Thank you for listening to Depictions Media Radio. Welcome to Policy and Rights the show up Gosh, welcomer Policy Human Joy, Welcome back to policy and rates here Depictions Media rad I'm your host, Michael Cloggs. And well let's see uh the Tim Hodges. They met with European Commissioners for Energy and Housing in Paris, where they were at a European Union Energy and Security conference. Minister Hodges reaffirmed the Canada's
enduring a commitment to Transatlantic stability and Arctic operation. The Minister and the and the Commissioner discussed further UH cooperation on a multi lateral critical minerals mechanisms, including Critical Mineral Production Alliance and Critical Mineral Action Plan, and building the direction provided in the EU Canada Strategic Partnership of the
Future launched in June twenty twenty five. The Minister and the Commissioner discussed the EU instruments that could facilitate and enhance Canada EU trade and investment, including the EU's aggregate aggregate liquefied natural gas purchasing mechanism. So while we're talking about foreign affairs and and we had talked about in a previous episode, about foreign interference from from other countries
into the lives of of business owners in Canada. That there was a discussion yesterday by Minister Champagne as they discussed the high levels of extortion you know in British Columbia. This actually is is a very hot button item that there is a lot of extortion happening from UH countries such as they have been named, such as China and also India and the the extortion.
U.
Minister Champagne talked about things they could actually help prevent these extortions from happening, and they could help business owners run their businesses efficiently and freely from interference from individuals outside of Canada. And we have some some of those things that we're talked about that that actually are going to help. Key measures to include prioritizing financial intelligence and resources to tackle extortion, will surge resources to combat extortion.
This will enable law enforcement to receive a more timely and relevant financial intelligence to identify criminal networks and support investigations. Launching countering extortion partnerships with financial inciitutions, government and law enforcement.
Of course, leading back to the first one we talked about as signing financial intelligence experts to support police and providing financial institutions with clear guidance to how to detect extortion transactions, and then publishing intelligence on how criminals move and hide extortion money. Will be published in Strategic Intelligence detailing how criminals launder extortion proceeds, including indicators and typographies
that aid to detection. Mission Champagne made this quote, Extortion is a serious crime that harms Canadians, businesses and communities. Our government is strengthening financial intelligence and working closely with law enforcement and financial institutions to better detect and disrupt extortion, support investigations and help protect Canadians. So it would seem that on one front at least, that the Canadian government is actually taking extortion extremely seriously and trying to put
it into it. Meanwhile, in places like Surrey, BC, where we're actually recording this podcast from, that the sorry police force is and and and the mayor are asking for more federal help to help detect the criminals that are they are perpetrating these extortions and trying to shut things down so that they can better protect the citizens and residents of British Columbia, as especially those who who are being affected by this in Surrey, BC, there also have
been a series of gang shootings and things to help push business owners in the direction that the extorters want them to go. There are a number of different ways that that some of these extortion people have have used to coerce business owners into doing what they want them
to do. So and we also have today UH trade agreements from with with Mexico and the discussions and everything that are going along with increasing trade with Mexico while at the same time eliminating the United States from that same exact table. As as we know that that Donald
Trump has imposed pretty steep tariffs onto Mexico. But Mexico does have a strong economy and is weathering the the Trump storm and looking for for global trade partners to promote the products that that that Mexico has to offer, which, believe it or not, h on the mining front, especially and with minerals that we talked about earlier with the European Union Union that Mexico is pretty strong in copper and iron UH for the mining industry, just for small examples.
So Canada reaching out to the to to Mexico as trade partners is a wise move for both countries, especially in this time when Donald Trump is trying to oppose tariffs under his Make America Great Again campaign, So why don't we get started and we will hear from Tim Hodgens as he is in Europe, and we'll probably end up with Minister Champagnes as he talks about the effects extortion is having on Canadian businesses.
Good afternoon everyone, Poja atus and I'm sorry for interrupting the hockey game. Hopefully we will all get back to cheering for a team Canada.
