Public Safety Canada

Public Safety Canada (PSC; French: Sécurité publique Canada, SPC; PSP can be used to denote both official languages), legally incorporated as the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness (PSEPC), is the department of the federal government of Canada responsible for protecting Canadians and helping to maintain a peaceful and safe society.[1]

Public Safety Canada
Sécurité publique Canada
Department overview
Formed2003
TypeDepartment responsible for public safety
JurisdictionCanada
Employees52,000+
Ministers responsible
  • Bill Blair (Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness)
  • Joël Lightbound (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness)
Websitewww.publicsafety.gc.ca

History

Legislation would began in February 2001 for the department, which would be created in December 2003 during a reorganization of the federal government. It became legally established when the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Act came into force on 4 April 2005. The Emergency Preparedness Canada agency was created under the auspices of the Department of National Defence before the establishment of the department by the Emergency Preparedness Act of 1988.

The department was created to have a single entity with responsibility for ensuring public safety in Canada and is a direct result of lessons learned from the September 11 attacks on the United States in 2001. The department is in many ways similar to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, though it does not cover the protection of maritime sovereignty (which is covered by the Canadian Forces, Transport Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada).

Structure

Most of the department comprises organizations that were previously placed under the Department of Solicitor General of Canada, however the reorganization of several federal departments and ministries added the Canada Border Services Agency to the portfolio, after the two streams of the former Canada Customs and Revenue Agency were split in 2003.[2] In addition, the Office of Critical Infrastructure Protection and Emergency Preparedness (OCIPEP) from the Department of National Defence was also brought into the department.

The annual budget of the department is CA$6 billion.[3]

Organizations

In addition to the department, there are five agencies and three review bodies within the Public Safety portfolio headed by the Minister of Public Safety.[4]

Officials

Senior officials of the department include:

  • Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety
  • Deputy Minister
    • Associate Deputy Minister
    • Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, National and Cyber Security Branch
    • Assistant Deputy Minister, National and Cyber Security Branch
    • Assistant Deputy Minister, Emergency Management and Programs Branch
    • Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Management
    • Assistant Deputy Minister, Portfolio Affairs and Communications
    • Assistant Deputy Minister, Community Safety and Countering Crime Branch

See also

References
  1. "About Us". Public Safety Canada. Retrieved 2018-11-16.
  2. Doern, G. Bruce (2005). How Ottawa Spends, 2005-2006: Managing the Minority. McGill-Queen's Press. p. 81.
  3. "Who we are". Public Safety Canada. Archived from the original on February 6, 2010. Retrieved 2011-07-19.
  4. "Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness". Public Safety Canada. Retrieved 2018-11-16.
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