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As Canada’s lead department for public safety, PSEPC works with five agencies and three review bodies. They are united in a single portfolio and report to the same minister. The result is better integration among federal organizations dealing with national security, emergency management, law enforcement, corrections, crime prevention and borders.

Together, these agencies have an annual budget of $6 billion and more than 52,000 employees working in every part of the country.

Public Safety Portfolio

Agencies

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) manages the nation’s borders by enforcing Canadian laws governing trade and travel, as well as international agreements and conventions. CBSA facilitates legitimate cross-border traffic and supports economic development while stopping people and goods that pose a potential threat to Canada.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) investigates and reports on activities that may pose a threat to the security of Canada. CSIS also provides security assessments, on request, to all federal departments and agencies.

The Correctional Service Canada (CSC) helps protect society by encouraging offenders to become law-abiding citizens while exercising reasonable, safe, secure and humane control. CSC is responsible for managing offenders sentenced to two years or more in federal correctional institutions and under community supervision.

The National Parole Board (NPB) is an independent decision making body that grants, denies or revokes parole for inmates in federal prisons. The NPB helps protect society by facilitating the timely reintegration of offenders into society as law-abiding citizens. The Board also makes conditional release (parole) decisions for provincial inmates in provinces without their own parole board.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) enforces Canadian laws, prevents crime and maintains peace, order and security. This includes:

• preventing, detecting and investigating offences against federal statutes
• maintaining law and order and preventing, detecting and investigating crime in provinces, territories and municipalities where the RCMP has a policing contract
• providing investigative and protective services to other federal departments and agencies
• providing Canadian and international law enforcement agencies with specialized police training and research, forensic laboratory services, identification services and informatics technology

Review bodies

The Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP (CPC) receives complaints from the public about the conduct of members of the RCMP. It reviews and investigates these complaints in an open, independent and objective manner. The Commission also holds public hearings and conducts research and policy development to improve the public complaints process.

The Office of the Correctional Investigator (OCI) conducts independent, thorough and timely investigations about issues related to Correctional Service Canada that affect offenders either individually or as a group. The OCI may initiate an investigation based on a complaint from (or on behalf of) an offender, at the request of the Minister of Public Safety, or on its own initiative.

The RCMP External Review Committee (ERC) is an independent agency that promotes fair and equitable labour relations within the RCMP. The Committee conducts an independent review of appeals in disciplinary, discharge and demotion matters, as well as certain kinds of grievances.