I'm joining you from Paris.
This evening, where I just led the delegation that represented Canada at the twenty twenty six International Energy Agency Ministerial. We had the pleasure of being in Warsaw, Poland, earlier this week to explore opportunities to strengthen energy cooperation, particularly
on nuclear power, between Canada and Poland. As many of you have seen over the past few months, the Prime Minister, myself and my Ministerial colleague have been deeply focused on strengthening trading relationships and expanding exports with our allies abroad. During the Prime Minister's speech in Dallas, he said aloud what many of our allies have all been thinking we are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition, and while nostalgia is not a strategy our allies see,
Canada does have one. In fact that Davos, the Prime Minister, laid out a clear path forward for middle powers like Canada.
We are positioning a path where we engage with the world as it is, not as we wish it to be, where we diversify experts experts and strengthen multilateralism so that we are never reliant on a single partner again, and where we build major energy and mining infrastructure projects at home so we can be our own best customer and a reliable supplier to our allies around the world, including Poland, France, in our partners in the G seven and the IEA.
We were in Poland this week to do just that.
Canada and Poland share a strong bilateral relationship formalized in the Canada Poland Strategic Partnership Joint Statement of August twenty fifth. Of August twenty twenty five, signed by Prime Minister Carnie and Prime Minister Tusk. In that joint statement, one of the specific comments was to strengthen cooperation on nuclear energy as part of their energy transition and goal to enhance energy security. Poland is in the process of exploring ways
to reduce its reliance on coal. They are striving for an ambitious target of six to nine gigawatts of installed large nuclear capacity by twenty forty, including building a second large scale nuclear reactor. That is where Canada's nuclear expertise comes into play. As a Tier one nuclear nation, we have decades of expertise and a world class supply chain which is already supporting nuclear energy in Poland, helping us
to build the first reactors as we speak. We would like to see that supply chain and the tens of thousands of Canadian workers it supports gain even more opportunities through new partnerships with Poland. Of course, while Canada helps build different types of nuclear actors, we are specifically in Poland to discuss can do our homegrown large scale reactor technology. Canada has deployed twenty six CAND reactors around the world, including fairly close by in Romania.
These reactors have.
Delivered secure, low carbon electricity to our partners, avoiding thirty million tons of pollution annually. CAND technology offers our allies enhanced energy security. Our reactors run on natural uranium, moving the need removing the need for third country enrichment services such as from Russia. This is relevant to the energy security of countries like both. Of course, Canada can also provide Poland with the world's highest quality uranium resources from
Canadian companies like Chemico. Canadian Energy has also an extraordinary record of maintaining our candy technology, with our past eight domestic candy refurbishment projects being completed on time and on budget. Finally, candy reactors also helped create localized supply chains and economic opportunities in the countries in which they are built. For example, candy reactors in Romania have created over nineteen thousand local
jobs for Romanians. While in Warsaw, I had a productive meeting with my counterpart, Minister Moyitka, along with mister Vrakna, Minister Belzan and Minister Zurdler, I also met with Polish energy companies.
Include pc PGE and Orland.
In these meetings we discussed nuclear energy as well as opportunities in renewable energy, offshore wind, onshore wind, lerg energy storage and grid modernization. Moving to our delegation's time in the IE, we spent the last two days in Paris, Laser focused on Canada's commitment to building a secured, diversified and resilient global energy system. It was the oil embargo and economic turmoil it created in the world's major economies in the nineteen seventies that led to the creation of
the IEA. In this new era of disruption, institutions like the IEA matter more than ever. As the IA, like in Davos, Canada's abundant resources and political leadership were noticed by our allies and prospective trading partners around the world. Our allies are looking to US as a reliable supplier of low carbon fuels, nuclear technology, and critical minerals. These perspective trading partners are interested in making investments in Canada
to create these opportunities. They see our commitment to democracy, sustainability and multilateralism and they want to work with us and learn from us. At the IA at a productive meeting with a number of private sector companies with interests in Canada, as well as meetings with our international counterparts from New Zealand, Norway, Turkey, France, the United States, and
the EU. I also met with my Ukrainian counterpart, First Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Denish Mahal Canada signed an MoU on energy cooperation which addressed Ukraine's wartime energy needs and will benefit both countries in the long term by reinforcing energy infrastructure resilience in cyber and physical attacks, and promoting expertise sharing in the deployment of microgrids in
rural areas. I also met with my British counterpart, Secretary ed Milliban, to follow up on my trip to London this past fall. We are pleased to announce that, coming out of the discussions during that trip that have now turned into action, the Government of Canada is investing fifteen million dollars to support Connetrics collaboration with the UK atomic
energy authorities Tritium Facility. Connetrics, a Canadian company headquartered in Toronto, is at the forefront of emerging fusion supply chain.
