QUESTION PERIOD — Public Safety
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
May 29, 2025
Senator Gold, we’ll try to put the time we have left to good use. According to the Constitution, we still have a month left.
Last week, we learned from the RCMP ministerial briefing binder that the RCMP had foiled six terrorist plots in 2024 in Edmonton, Ottawa and Toronto. Between April 2023 and March 2024, 83 terrorism-related charges were laid against 25 individuals, representing a 488% increase compared to the previous year. Importantly, these figures include a number of young people, demonstrating a disturbing degree of radicalization among Canadian teens.
The report also highlighted that available resources are falling short of the mark despite a skyrocketing number of charges.
How did we get here? Can the government explain why, despite the fact that the threat is growing dramatically, RCMP resources and operational capabilities aren’t keeping pace?
Thank you for the question, senator, and thank you for highlighting the importance of this serious issue here in Canada. During the election and especially since then, the government has been very clear that it will do more to keep Canadians safe, not only at our borders, but also in our communities. The measures announced, which will be implemented in the weeks and months to come, also include an increase in RCMP personnel, greater use of police forces in Canada and increased cooperation among them.
Thank you, Senator Gold. Here’s something even more disturbing. On May 12, a Toronto-based ISIS supporter admitted to using crowdfunding campaigns under the guise of supporting humanitarian aid in Gaza to send more than $35,000 to ISIS fighters, including for emergency COVID-19 assistance.
How does the Liberal government explain that it’s still so easy to send money to terrorist groups from Canada, and what is your plan to stop this immediately?
The Government of Canada has full confidence in its security agencies, which are gathering information, and it is working closely with police forces.
Unfortunately, terrorist financing is not only a problem in Canada, but also around the world. The government will continue to work to end this form of support for harmful acts.
