Meetings of the Roundtable

Roundtable meetings – Dates and themes

• June 10-13, 2011, Community Resiliency
• March 25-27, 2011, Borders and National Security
• November 12-14, 2010, Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Bombing of Air India Flight 182
• June 11-13, 2010, Border and Immigration
• March 12-14, 2010, Changing Landscape of National Security
• November 20-22, 2009, Radicalization Leading to Violence
• June 5-7, 2009, Border and Transportation Security
• February 13-15, 2009, Financing of Terrorism and Organized Crime
• June 20-22, 2008, Radicalization Leading to Violence
• March 14-16, 2008, Radicalization - International and Canadian Perspectives
• November 2-4, 2007, Hate Crime and Radicalization through the Internet
• April 27-29, 2007, Anti-Terrorism Act Review
• November 18-20, 2006, Marine Security
• June 3-5, 2006, Working Meeting
• February 24-25, 2006, Identification of Roundtable Priorities for 2006 - 2007
• November 19-21, 2005, International Security and Implications: Protecting Canada and Canadians, and Promoting Dialogue
• May 23-25, 2005, Border security: Protecting Canadians at home and abroad
• March 7-8, 2005 - Inaugural Meeting – Laying the foundation

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Roundtable meeting summaries

Community Resiliency June 10 - 13, 2011, Vancouver, British Columbia

• Participants: The Deputy Minister of Justice Canada, senior government officials from Public Safety Canada and Justice Canada, the RCMP, CSIS and the Center for Security Science, as well as academics and researchers on community resiliency and a representative of the District of North Vancouver, participated in the dialogue with the members.
• Issues of Discussion: The 18th meeting of the Roundtable provided an opportunity to review different aspects of community resiliency in the context of national security. Members were provided with an overview of community resiliency theory, as well as the work of the Government of Canada in relation to community resiliency related to emergency management and national security, and current research projects on the subject. Presentations were made on research aimed at examining the capacity of a community to successfully adapt to different threats, as well as on the successful model of the District of North Vancouver with regard to natural disasters. A presentation was made on intimidation in communities. Two of the Roundtable members presented on best practices in community resilience related to the Jewish experience of settling in Canada. Members were consulted on the messaging for the 10th anniversary of September 11th. The members visited the RCMP's Integrated National Security Enforcement Team.
• Outcomes: Members recognized the complexity of building community resiliency, but highlighted the necessity for the government to engage in this area even if it does not have all the answers to complex issues. Members highlighted that it is not always possible to wait for a perfect solution as it often does not exist. Members underlined the necessity of:
  • involving and educating the community;
  • encouraging shared responsibility on these issues;
  • making information easily accessible to all;
  • bringing in partners from science-based organizations and academic institutions; and,
  • encouraging the proactive investigation of risks.
  Members highlighted the pressing need for governement to communicate and build bridges with communities to engage them in creating a more resilient Canada. Members encouraged more research into developing a Canadian understanding of how to build resilient communities.

Borders and National Security March 25-27, 2011, Ottawa, Ontario

• Participants: The Deputy Minister of Public Safety Canada and the Associate Deputy Ministers of Public Safety Canada and of Justice, the Associate Deputy Attorney General of Canada, senior government officials from Public Safety and its portfolio (CSIS, RCMP and CBSA), Justice Canada, Transport Canada and Citizenship and Immigration Canada participated in the dialogue with the members.
• Issues of Discussion: The 17th meeting of the Roundtable focused primarily on the issues related to borders and national security. Members were first debriefed by senior officials from the RCMP, CBSA and CSIS on the current national security priorities for each of the agencies. Discussions were held on the major elements of the Beyond the Border initiative, including the process for developig an Action Plan in this regard. An update on the scope and status of the Temporary Resident Biometrics Project was undertaken, along with a consultation to address the concerns of communities regarding the use of biometrics in the visa application process. Discussions were held on security certificates and alternatives to removal, as well as a presentation on the role of the special advocate under the security certificates. Members examined the Balanced Refugee Reform Act, with a focus on Assisted Voluntary Returns Pilot program. They were updated on the UK's counter-terrorism review. Members also highlighted their recent community activities.
• Outcomes: Members generally agreed that from an economic perpective, the Beyond the Border initiative makes sense, while underlining that Canada must assert that Canada's own needs are met. Members highlighted that the Government should be cautious of the impact of the initiatives on current protections guaranteed under the Charter, the potential pressure to adopt an American style no-fly list, the extension of requirements for temporary visas and the status of First Nations under such an agreement. With regards to biometrics use for visa application process, some members felt strongly about a balanced approach that did not necessarily target only certain countries. Members discussed at length the dilemma faced when removing individuals under security certificates from Canada, between deporting individuals to countries that might practice torture, while at the same time protecting the safety of the country and its citizens.

Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Bombing of Air India Flight 182 November 12-14, 2010, Montreal, Québec

• Participants: The Associate Deputy Minister of Public Safety Canada, the Associate Deputy Minister of Justice Canada, senior government officials from the Departments of Public Safety, Justice, Transport, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, as well as the RCMP and CSIS, participated in the dialogue with the members.
• Issues of Discussion: The 16th meeting of the Roundtable provided for an in-depth look at the issues raised by the Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Investigation of the Bombing of Air India Flight 182. Discussions were held on the changes made since the tragedy to address issues of security in air transportation and to examine the proposed responses by the government to the report, such as the conduct of large and complex trials, the relationship between intelligence and evidence and the federal witness protection program. Consultations were held on the potential creation of an academic institute for the study of terrorism. Members were also provided with an overview of the current threat assessment for Canada, and were consulted on the RCMP's Community Policing Problem Solving Model established to provide a response to identified national security-related community issues.
• Outcomes: While the formal response from the government to Justice Major's report had yet to be released at the time of the meeting, members underlined that the government's response should address such issues as the apparent erasing of key evidence by CSIS and the circumstances that led to the death of a key witness for the report to be credible with affected communities. Members also indicated that ongoing national security threats occurring in Canada must be addressed to ensure that such a tragedy does not occur again. Of particular concern were the disappearances of young Somali-Canadian men in Toronto, the missing Aboriginal women, and individuals who are being victimized through intimidation tactics in communities. Roundtable members underlined the importance of interdepartmental and inter-agency cooperation as key to keeping Canada safe and secure. Roundtable members supported the creation of an academic institute for the study of terrorism, highlighting that research should be relevant and focus on current and evolving issues. Roundtable members also noted the importance of outreach work with communities to build trust, understand community issues and develop solutions that answer both government and the community concerns. Members noted that building long-term partnerships with communities is key to resiliency, particularly in the event of a terrorist attacks.

Border and Immigration June 11-13, 2010, Halifax, Nova Scotia

• Participants: The Deputy Minister of Public Safety Canada, the Associate Deputy Minister of Justice Canada, senior government officials from Public Safety and its portfolio (RCMP and CBSA), Justice Canada, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Transport Canada, and a representative from New Age Security Solutions participated in the dialogue with the members.
• Issues of Discussion: The fifteenth meeting of the Roundtable focused on the theme of borders and immigration, with a sub-theme of transportation security. A number of presentations and discussions took place including: possible projects aimed at closing the gap around knowledge of the community's role in the process and prevention of radicalization leading to violence; context and history surrounding recent events in the Sikh community in Canada; behaviour pattern recognition and its applications in the Canadian context; Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST); and, illegal migration in Canada. A summary of the Commission of inquiry into the investigation of the bombing of Air India Flight 182 was also provided.
• Outcomes: Members discussed issues related to integration and its link to resiliency and social cohesion. Members reiterated the importance of taking the time to understand communities and support initiatives that build trust and give communities a sense of ownership in Canada's social, economic and cultural life. Members also emphasized the importance of information sharing with Canadians with regard to national security issues and threats in order to raise awareness about the existing risks of terrorism in Canada. Members examined the importance for institutions and government to develop language that does not promote a divide amongst Canadians when talking about terrorism and terrorist events.

Changing Landscape of National Security March 12-14, 2010, Edmonton, Alberta

• Participants: The Minister of Public Safety Canada, senior government officials from Public Safety and its portfolio (CSIS, RCMP, and CBSA), Justice Canada, Public Prosecution Service of Canada, and a representative from the SecDev Group participated in the dialogue with the members.
• Issues of Discussion: The fourteenth meeting of the Roundtable focused on the theme of the changing landscape of national security. Presentations were made on the information-sharing framework for national security agencies, the security certificate regime and, cyber-security. Members received an update on Canada-US relations, with a focus on recent developments related to aviation security. A factual presentation was given on decisions rendered for prosecution related to terrorism offenses. The members were also debriefed on Canada's response to the earthquake in Haiti and reconstruction efforts.
• Outcomes: Members discussed the importance of better explaining and educating Canadians on the challenges related to national security and the tools it uses to address these challenges. Members provided advice to the Government of Canada on information-sharing and privacy concerns, on cyber-security and its potential dangers for Canadians, and on Canada's response to international terrorist events.

