Home Newsroom 2005 Speeches (archive) Bloodworth: 2005-05-16

Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation Government Opportunities Series breakfast

Speaking notes for
Margaret Bloodworth 

Ottawa, Ontario
May 16, 2005

Introduction

Thank you for your kind introduction and invitation to join you for breakfast this morning.

There is a growing recognition today that the public and private sectors share many interests. One of these is the protection of our safety and security. Although keeping our citizens and communities safe is a responsibility - indeed, the most important responsibility - of the government, the private sector and individual Canadians have a real role to play in helping protect their own safety and security.

A secure society ensures our country is open to the world, so Canadian goods, services, capital, people and knowledge are able to reach, and succeed in, the international marketplace.

The government's role is to help protect Canadians by identifying and intercepting threats to national security and public safety, and to help maintain a just, peaceful and safe society.

“Help” is a key word here: while the government has a direct interest in the security of Canada 's critical infrastructure, for example, much of the infrastructure itself is owned and operated by the private sector. The government can't - and shouldn't - be responsible for ensuring the security of this infrastructure alone.

Next week I will be participating in the Conference Board of Canada's first Public-Private Summit on National Security. I'm sure the respective roles of the government and industry in protecting Canada's critical infrastructure will be a topic of much discussion, as will the roles of the public and private sectors in helping to ensure our borders are both secure and open.

Another theme will no doubt be that the government relies on the private sector to help provide the tools it needs to do its job, and to facilitate new ways to do it better. To give you just one example, although some of us curse them, Blackberries have already made a real difference in our ability to stay connected and to keep informed. And my department is acutely aware that we must take every advantage of such opportunities.

From what I understand of OCRI's Government Opportunities Series, I'm sure that you are particularly interested in the last theme. Given all the change in government of late, you probably see a wealth of opportunities.

You probably also wonder how to make sense of it all.

Now, I'll mention up front that I'm not a big buyer, particularly compared to my last job as Deputy Minister of National Defence. My current responsibilities reside primarily in the realm of policy and coordination.

I thought it would be useful, therefore, to give you a better sense of how the government is approaching public safety and national security, and what Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada in particular, is doing. I'll also touch on just a few of the initiatives my department is pursuing that you may find interesting, particularly in the areas of interoperability and cyber security.

If there is a key theme I'd like to draw out, it is that collaboration, networking - both literally and figuratively - and information sharing are fundamental to all that we do as a department, and will drive much of what we do for many years to come.

The Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Portfolio

Let me start in December 2003, when the decision was made to amalgamate the former Department of the Solicitor General, the Office of Critical Infrastructure Protection and Emergency Preparedness, and the National Crime Prevention Centre to establish a national centre for public safety and security.

The resulting department - Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada (or PSEP) - has close to 800 employees, with an operating budget of $414 million.

While the number of employees may sound small, PSEP is part of a much broader security portfolio, including CSIS, the RCMP, the Canada Firearms Centre, the Correctional Service of Canada and the National Parole Board.

Another key component of the portfolio is the Canada Border Services Agency, which brings together customs officials, food inspection agents and immigration enforcement officers previously spread among three different agencies and departments.

The entire portfolio has close to 55,000 employees in all regions of the country, and an operating budget of $5 billion.

The changes involved in creating the department and bringing together the portfolio are tremendously significant, and mark a new direction in Canada 's approach to protecting Canadians. For the first time in our country, security and intelligence, policing and enforcement, corrections and crime prevention, border services and border integrity, immigration enforcement and emergency management are under one umbrella, led by a single, senior cabinet minister.

An integrated approach

As the first Deputy Minister of PSEP, I can assure you that the process has not been an easy one.

But it has also been a remarkably successful process thus far, in large part because so many people in the department and its portfolio agencies agree that the impetus behind it is powerful. Integrating the related responsibilities I mentioned makes us all more effective in identifying and closing security gaps, communicating with one another and synchronizing our activities to better protect Canadians.

Equally important, it improves our connections with provincial and territorial emergency preparedness networks, municipalities, law enforcement agencies and the private sector, as well as our international partners. As we have learned in recent years with the experience of SARS and 9/11, threats to our personal health and safety and national security do not respect borders.

I would emphasize, however, that while the creation of PSEP was hastened by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, it was not simply a reaction to a terrorist threat. Indeed, terrorism is but one of a wide range of threats that Canadians face today, and I think the government's strategic decision to better coordinate our defences against any and all hazards - regardless of their cause - will serve us well for many years to come.

Let me show you what I mean.

In today's world, we can be threatened not only by terrorists quietly infiltrating our communities to plan attacks on governments and businesses, but also by:

• organized crime syndicates using the Internet to launder money and traffic in weapons and child pornography;
• computer viruses that could very quickly paralyze critical networks;
• cyber-stalkers preying on our children; or,
• cyber con-artist stealing our identities and emptying our bank accounts.

