September 30, 2014 Ottawa, Ontario Public Safety Canada
Today, the Honourable Steven Blaney, Canada’s Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, met with his United States counterpart, the Secretary of Homeland Security, Jeh Johnson, to discuss security issues of mutual interest including countering violent extremism and protecting shared borders.
The Minister and Secretary talked about how conflicts abroad continue to shape the nature of the terrorist threat for both Canada and the United States. Both countries have seen citizens who have left to take part in terrorist activities in countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Somalia and Syria.
Quick Facts
- Canada’s Counter-terrorism Strategy sets out how the Government of Canada and law enforcement agencies prevent, detect, deny and respond to the threat of terrorism.
- Through the Kanishka Project, our Government has invested more than $10 million over five years to research pressing questions on terrorism and counter-terrorism.
- Public Safety Canada’s Cross-Cultural Roundtable on Security (CCRS), which brings together leading figures from Canada’s diverse communities, is key to assisting and advising the government in the development of credible and trusted community-based programming to counter violent extremism.
- Public Safety Canada and the CCRS have built on a foundation of trust established with communities over the years, and recently made a significant transition to hold substantial conversations about radicalization to violence and points of intervention.
- Last year, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police participated in 399 events across Canada that aimed to encourage an open and long-lasting dialogue with communities, and to build overall trust with law enforcement and within communities.
- The Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act will allow the Government to strip Canadian citizenship from dual-nationals who engage in acts of terrorism or fight against the Canadian Armed Forces.
- The Combatting Terrorism Act came into force last year, making it a criminal offence to leave or attempt to leave Canada to commit certain terrorism offences.
Quotes
“Our Government remains unwavering in our commitment to countering domestic and international terrorism. We work closely with our partners such as the United States, to counter terrorism, radicalization leading to violence and violent extremism. We will continue to take all necessary steps to counter terrorist threats to our countries, our citizens and our interests around the world.”
-The Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
“Speaking for President Obama and our Government, we are pleased that Canada is part of the international coalition that will degrade and ultimately destroy ISIS and we have asked for their help in doing more.”
-Jeh Johnson, United States Secretary of Homeland Security
Associated Links
Contacts
Jason Tamming
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
613-991-2924
Media Relations
Public Safety Canada
613-991-0657
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For more information, please visit the website www.publicsafety.gc.ca.
