their personal and corporate information, to deliver services and to protect and advance Canada’s national security and economic interests. The Government will put in place the necessary structures, tools and personnel to meet its obligations for cyber security within its own systems. • Partnering to secure vital cyber systems outside the federal government— Canada’s economic prosperity and Canadians’ security depend on the smooth functioning of systems outside the Government. In cooperation with provincial and territorial governments and the private sector, the Government will support initiatives and take steps to strengthen the resiliency of Canadian cyber systems, including critical infrastructure. • Helping Canadians to be secure online—The Government will assist Canadians in getting the information they need to protect themselves and their families online, and strengthen the ability of law enforcement agencies to combat cybercrime. Economic Action Plan 2015 proposes to take further action in support of Canada’s Cyber Security Strategy. Protecting Vital Cyber Systems
Economic Action Plan 2015 proposes to provide $36.4 million over five years, starting
in 2015–16, to support the Government’s efforts to ensure Canada’s vital cyber
systems remain safe and reliable.
Canadians are embracing the many advantages that the Internet offers, but our
increasing reliance on cyber technologies makes us more vulnerable to those who
would seek to attack and undermine our digital infrastructure and threaten our national
security, economic prosperity and way of life.
The Government is taking action to protect the vital cyber systems that Canadians rely
on daily and that are critical to national security. Following consultations, new
legislation will require operators of vital cyber systems to implement cyber security
plans, meet robust security outcomes for their systems and report cyber security
incidents to the Government of Canada.
Building on the efforts of individual operators of vital cyber systems to secure their own
systems, Economic Action Plan 2015 funding will provide enhanced support to
operators through the development and dissemination of cyber security tools, security
information and expertise to implement the new legislation.
Improving Security on Parliament Hill
Economic Action Plan 2015 proposes to provide $60.4 million over three years on a
cash basis, starting in 2015–16, in support of security on Parliament Hill.
The October 22, 2014 event on Parliament Hill was an attack on the heart of Canadian
democracy and the freedom it represents. It highlighted the need for an integrated
security force to ensure seamless responses to threats. The Government will bring
forward legislative amendments to implement this integrated security force. Economic
Action Plan 2015 proposes to provide the necessary resources to support security on
Parliament Hill as an enhanced security model is put in place. The new model will
provide protection for visitors, parliamentarians and staff, while seeking to maintain
access to Parliament for all Canadians.
Improving Canada’s Economic Sanctions
Economic Action Plan 2015 reaffirms the Government’s intention to introduce new
legislative and regulatory amendments to improve the effectiveness of Canada’s
economic sanctions regime.
In fulfilling its foreign policy objectives and meeting its international obligations, Canada
has implemented various economic sanctions measures. These include financial
sanctions targeting countries, entities and individuals designated by the United Nations
Security Council, as well as sanctions that Canada has unilaterally imposed against
entities identified as posing a threat to its citizens and interests. The obligations related
to targeted financial sanctions, for example the seizure or freezing of assets, are set
out in regulations and apply to all Canadians.
In keeping with a commitment made in Economic Action Plan 2014, the Government
will introduce new legislative and regulatory amendments to improve the effectiveness
of Canada’s economic sanctions regime, consistent with Canada’s objectives of
safeguarding the integrity of the international financial system, as well as the safety and
security of Canadians.
Protecting the Privacy of Personal Information
Economic Action Plan 2015 proposes to amend the Personal Information Protection
and Electronic Documents Act to provide that the World Anti-Doping Agency is subject
to Canada’s federal privacy law.
The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)
establishes basic legal requirements that private sector organizations must respect so
that Canadians trust that their privacy will be protected when personal information is in
the hands of businesses. While PIPEDA provides clear rules for organizations in the
context of commercial activity, it does not currently apply to organizations such as the
World Anti-Doping Agency, an international, independent organization headquartered in
Montreal.
Economic Action Plan 2015 proposes to clarify through legislative and regulatory
amendments that Canada’s privacy protection laws extend to organizations such as the
World Anti-Doping Agency, thereby helping to ensure that all personal information they
hold in Canada is adequately protected.
Protecting the Integrity of Our Borders
Protecting the integrity of our borders is essential to keeping Canadians safe and
secure, while facilitating economic activity. Economic Action Plan 2013 announced a
number of initiatives under the Beyond the Border Action Plan to address threats as
early as possible and expedite the flow of legitimate goods and people. Through
Economic Action Plan 2015, the Government is continuing to take steps to achieve that
balance while facilitating genuine travel to Canada.