Other threats come courtesy of Mother Nature. There's hardly a corner of our country that hasn't been touched in the past few years by ice storms, floods, forest fires, tornadoes or hurricanes.

And natural disasters can create a domino effect, knocking out power and transportation systems, leading to yet another set of safety and security problems.

In each of these cases, sharing accurate information and coordinating among those responsible for making a wide range of decisions is pivotal in mounting an efficient and effective response.

It's not simply a matter of ensuring that the right hand knows what the left is doing - although with so many people involved in responding to a complex emergency, this can be a challenge in its own right.

It's also a matter of ensuring that our resources can be brought to bear as precisely and efficiently as possible. That means not only coordinating our response to a crisis, but also the way agencies in the PSEP portfolio prepare for emergencies and go about their daily business of keeping Canadians safe. Bringing these agencies together under one umbrella allows us to identify where initiatives overlap, and where there are gaps.

While I certainly don't get involved in the details of who buys what in the RCMP or the Canada Border Services Agency, for example, it is part of my job to help the Minister identify and balance priorities, and to ensure that the activities of PSEP and its portfolio partners fit in with the broader government agenda. Priority setting, therefore, is very much a collaborative process.

The National Security Policy and PSEPC

If I could step back for a moment, this is one of the reasons why Canada's National Security Policy - for which we marked the first anniversary at the end of April - sets out an integrated strategy and action plan designed to address anything that could disrupt the economy or endanger public health and safety.

The National Security Policy identifies three core security goals:

• Protecting Canada and Canadians at home and abroad;
• Ensuring Canada is not a base for threats to our allies; and,
• Contributing to international security.

The policy strengthens Canada's capacities in six key areas: intelligence gathering, emergency management, public health crises, transportation security, border security and international security.

Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness is actively involved in each of these areas. The portfolio has responsibilities for cyber security, border services and enforcement, counter-terrorism, critical infrastructure protection, emergency preparedness training and funding, national emergency response plans and disaster financial assistance.

In short, my department coordinates the efforts of key federal agencies with a role in planning for, and responding to, any emergencies or other emerging threats that put our lives or livelihoods at risk.

The department also coordinates on various levels with provincial, territorial and private sector partners. For example, PSEP is holding a series of town halls across the country this spring to engage stakeholders in the development of Canada's Strategy for National Critical Infrastructure Protection. Our objective is to complete consultations on this by summer. I would note that feedback from provinces and private industry has thus far been very positive.

Government Operations Centre

One of the most important initiatives announced under the National Security Policy is the Government Operations Centre, which is housed within PSEPC. The Centre provides around-the-clock coordination and support across federal departments, as well as between key national and international partners in the event of national emergencies. It also receives and issues information dealing with any emerging or occurring threat to the safety and security of Canadians and Canada's critical infrastructure. Data received by the Government Operations Centre is quickly verified, analyzed and distributed to the appropriate response organizations.

When required, the Government Operations Centre can quickly increase its resources and oversee emergency government operations. It can help officials from other departments and agencies analyze and respond to emergency situations as they evolve. The Centre can draw on experts in various fields to help provincial or territorial governments support their local authorities and first responders.

Cyber security

Something that might strike closer to home for many of you is the problem of cyber security. In today's wired world, it is becoming increasingly difficult to separate physical from cyber infrastructure - something we learned only too well during the blackout of the summer of 2003. While that particular problem was put down to human error, the potential certainly exists for more sinister threats to critical infrastructure.

Recognizing that we must do everything we can to protect critical infrastructure, including energy, utilities and communications providers, transportation systems and safety services, PSEP recently launched the Canadian Cyber Incident Response Centre. It serves as the national focal point for dealing with cyber threats to Canada's critical infrastructure.

The Centre, which is integrated within the Government Operations Centre, provides national and international leadership in cyber readiness and response. It operates 24/7, monitoring and analysing threats and vulnerabilities, coordinating the response to incidents, and offering technical advice for critical infrastructure owners and operators.

The Canadian Cyber Incident Response Centre (CCIRC) works closely with other federal departments and agencies, provincial, territorial and municipal governments as well as private sector critical infrastructure organizations. The Response Centre, along with other arms of the Government Operations Centre, participates in a weekly risk briefing with representatives from critical infrastructure sector associations from industry (for example, the Canadian Bankers' Association).

As well, CCIRC is in the process of building operational relationships with key IT industry players such as Microsoft. CCIRC also builds on PSEP's international relationships through collaboration with our allied partners including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.

Interoperability project

As I said in my opening remarks,collaboration and information sharing are central to all that we do.

That's why I'd like to briefly describe another high-priority project led by PSEP that I am confident will help identify future directions and requirements.