Radicalization Leading to Violence November 20-22, 2009, Ottawa, Ontario

• Participants: The Deputy Minister of Public Safety Canada and Justice Canada, senior government officials from Public Safety and its portfolio (CSIS, RCMP, and CBSA), Justice, Citizenship and Immigration, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, Public Health Agency Canada, and a representative from Demos participated in the dialogue with the members. A representative from the Civil Liberties and Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security participated as an observer.
• Issues of Discussion: The thirteenth meeting of the Roundtable focused on the theme Radicalization. Presentation were made on the impact of economics on the integration of immigrants, a brief factual review of the cases of Canadians convicted on terrorism-related charges, and an update on the federal government's response to H1N1. Members were also consulted on numerous topics such as: Citizenship and Immigration Canada's approach to addressing social exclusion, marginalization and radicalization through the Multiculturalism Program; RCMP's counter-radicalization project; and, research priorities on radicalization and violent extremism. A presentation of the preliminary results of a study by DEMOS on the relationship between violent and non-violent radicalization was given.
• Outcomes: Members provided advice on ways to communicate clearly, regularly and proactively with Canadians on national security issues, and to work with communities to support and collaborate with moderate voices within communities. With regard to clear messaging in relation to emergencies, members invited governments at all levels to better coordinate their response and to pay special attention to ethnic media to ensure that all Canadians understand the information provided. Members also focused their discussions on the issue of radicalization, especially amongst youth, and the growing concern around the use of Internet in relation to the promotion of radicalization leading to violence.

Border and Transportation Security June 5-7, 2009, Montreal, Quebec

• Participants: The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and senior government officials from Public Safety and its portfolio (CSIS, RCMP, and CBSA), Justice, Citizenship and Immigration and Transport Canada participated in the dialogue with the members.
• Issues of Discussion: The twelfth meeting of the Roundtable provided the participants with a comprehensive overview of the current issues facing border and transportation security in Canada. Updates were provided on the relationship between Canada and the United States in view of the new administration. Presentation were made on the new provisions of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), the eManifest Program and the role and mandate of Transport Canada. Members were briefed on proposed legislative initiatives to amend the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act. Members were also consulted on Citizenship and Immigration Canada's Biometrics Program and on the new provisions on security background checks on airport and port workers by Transport Canada.
• Outcomes: Members provided advice on the issues related to the need for interconnectivity between various databases that exists for the purposes of background checks, balanced with the issue of privacy, as important considerations in developing technologies and interlinking databases. Members reminded officials of the importance of ensuring that security measures do not unfairly target ethno-cultural and religious communities when entering/exiting the country. A commitment was made to periodically update Roundtable members on the progress of the work being accomplished between Homeland Security and Public Safety on border and security issues.

Financing of Terrorism and Organized Crime February 13-15, 2009, Ottawa, Ontario

• Participants: The Minister of Public Safety and senior government officials from the Public Safety and its portfolio (CSIS, RCMP, and CBSA), Justice, Citizenship and Immigration, Financial Transactions and Report Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and Criminal Intelligence Service Canada (CISC) participated in the dialogue with the members.
• Issues of Discussion: The eleventh meeting of the Roundtable focused on financing of terrorism and organized crime. Discussions were held on various acts, legislation, enforcement frameworks, and policies and procedures related to the financing of terrorism and organized crime through presentations delivered by CSIS, FINTRAC, CISC, CRA and Public Safety. Also discussed were the Secure Flight Final Rule of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, published in October 2008. Members reviewed the results from the evaluation of the CCRS and the work undertaken to move forward with the outreach plan.
• Outcomes: Members agreed that organized crime is a real threat to national security and to safe and secure communities and has widespread impact of the lives of all Canadians. Members discussed the difficulty for the average citizen of knowing if their contribution to a charitable organization is used to finance terrorism. They also discussed the effectiveness of the list of terrorist entities as a deterrent to terrorist activities, the issues related to sharing information on financing of terrorism and organized crime, and the collaboration between border enforcement teams for Canada and the U.S. to curb terrorism and organized crime activities. Members agreed with the evaluation findings for the Roundtable that underlined the importance of the Roundtable's contribution to a more safe and secure Canada.

