Report on Plans and Priorities for 2007/2008

Minister’s Message

The Government of Canada made a commitment to Canadians to keep our country secure and our communities safe. The Public Safety portfolio plays a central role in meeting this obligation to Canadians. As Minister of Public Safety, I am pleased to provide Parliament with this Report on Plans and Priorities for 2007-2008 that describes our efforts to protect Canadian families and build a stronger, safer and better Canada.

Over the past year, the Government of Canada has taken concrete steps to enhance border security by arming border officers and hiring more people so that no officer will be required to work at the border alone.

We have taken a balanced approach to tackling crime by putting more RCMP officers in our communities, providing more resources to our law-enforcement agencies and promoting crime prevention. At the same time, the Government of Canada has been working to improve the effectiveness of our corrections system, heighten emergency preparedness and enhance our national security infrastructure while remaining vigilant to the threat of terrorism.

In the coming year, we will continue to make Canada a safer place for all. We will continue to tackle crime and safeguard our national security from any terrorist threats. We will continue to defend our borders, prepare for emergencies and take steps to reduce gun and other crime. We will build on our relationships with our friends and neighbours to protect our common interests in security and prosperity, and we will do so in a manner that safeguards the open society that Canadians treasure.

The Report on Plans and Priorities of each of the Portfolio Agencies and the Department lay out the full scope of our plans and key activities that we will pursue in the coming months. Over the past year, I have witnessed both the dedication and discipline of the people who work in the Public Safety Portfolio. I am confident that, with these new plans and priorities, such qualities will continue to define our efforts and that substantive progress will be made in fulfilling our collective mandate to make Canada a safer and more secure country.

The Honourable Stockwell Day, PC, MP
Minister of Public Safety