The launch of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Integrated Counterfeit Enforcement Teams

Remarks by
The Honourable Stockwell Day
Minister of Public Safety

May 14, 2007
Toronto, Ontario
As delivered

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for being here today on the first day of National Police Week, which also marks Organized Crime Day.

Counterfeiting – whether it's cash or documents – is big business. In 1990, it was estimated that $20 billion worth of counterfeit money was in circulation in Canada, and last year, about $46 billion. In the last 10 years, there has been a 535 percent increase in the volume of counterfeit reports.

Counterfeiting is not a victimless crime. People and businesses are hurt by such criminal activity. Counterfeiting, if it goes unchecked, can begin to impact the currency of a nation. Thankfully, it's not at that stage yet.

That's why I'm pleased and honoured to make the official announcement today of the creation of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's (RCMP) Integrated Enforcement Counterfeit Teams (ICETs). Today's announcement demonstrates that we are taking action to tackle crime and protect Canadians from counterfeiting crimes.

I'm very pleased to know that these teams are operating in some of our key metropolitan areas. ICETs are in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. About 44 percent of all the counterfeiting that takes place in Canada takes place in Ontario, with 32.6 percent in the province of Québec and about 16.5 percent in British Columbia. There will also be regional coordinators operating out of Halifax and Calgary.

I want to assure you that the RCMP and others will be working in an integrated manner to help tackle crime. They have been hard at work going after those who are involved in counterfeiting. As a matter of fact, there were major RCMP-led operations that broke up counterfeiting rings in Montreal in December 2006, and in Toronto in July of that same year.

As I said, counterfeiting is an activity that is going to require integration and working with other officials. It's important that here with us today is the Governor of the Bank of Canada, David Dodge, and of course the Commissioner of the RCMP, Beverley Busson.

Together, we will continue to focus on counterfeiting and do all we can to bring this to an end. It's key that we recognize the men and women who are out there every day, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to help keep Canadians safe.

We want to acknowledge the high level of professionalism that the Canadian police forces and the RCMP have, not just in Canada, but around the world. They are recognized for their integrity and commitment to the job.

This might be an interesting thing for us as Canadians to do this week – if you see a police officer somewhere, just say thanks for being there. They get little thanks and yet they do their job with great commitment.

Let me say thank you for your interest today. I'm pleased to make this announcement and to let Canadians know that their safety and their security is a top-level priority for the Government of Canada.

Thank you.