The Interoperability Project is developing a blueprint for tackling information sharing and interoperability challenges among federal departments and agencies that are engaged, in whole or in part, in protecting public safety and security. The purpose of the project is to develop a strategy to overcome barriers to information sharing in the public safety and security arena, while ensuring respect for privacy, transparency and accountability.

Mike Baker, the Director General for the Public Safety Interoperability Directorate, is here with me today, and will be able to answer any questions you might have. I'd like, though,to give you two concrete examples of interoperability initiatives currently being developed.

First, the Real Time Identification Project is a five-year initiative to re-engineer the current manual processes for fingerprint records to allow the RCMP to provide instant fingerprint and criminal record information to authorized users. This project will enable the successful deployment of LIVESCAN, the actual technology that suppports electronic fingerprinting. The end result will be a seamless, on time and on demand system.

Second, the Secret Communications Interoperability Project received funding in Budget 2005. This three-year project will provide key government departments with the critical capacity to share classified information electronically. On a pilot basis, we will first involve the PSEP portfolio agencies, as well as the Communications Security Establishment and the Privy Council Office.

These are just two examples - the Interoperability Project will produce a long-term strategic vision and framework, and an initial 5-year implementation plan for enhanced public safety and security interoperability.

It is important to keep in mind that our challenge in improving interoperability is not just one of enhancing connectivity - it is also about ensuring that appropriate filters and gates are in place.

Canadians' privacy rights are paramount, so our activities must balance security considerations with individual rights and freedoms. Government departments are restricted by legislation - including the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Privacy Act and provincial privacy regimes - regarding the information they are allowed to collect for specific program activities. Achieving interoperability would enable departments to use information they are authorized to collect more efficiently and effectively.

Imagine yourself in the position of a border agent. You need to know if the person in front of you trying to enter the country presents a threat to Canada , or is perhaps wanted for a serious crime. You need to have the required information at your fingertips, tailored to meet but not exceed your authority, and you need it immediately. Interoperability will help deliver that through technological and business solutions that incorporate the appropriate privacy safeguards.

The Interoperability Project is a major undertaking, involving 26 organizations - as well as hundreds of systems and complex data repositories.

And the project will go a long way to helping create an integrated security system that allows public safety authorities to communicate and share required information with the right people at the right time.

Research and development

Before I conclude and open the floor to hear some of your own questions, I'd like to return to the idea of innovation. In order to anticipate and respond appropriately to today's threats to our safety and security, it is essential to know where we are vulnerable, and to aim to stay one step ahead of the problem.

Research and development is absolutely essential to our success, and is something we need to do more of.

Just last month, we launched the first research program of its kind in Canada focused on mapping the interdependencies of various critical infrastructures.

The Joint Infrastructure Interdependencies Research Program, under which six academic researchers have been selected to receive funding, is a joint venture between our department and Science and Engineering Research Canada. It will produce new science-based knowledge and practices to better assess, manage, and mitigate risks to Canadians from possible failures related to critical infrastructure interdependencies.

In April, we announced $2.98 million in funding for six multi-partner projects to study the interdependencies of Canada's major infrastructure systems. For example, the University of British Columbia received approximately $1,000,000 to study decision making for critical linkages in infrastructure networks. York University was given close to $600,000 to model interdependencies for emergency management using geographic decision support systems.

Research is also a significant component of our recently-released Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Strategy, designed to enhance our country's readiness to address the threat of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear terrorism.

PSEP has led the development of the Government of Canada's CBRN Strategy to effectively coordinate ongoing CBRN initiatives and to provide a strategic framework for future efforts and investments. In developing the Strategy, PSEPC held consultations with other federal departments, provinces and territories, and the first responder community.

Budget 2001 allocated over $250M to enhance Canada's CBRN readiness and response capacity through development and delivery of programs and initiatives that address science and technology research and development, CBRN training and equipment for first responders. PSEP provides first responder CBRN training through the Canadian Emergency Preparedness College, and in cooperation with other federal departments.

Some of you may know that Defence R&D; Canada, an agency within the Department of National Defence, is leading the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Research and Technology Initiative. The initiative, launched in May 2002, leverages science and technology to close gaps in Canada's CBRN response capability. The approach is interdepartmental, creating clusters of laboratories as parts of a greater federal response network. All projects are designed to put new technology and techniques into the hands of Canada's first responders.

Conclusion

As I said at the outset, the challenges in protecting public safety and ensuring national security are far too great for any single sector of society to address alone. At PSEP, we know we need to draw on the expertise and resources of a broad cross-section of partners, all across the country. That's one of the reasons our department was formed.

Given your interest in our work, I am encouraged to know that we can count on members of Ottawa's high-tech and research communities to be there if we need them.

While I have tried to give you a broad overview of the Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness portfolio and touch on some areas that might be of interest to you, I would imagine that you have questions about the portfolio and its various areas of responsibility. Rather than take up any more time with formal remarks, perhaps it would be better spent answering your questions.