Radicalization Leading to Violence June 20-22, 2008, Ottawa, Ontario

• Participants: The Minister of Public Safety, the National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister, the Director of CSIS and senior government officials from the Public Safety Portfolio (RCMP, and CBSA), Justice, Canadian Heritage, a representative from Demos and an academic expert in Sociology and Religious Studies from the University of Waterloo participated in the dialogue with the members.
• Issues of Discussion: The tenth meeting of the Roundtable focused on the theme of radicalization leading to violence. Members discussed the mandate and key priorities for the national security portfolio with key senior officials. RCMP informed the Roundtable on the changing nature of security cases, threat assessments, response to events and radicalization leading to violence. A presentation was made on the understanding of charismatic authority and its role in promoting violent behaviour. Roundtable members were consulted on the Demos study on the relationship between violent and non-violent radical Islamist mobilization in Canada. Updates were also provided on the UK's proposed Counter Terrorism Bill and on challenges facing Dutch integration efforts and approaches towards religious diversity.
• Outcomes: The Roundtable members agreed to the themes for the work of the Roundtable for 2008-09: radicalization; financing of organized crime; and, terrorism and border and transportation security. Moreover, members offered to act as a bridge between government and communities through the organization of outreach activities on specific national security issues.

Radicalization - International and Canadian Perspectives March 14-16, 2008, Vancouver, British Columbia

• Participants:The Minister of Public Safety and senior officials from the Department of Public Safety and two of its security agencies (RCMP and CSIS), Justice Canada and Canadian Heritage participated in the dialogue with Roundtable members.
• Issues of Discussion: The ninth meeting of the Roundtable focused on various aspects of radicalization around the world, with presentations provided on radical movements in other countries, and on research efforts to better understand the Canadian context. Members were briefed on program and policy changes related to multiculturalism that better support ethno-cultural minority participation and inclusion.  Updates were provided on amendments to the Anti-Terrorism Act, the newly-enacted legislation on security certificates, and the current status of the proposed U.S. Secure Flight initiative.
• Outcomes: Members supported using evidence-based research initiatives on the causes of radicalization as an important tool for the Roundtable's work. The Roundtable also agreed on the importance for the Government to communicate strong, clear and concise messages about national security issues, and reiterated the necessity of providing Canadians with a realistic picture of Canada's national security threats.

Hate Crime and Radicalization through the Internet November 2-4, 2007, Ottawa, Ontario

• Participants: The Minister of Justice and senior officials from the Department of Public Safety and two of its security agencies (RCMP and CSIS), Justice Canada, Statistics Canada and Canadian Heritage participated in the dialogue with Roundtable members.
• Issues of Discussion: The eighth meeting of the Roundtable focused on the Government of Canada's policies, programs and measures to address hate crime as well as the proliferation of radicalized views through the use of the Internet. Roundtable members were presented with an overview of a community-based approach to counterterrorism. Updates were provided on the implementation of the recommendations from the O'Connor Report following the Maher Arar inquiry, the government's recently-tabled legislation on security certificates, and amendments to the Anti-Terrorism Act.
• Outcomes: The Roundtable provided advice and recommendations on the Action Plan Against Racism and its role in combating hate crime and supported the Communities at Risk program as an important tool in addressing hate crime in Canada.  Members also considered the issue of youth radicalization via the Internet and gave feedback on how best to engage Canadians on national security issues.

Anti-Terrorism Act Review April 27 – 29, 2007, Ottawa, Ontario

• Participants: The Minister of Public Safety Canada, senior officials from the Department of Public Safety Canada and its security agencies (RCMP, CSIS, CBSA), Foreign Affairs, Transport Canada and Canadian Heritage participated in the dialogue with Roundtable members.
• Issues of Discussion: The seventh meeting of the Roundtable focused on the Anti-Terrorism Act, and specifically the House of Commons and Senate proposals to reform it.
• Outcomes: Although consensus was not reached on every issue, the Roundtable provided advice and recommendations, to be considered in the potential government response to the House of Commons and the Senate, on the following issues: racial profiling and ethno-cultural community issues; the definition of terrorist activity; security certificates; review and oversight; special advocates; and the passenger protect program.

Marine Security November 18 – 20, 2006, Vancouver, British Columbia

• Participants: Senior officials from the Department of Public Safety and its security agencies (RCMP, CSIS, CBSA), Transport Canada, Department of National Defence, Justice Canada and Canadian Heritage participated in the dialogue with Roundtable members. Mr. Paul Kennedy, Chair of the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP, also participated in an informal discussion with members.
• Issues of Discussion: The sixth meeting of the Roundtable focused on the programs and measures in place to protect Canadians from threats to marine security. These included measures in place to meet Canada's security obligations regarding Canadian waterways, coastline and ports. Following the release of the first part of the report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Actions of Canadian Officials in Relation to Maher Arar, the Roundtable members also held discussions regarding the report, as well as the issue of accountability and review mechanisms for the activities of agencies with national security responsibilities.
• Outcomes: Members supported the commitment by the RCMP to fully implement the 23 recommendations of Justice O'Connor's report, and offered to work with all federal security agencies, as well as security review agencies in implementing Justice O'Connor's recommendations and to engage and inform communities about the work of these organizations. Members also provided feedback to the Government on issues such as the illegal cross-border traffic of firearms, dedicated police services at Canadian ports, and the impact of the MTSCP and MSCP programs on Canadians.