Supply chains.
Working with experts in the UK, they will advance Canadian and British research into fusion and create opportunities for Canadian businesses and workers. Finally, tomorrow, we will be hosting the Canadian Critical Minerals Forum in Paris, which will bring together investors, industry and government leaders with Canadian critical mineral opportunities, including shovel ready projects for lithium, nickel, graphite, rar earths, scandium, titanium, and.
Other battery materials.
As I reflect on my time in Europe this week, it is clear Canada has what the world needs. Our allies want our reliable, low carbon, low cost products. We are building the infrastructure to make that possible at home, and the trade links to get our exports to allies, so we become a more secure, more sovereign, and stronger Canada. Thank you, Mercy, and I look forward to your questions.
Minisir will now begin taking questions. Does that ripon? That's so if I'll start with ayadfour, you can meet your microphone.
Who can you hear me?
Yes?
I can.
Thank you Minister Hodgson for taking our question. This is Iodophore with eye politics. There's a recent report that came out saying offshore power in the Maritimes it's an abundant resource. There's hundreds of gigawatts of potential generation there, but economics and infrastructure constraints could mean that only a fraction of that potential is eventually realized. What do you make of that report?
I haven't seen that report, but what I know is Nova Scotia right now has a process in place solicit opportunities for fifty five gigawatts of wind. That would be a huge resource to develop, and we're in active discussions with Nova Scotia about.
How we facilitate the development of that project.
Okay, and then for my follow up question, when can we expect more referrals to the Major Project's office and what would that announcement look like.
As I've said many times, I learned a long time ago not to get ahead of my boss. The Prime Minister will decide when the when the next set of projects get announced from the Major Project's Office. But I as you've seen in the past, there's been a sort of a regular cadence of that and I would expect to see that that cadence continue.
Thank you Aya. Next we'll move to Michael Blanchfield, and Michael, I see that you're unmutable. We can hear you, so we'll just move to the next one. We'll put you on mute now and let you sort that out and let's go back to you after. So we'll go to Ryan Tumility next with the starf.
Yeah.
Hi, Minister.
Talked a little bit about promoting can do over in Poland. I'm wondering if the government, because there are Canadian utilities who are considering it, if the government is going to incentivize Canadian utilities to use can do over other countries options.
It's up for proponents to choose the technology they want to use in Canada. There are several proponents that are at early stages of talking about that they will make the technology choice, not the government of Canada.
And we're just over a month away from the deadlines, or from several of the deadlines that are in the MoU with Alberta. You know, we've seen Premier Smith make some comments that she thinks maybe some of these targets are a bit too aggressive or to restrictive. I'm just wondering how you feel those negotiations are going and if you think that April first deadline will be met.
As I said at my remarks in Calgary late last week, which is the last time I was in Canada, from everything I see, both the federal government and the Alerta government are fully committed to the process of executing the MoU against the timeline. Both parties are working in good faith to get there.
As we all know.
In doing deals, sometimes deals come right up to the deadline.
Sometimes they go a little bit over the deadline.
It's all about the good faith efforts of the two parties to get.
To get to a good conclusion.
