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OTTAWA – The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) are initiating joint marine security and law enforcement patrols along the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. This partnership creates a major new on-water enforcement presence and fast-response capacity on these waterways.
"This initiative brings together two of Canada’s key agencies on the Great Lakes and the St.Lawrence River, creating a security capacity that has never before existed. This partnership will help protect these important waterways in areas of national security as well as in the prevention of organized crime," said Mauril Bélanger, Minister for Internal Trade and Associate Minister of National Defence.
Minister Bélanger attended the launch of the patrols in Prescott, Ontario on behalf of Anne McLellan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister responsible for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada and Geoff Regan, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, responsible for the Canadian Coast Guard.
This initiative is a component of the Government of Canada's announcement in April of a $300 million, five-year package designed to further enhance the security of Canada’s marine transportation system and maritime borders. The marine security announcement included funding for the Canadian Coast Guard to build 4 new mid-shore patrol vessels for the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River that will be jointly operated with the RCMP. Until these new vessels are built and in operation beginning in 2009, the Coast Guard and the RCMP have dedicated existing vessels to allow the patrols to begin this summer.
The new funding allows the Government of Canada to increase security on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River and provides the means for the federal security partners to work together more effectively.
This partnership will see the RCMP and CCG coordinating their efforts, resources and expertise. It will provide RCMP officers with the capacity to better disrupt and eliminate the activities of organized crime groups and to enhance national security along the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. The initiative also includes the participation and cooperation of provincial and municipal police forces.
Backgrounder :
RCMP and
Canadian Coast Guard launch joint partnership on the Great
Lakes and St. Lawrence River
More information on the RCMP can be found at
www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
More information on the CCG can be found at
www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca.
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