Working Meeting June 3-5, 2006, Gatineau, Quebec

• Participants: The Minister of Public Safety, along with senior government officials from Justice, Canadian Heritage, RCMP and Public Safety participated in the dialogue with the members.
• Issues of Discussion: Members discussed the implementation of the 2006 - 2007 Work Plan. Members also gained a better understanding of the federal, provincial, and municipal governments' emergency management infrastructure. Discussions followed which identified means by which communities, Roundtable members, and government officials could collaborate at the local level, to ensure proper community relations are in place to prevent hate crimes and backlash that could potentially result from a terrorist event. Planning for proposed fall regional symposia was also discussed in more detail.
• Outcomes: Roundtable members met to start planning and implementing their 2006 – 2007 Work Plan. Members have agreed to undertake a series of regional symposia to discuss the citizen's role in national security, and will continue fostering an on-going dialogue on issues of national security through the facilitation of local outreach events.

Identification of Roundtable Priorities for 2006 - 2007 February 24-25, 2006, Montreal, Quebec

• Participants: The Minister of Public Safety and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice, along with officials from Public Safety, Justice and Canadian Heritage participated in the dialogue with the members.
• Issues of discussion: Members agreed on the proposed Roundtable Priorities and Work Plan for 2006 - 2007. Also discussed were the next steps in building community relations in the event of a terrorist attack, an update on outreach initiatives, and a review of the first year's achievements.
• Outcomes: A 2006 – 2007 Work Plan for the Roundtable was approved for the purpose of setting the focus of the next year's agenda.

International Security and Implications: Protecting Canada and Canadians, and Promoting Dialogue November 19-21, 2005, Ottawa, Ontario

• Participants: The Minister of Public Safety, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, the Minister of State for Multiculturalism, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister, and senior government officials from the Public Safety Portfolio (CSIS, RCMP, and CBSA), Justice, Canadian Heritage, Foreign Affairs, National Defence, Transport Canada, and the Privy Council Office participated in the dialogue with the members.
• Issues of discussion: The meeting focused on understanding and discussing Canada's security programs in the context of global events, Canada's international commitments, and the development of effective strategies to address community relations in the event of a terrorist act in Canada.
• Outcomes: Members brought issues to the attention of government officials, including the increasing vulnerability of youth with respect to recruitment for terrorism and the need to identify conditions that could lead to extremism. They also addressed positive integration of immigrant communities and promoting the role of citizens in national security, improving the government's communications strategy to enhance public awareness of national security issues, and the importance of strengthening community relations in the event of a terrorist attack.

Border security: Protecting Canadians at home and abroad May 23-25, 2005, Vancouver, British Columbia

• Participants: The Minister of State for Multiculturalism and many senior government officials from the Department of Public Safety and its security agencies (CSIS, RCMP, and CBSA), Canadian Heritage, Justice Canada, and the Privy Council Office participated in the dialogue with the members.
• Issues of Discussion: Members raised concerns related to border security that included: information sharing, bilateral border security agreements, the need for the review of terminology when describing security threats, and diversity/sensitivity training of frontline officers. Members also examined their own role in interacting with various communities, and the facilitation of on-going dialogue.
• Outcomes: Members toured operational security areas of the Vancouver International Airport. Both members and government officials came away from the meeting with a greater understanding of border security issues and possible implications of border security measures on diverse communities.

Inaugural Meeting – Laying the foundation March 7-8, 2005, Ottawa, Ontario

• Participants: The Minister of Public Safety, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, the Minister of State for Multiculturalism, the Deputy Ministers of Public Safety, Justice, and Canadian Heritage, the National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister, Agency Heads for CSIS and the RCMP, the Executive Vice-President of CBSA, and many senior government officials from Departments and Agencies participated in the dialogue with the members.
• Issues of discussion: Members raised concerns regarding security certificates, racial profiling, quality of training of police and intelligence officers, economic impact of security measures on newcomers to Canada, and the manner of conducting interviews by officials of the security agencies. These issues would be the subject of more in-depth discussions with senior government officials and Ministers in other meetings.
• Outcomes: Participants came away with an enhanced understanding of the National Security Policy, the security threat environment for Canada, the expectations, role and responsibilities of the Roundtable, and the priorities for future meetings.