And from everything I see, we have two good faith parties in the case of Alberta and the federal governman, and we've had active, active dialogues with the other stakeholders around the MoU.
Thanks Ryan, We'll go to max Paris next. We'll have time for one more for that.
Hi, minister, can you hear me as I can? Hey, how are you doing?
Listen?
Yesterday Minister McKinnon and said your government expects a pipeline proposal for consideration to the MPO by this summer. Does that mean there's a proponent, that someone has been that a company has been chosen to build a pipeline to the coast of BC.
Well, I've been in Europe, so I didn't see what mister McKinnon said. But what Alberta has said is they planned to be the proponent and they plan to put forward a pipeline proposal by the summer. So that's that's what I suspect Minister McKinnon was referring to, but I didn't I've been out of the country.
I didn't see what he said exactly.
Okay.
The other thing I guess I want to ask about is it has to do with the with the can Do reactors. Who are our main competitors to sell to sell nuclear reactors to the polls and how are you dealing with them? I guess I'm not quite sure how to put it, but like, how what kind of strategy do you have to deal with their sales pitch?
So, uh, you know, we're not making the sales pitch. The can Do Consortium is making the sales pitch. They would be leading the sales effort, and uh, they would
be designing the sales pitch against any competing companies. What Canada does is supports their technologies and we are there to make clear that we stand beside our providers of nuclear technology and where there is financing for Canadian Canadian content in those in those projects, we will we will support the companies through using things like Export Development Corp and other other tools that we have to make the providers of Canadian providers of nuclear technologies proposals attractive.
Thanks for your question.
Let's try.
Let's go back to Mike Clinchfield.
Minister, can you hear me?
Yes, I can great a Minister, I just want to ask you about the IA Chair of summary that came out our colleagues in Paris report that the climate change was not listed on the agency's priorities.
Just wondering what you think about that.
And what implications that has for net zero and what the government's position was during the talks, which were apparently quite quite intense.
I think there was a little bit of hyperbole in your colleague's headline.
I'll quote from the actual press release.
A large majority of ministers stressed the importance of energy transition to combat climate change and highlight the global transition to net zero. So I quite frankly think your colleague's headline is a little bit misleading.
Do you think we'll be seeing a national electricity strategy anytime soon?
The Prime Minister is indicated the national we should expect that in the next few weeks, and so I would expect to see that relatively soon.
Okay, thanks for questioning. I think we have time for one more, so we'll go to ashak Duta with smp lebe asham you.
Sorry, minister, can you hear me now?
I can't.
It's good good to you, Thank.
You for taking my question. I had had a quick one, Minister. On your trip to Europe, are you picking up any buzz about interest for Canadian LNG please?
I would say everywhere we go, I hear.
That countries understand that LNG is an important transition fuel to getting to net zero. I also hear everywhere I go that because of the significant in electricity demand because of electrification, and also because of the wave of AI data centers being developed, that they need that transition fuel, they need more of it, and they need it for longer than they.
Had thought in the past.
What I hear in Europe specifically is Europeans felt like they were far over exposed to a hedgemon called Russia, that energy from Russia was weaponized against them, and they are very keen to make sure they do not fall into a situation where they have dependence on any one
supplier again. And so when they look at their options, they see Canada as a highly attractive supplier, a supplier that is reliable, a supplier of it, believes in free trade, supplier that produces the lowest carbon intensity leg in the world, and if they have an opportunity to buy from US, they are keen to take that. So consistent with my trips to the UK, my trips to Germany, my colleagues trips around Europe, my trip to Poland, my trip here, everyone is interested in in our energy.
Thank you very much, Thank you, thank you very much. That's where a lot of time, so I just want to remind the folks. If you have any more questions or fall us, please feel free to reach out to meet relations or to the Minister's Press secretary. This concludes the event.
Thank you, Thank you. Go to Canada.
