Questions and Answers: The Minister of Public Safety, Parliamentary Protective Service and the RCMP
Questions and Answers
What is the Minister of Public Safety's role/authority under the PPS?
The Minister of Public Safety is a signatory to the 4-party MOU signed June 2015, including the RCMP Commissioner, the Speaker for the House of Commons, and the Speaker for the Senate. This MOU was created to set out the principals for the creation of a Parliamentary Protective Service, and to provide clarity on the roles, responsibilities, and reporting lines therein.
What is the RCMP's role/authority under the PPS?
While an RCMP member is the operational lead of the PPS, the PPS is a separate entity from other law enforcement partners.
As legislated, the Director of PPS is now the only RCMP member within PPS out of 764 PPS employees.
The Director of the PPS reports to and takes all direction from the Speakers of the House of Commons and Senate.
The RCMP liaises with PPS in the same manner as other law enforcement agencies.
How is OPS, PPS, and RCMP jurisdictional authority different in the NCR?
The Ottawa police remain the police of jurisdiction within the NCR as it pertains to policing any municipal laws.
The RCMP has both a protective policing and federal investigative mandate within the NCR to safeguard principal government officials and to investigate Federal Policing threats related to national security; transnational and serious organized crime; and, cybercrime.
PPS is responsible for the security of the grounds of Parliament Hill and the precinct designated by the Speaker of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Commons.
The Ottawa Police Service would likely remain the police of jurisdiction regardless of whether the definition of Parliament Hill or Parliamentary Precinct is expanded to include sections of Wellington Street and Sparks Street. This is because PPS members are not peace officers with powers to investigate crime or enforce the Criminal Code and the RCMP does not provide municipal policing services unless under contract.
What was the PPS's role/involvement during the Freedom Convoy?
During the Freedom Convoy in the NCR, the PPS had in place its own critical incident command centre that was in communication with the National Capital Region Command Centre (NCRCC) and the Integrated Command Centre (ICC). The PPS also held a position alongside other essential services at the NCRCC to ensure open communications with OPS, both Speakers, and the Sergeant at Arms as well as for timely decision making.
PPS maintained its operational and physical security mandate in protecting parliamentarians, parliamentary staff, employees and visitors to the Precinct and to Parliament Hill.
If pressed on RCMP involvement in the closing of Parliament Hill during the Freedom Convoy
PPS is responsible for Parliament Hill and the precinct designated by the Speaker of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Commons.
While the RCMP is the operational lead of the PPS, the PPS is a separate entity from other law enforcement partners.
Any questions related to operational security or the closure of Parliament Hill should be directed to PPS.
If pressed on any security incidents at Parliament Hill or any of the designated areas under the PPS's mandate during the Freedom Convoy
PPS is responsible for Parliament Hill and the precinct designated by the Speaker of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Commons.
Any questions related to the operational security of Parliament Hill should be directed to PPS.
Security measures for parliamentarians
If asked regarding the recent incident in Peterborough experienced by the Honourable Jagmeet Singh:
Like others, I was horrified by what my colleague the Honourable Jagmeet Singh was subjected to in Peterborough last week. It was unacceptable. There is no place for that vitrol and hatred in politics or in our communities.
I can assure the committee that I take the issue of parliamentarian safety very seriously and am committed to working with all partners to bolster security for Ministers and Parliamentarians as directed in my Mandate Letter.
What is the RCMP's protective policing mandate?
Under the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Regulations, 2014, it is the duty of RCMP members who are peace officers to protect, whether or not there is an imminent threat to their security, the Governor General and the Prime Minister of Canada, and their respective families.
Members are also required by regulation to guard and protect any property under Her Majesty's control or custody that the Minister designates. Currently, Rideau Hall, which includes Rideau Cottage, the Prime Ministers summer retreat at Harrington Lake, and 24 Sussex Drive have been designated by the Minister of Public Safety for RCMP protection·
The scope and scale of the protective measures are determined by the RCMP in accordance with its assessment of the threat or risk to the security of the individual, and in line with the RCMP's operational independence and discretion
If pressed on current threats made against public officials:
The security environment in which public figures operates continues to evolve both within Canada and abroad.
The increasing prevalence of Ideologically Motivated Violent Extremism is polarized along political and issue-based lines, and is exacerbated by disinformation via social media.
Adding to the complexity of this environment is the ease by which the public can interact with public officials, through social media and other means.
This dynamic environment continues to see an increase in harmful statements where no face-to-face threat is made, yet the rhetoric is harassing or potentially harmful in nature.
Statements made against officials are often violent, racist, and/or misogynistic constituting a potential threat to the safety and well being of public figures, their families, and their staff.
If pressed on either threats to elected officials or additional RCMP security protective services for certain elected officials:
Ministers and elected leaders of Opposition Parties have increasingly been subject to harassment, threats, or other forms of intimidation.
While attacks against political figures in Canada are rare, the threats of a violent attack against a Cabinet Minister or Opposition Leader must never be discounted.
Pursuant to section 14 of the RCMP Regulations, the RCMP is mandated to provide protective services, including close physical protection for Ministers and other Parliamentarians, in Canada and abroad, whether or not there is an imminent threat to their security.
The scope and scale of the protective measures are determined by the RCMP in accordance with its assessment of the threat or risk to the security of the individual, not their residences or offices.
If pressed on additional security for Members of Parliament
The security of Members of Parliament while within the precinct or Parliament Hill, is primarily the responsibility of the Parliamentary Protective Service along with the Sergeant at Arms and the Corporate Security Office of the House of Commons.
These offices serve a variety of security functions, including, incident management, risk assessments, analysis and threat mitigation, and security awareness.
As part of its security assessment, the Corporate Security Office is also responsible for the security of constituency offices and Parliament Hill offices for Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries, and Members of Parliament.