Senator Gold, I would like to ask about the government’s commitment to establish the Canada financial crimes agency, or CFCA. This proposal was included in the Liberal Party’s 2021 election platform, along with a $200-million commitment over four years, starting in 2022-23. It was also included in the public safety minister’s mandate letter, made its way into Budget 2023 and then into Budget 2024, in which the government proposed to provide $1.7 million over two years to Finance Canada to finalize the design and legal framework for the CFCA, following last year’s consultations. Senator Gold, when can Canadians expect the CFCA to be up and running?

Thank you. I will follow up on that question.

Until the CFCA is set up, what can you tell us about Canada’s success rate in terms of money laundering charges, prosecutions and convictions, as well as the seizure of criminal assets? According to the government’s Updated Assessment of Inherent Risks of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing in Canada, there could be more than 2,000 organized crime groups operating in Canada.