So mercibokul mia, premide, tulmond, mercid permu. I'm speaking to you today from Montday, Mexico, following three days in Mexico City with one of the largest Team Canada trade missions in Canadian history. I had the privilege of leading a delegation of more than two hundred and forty business organizations and over three hundred and seventy business delegates from across Canada. Their objective was to strengthen economic ties, diversify trade, and
advanced prosperity in Canada and in North America. In Mexico City, my colleagues and I met with President Shinbaum and several members of her cabinet, where we reviewed progress under the Canada Mexico Action Plan struck by the Prime Minister and President Shinbaum. During our visit to Mexico last September, we also met with Mexico's Commerce Secretary Marcelo Ebrard to discuss the joint review of Kuzma or Temec as it's known
here in Mexico. Our Mexican counterparts have been the most gracious of hosts and we want to thank them for their support throughout this big trade mission. And as Mexico nusavon tremission COMMERCIALI c Hu SUI at the premideer Monterey Cica, Guadaajara, who's a true vactul mar may colegg Le, Minister Agriculture, Heath McDonald, Pala Motel, David Miles Lisita, the Nuevo Leona Jalisco,
who's a situ respective Ma Monterrey a Guadalajara. So there's zippisand the activity Manufacturier Eplusier Sichiux company Canadian compart example Magna p r P, McCain Foods, Quissan Solid Ma itably Los presence on Salt, Mexican tem wine, la natier anti great. There's Econemi, Benifiski de cour de libre change nor American teampul the Canada carepol Le mexic As Canada looks to double its non US exports over the next decade, we intend to deepen our economic and people to people ties
with Mexico. On that score, this Team Canada Trade Mission has sent a strong message about Canada and Canadian businesses commitment to establishing an ongoing and lasting presence here in Mexico. Thus far, national business associations and Canadian companies from Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta and Newfoundland and Labrador have signed fifteen
commercial partnerships and deals. The hundreds of companies taking part in this trade mission, many of them small and medium sized businesses, are participating in nearly nineteen hundred business to business meetings with Mexican counterparts. Through these direct connections with prospective clients and partners, companies will get strong support from Canada's Trade Commissioner Service to get their products into Mexico's
growing and dynamic market. The Canadian Business delegation will be continuing their program over the next couple of days and there's lots more that took place in Guadalajara. So for more on that, I'm happy to turn it over to my colleague, Our Agriculture and Agrifood Minister Heath MacDonald and then Parliamentary Secretary David Miles will speak about creative and cultural industries a Heath.
Thanks Tominic. Real pleasure to be here obviously in Guadalajara. It's the weather is beautiful by the way, Dominic, but I'm not sure where you are, but I'm certainly appreciative of the people that we're meeting with here and they certainly appreciate the communication collaboration that we're seeing between our two countries as of late, and optimism is very high. Expanding our partnerships and building trade relationships in Mexico is a top priority obviously for our government and it will
allow us to increase and diversify our exports to this region. Look, agriculture plays a major role in supporting jobs in the economy in both countries, and we have both benefit from highly integrated supply chains leading to efficient markets. We enjoy a complementary agri food trade relationship that brings both our economies value. Canada exports safe, high quality products such as grains and meats, while Mexico supplies Canadians with fresh fruits,
vegetables and meat year round. Agriculture connects farmers' economies and our people. Agriculture is a fundamental to our economic prosperity, public.
Health, and national sovereignty. It's extremely important that we.
Do everything we can in the geopolitical times we find ourselves into diversify our trade. It's also not lost on us that the impediments that we see around the world because of those geopolitical issues are allowing us to have more of a vocal and active trade missions like the one we are on today, and it's extremely important. So I'll just leave it there for now and turn it
over to David. But what I can say is the optimistic value that we're seeing with all the people that we're meeting here in Guadalajara and Mexico City in the last few days has been extremely important. From ministers to deputy ministers, to regulatory bodies and to producers, farmers, ranchers and processors.
Thanks, thank you.
Heath and it's a real pleasure to be here on behalf of Minister Miller. And it's been a great pleasure to be here with Minister Leblon, mister McDonald my first trade mission and it has been a tremendous success. It's been amazing to see and feel the hospitality in Mexico.
