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Deputy Prime Minister releases progress on implementation of National Security Policy

Ottawa, May 11, 2005 -- Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness the Honourable Anne McLellan today tabled in Parliament Securing an Open Society: One Year Later, a progress report on the implementation of the National Security Policy. Securing an Open Society: Canada’s National Security Policy was released on April 27, 2004 and set out a strategic framework and action plan designed to address current and future threats.

“The Government is committed to enhancing national security and has made significant progress implementing initiatives identified in the National Security Policy as well as additional national security measures,” said the Deputy Prime Minister. “Although efforts to improve Canada’s national security system must continue, important steps have been taken and the progress report provides an important measure of our success.”

Among the key achievements detailed in the progress report:

• Creation of the Public Health Agency of Canada and appointment of Canada’s first Chief Public Health Officer;
• Launching of the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America by the leaders of Canada, the U.S. and Mexico;
• Creation of a Government Operations Centre to provide round the clock coordination and support across government in the event of a national emergency;
• Establishment of an Integrated Threat Assessment Centre to produce comprehensive and timely threat assessments;
• Establishment of a new high level federal-provincial-territorial forum on emergencies;
• Creation of the Marine Facility Security Contribution Program to enhance port and port facility security;
• Continued expansion of NEXUS and FAST to 11 and 19 sites, respectively, and the launch of the innovative new NEXUS-Air pilot program at Vancouver International Airport;
• Establishment of the Cross-Cultural Roundtable on Security to enhance dialogue around national security issues; and,
• Development of a proposed model for a National Security Committee of Parliamentarians.

Full details on progress of these and other initiatives are set out in Securing an Open Society: One Year Later.

For more information:

Alex Swann
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Anne McLellan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
(613) 991-2863