I think we've all felt that. I think the businesses that are all down here have felt that in their meetings there's a very very positive energy uh and excited about the relationship building that relationship in the cultural sector.
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it's amazing to watch the energy. Mexico is one of our most significant cultural trading partners, representing one point six billion dollars, our sixth most important partner, and it is growing year after year, particularly in the audio visual sector, in the interact of digital media sector, but also in the performing arts and so we have organizations and businesses here from all of those sectors and and you can tell that they are meeting with people who are interested
in what they're doing, and they're properly matched. One of the big things with these trade missions that I've seen is that it's really important that the businesses that are there are matched up with receptive businesses on the other side.
And uh that is very much the case.
And uh it's been a real, a real joy. Obviously, I had the opportunity to speak with the Undersecretary, uh, doctor Nunez Bestvalova. We were able to speak in depth with a number of policy uh you know, concerns that we shared. And also I was able to have the great pleasure of meeting with these two gentlemen yesterday with the President of Mexico, President Sean Mama. It was a real thrill to be able to speak at that table
and talk about culture. Aim he fond the de llang de Pelson, Come come comlqutu AC vict you on Mexic and it's been a wonderful reception.
Okay, we will move over to questions now. Once again, if you have a question, please use the raised hand function. Everybody will have one question and one follow. We will start with Kelly Malone from the Canadian press.
Yeah, I can't hear the question.
Yeah, it's not allowing me to unmute. Oh I think now it's good. Yeah, here, good Kelly, go ahead.
Those are famous COVID words. I think you're on mute. So Mexico is still negotiating with the United States.
Does that put Canada at a disadvantage for the Kuzma review?
And what are your counterparts telling you about what to expect there in Mexico.
Mexico is talking to the United States about a whole series of bilateral issues and preparing for the Kuzma review, as is Canada. So there's no surprise and no concern that we have there. I am reassured by the Mexican Economy Secretary, who would be my counterpart in those conversations with the American administration, his desire to work with Canada and to ensure that the review of Kuzma results in
a strengthened an ongoing trilateral trade arrangement. So the Mexicans, as I say, are pursuing some bilateral challenges or issues with the United States, so is Canada. But we both remain absolutely committed to the trilateral free trade agreement and working together as this review process unfold.
Are you sending a message to the Americans with this Mexico trip, especially had of Kuzma talks.
I don't think it should surprise anybody in the United States or elsewhere. We ran an election campaign last spring, the Prime Minister was very clear that we were going to seek to diversify our trading relationships with reliable partners around the world. He personally and my colleagues have advanced that effort very considerably. We've talked about strengthening bilateral trade relations with Mexico. He did that when he was the
Prime Minister was here with President Shinbaum in September. They signed a comprehensive partnership agreement that talked about prosperity and increasing bilateral trade. And at that news conference with President Shinbaum, he talked about putting together a Canadian trade mission to Mexico as quickly as possible. So again this was well known last fall. We wanted to do it before Christmas.
It wouldn't have been possible logistically to have the level of participation and the frankly unexpected mass of participation of Canadian businesses and business organizations that decided to join us on this trade trip, so it's not surprising. It'll be very beneficial to the Canadian economy and the Canadian businesses, and we're going to do it with other countries around.
The world as well.
Thank you. I will now go to Promitt Mukerji from Thompson Writers.
Thank you minister for taking my question. Can you hear my voice properly? We can hear you, we can, okay, Thanks minister. I wanted to ask you that how are you coordinating your USMC strategy with Mexico to being divided in negotiations with Washington.
So the Prime Minister and President Shinbaum, as I noted, signed a comprehensive partnership, which is the highest level of diplomatic engagement, and we committed to working as we always have, but in a renew dued sense of engagement with the Mexican government. As we knew that twenty twenty six would
bring the review of the KUSMA Agreement. The Mexicans have very similar interests to Canada, ensuring that some of the sectoral tariffs that the United States has applied are diminished, are brought down, and that we conclude a review that preserves the framework of prosperity in North America for over three decades. If you look at the benefit to the economy of all three countries since the NAFTA agreement was
signed over three decades ago. We both believe that it's in the interests of all three countries to maintain and to ensure that that agreement continues. So there's no division as between the interests of Mexico and Canada in in committing ourselves to the trilateral trade Agreement. And we are both having conversations with counterparts in the United States and we'll continue to do so over the next number of months.
And the second question, has Canada also discussed any contingency planning with Mexico in case the US formerly seeks biolactual arrangements.
No, we haven't, thank you.
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We will now go to the anum from political. Hello, we can hear you go ahead, Dean.
So this one's for minutester lebon Us t r Jameson Greer was on Fox Business Network last week and accused can of pursuing policies that make it difficult to begin a mandatory review of Cosmo on a bilateral basis. So Greer said that there is a variety of issues that can isn't addressing, and quote, this makes it a big challenge and an obstacle for starting real negotiations with them.
End quote.
So is this an accurate claim?
What are some of these issues that he's mentioning that you're aware of?
So, thank you for the question. Obviously I don't speak for the US government. I took note of those comments from Ambassador Greer. After those comments, I had a productive and cordial phone conversation with him. We've agreed to meet. I indicated to him that I was in Mexico this week. In the next few weeks, we would have a chance to sit down and discuss the Kuzma review. So I,
the US trade representative, said those comments. But at the same time, we have been doing the work necessary in Canada to prepare for this not surprising review that was built into the agreement six years ago. And so have the Mexicans and so of the Americans. So we look forward to those conversations.
I'm not.
I think that those conversations can be can be fruitful, and obviously some of the issues that I assume Ambassador Greer was referring to are some of the issues that the US Administration discusses publicly and some of the issues that.
We were talking to them about for a long time privately.
Thank you and the users clients kind of suggest that there are preconditions for bilateral trade talks to begin. Your Mexican counterparts team received a list of issues from USDR related to non tariff barriers to kind of guide their talks. Me you confirm if the Canadian side has also received a list of issues from USTR related to non tariff barriers to do the same.
I don't want to get into the details of what precise exchanges we have had or are having with our American counterparts, other than to say, well, they publicly have a list that they published. The US Trade Representative's Office publishes a list of the non tariff barriers that they take note of for every country in the world, so Canada has a lot fewer than many other countries. Our conversations with the Americans deal with some of those issues.
But as I say, I'm confident that those concerns. I don't speak for the Mexican government either, They'll work through in the way that they think is appropriate those concerns. I'm absolutely confident that Canada can do the same thing.
Okay, Next on the list we have Markrendell from the Globe of Mail.
I mean, can you hear me, No, we can hear you, Mark, go ahead, fantastic.
So question for Minister Lebloc. You mentioned that Mexico in the US and Canada and the US are addressing a number of issues bilaterally and separately, but there are a number of trilateral issues that have been highlighted that are certainly on the USTRS list of things they want to address. Top of those on that list is rules of origin for non automotive arts, alignment on tariffs, export controls, foreign
direct investment screening, those kind of things. How aligned are Canada and Mexico when it comes to these trilateral issues again around rules of origin and you know, external tariffs, and where are Canada and Mexico differing on those issues?
So Mark, thanks for that question.
I think it's a good one in the sense you've identified some of the issues that the US Trade Representative has raised publicly as concerns around Kuzma, the trilateral trade agreement.
We are and I've said this to Ambassador Greer and.
To Secretary Lutnik, We're anxious to sit down with our Mexican counterparts and have those conversations with the United States. I think my impression from our conversations in Mexico City earlier this week with the Economy Secretary, President Sinbaum, the Foreign Minister of Foreign Secretary was also there. She brought a number of her senior cabinet officials to the to the meeting, and we had other occasions to interact with them.
Maybe my colleague Heath or David wants to want.
To add something, but I don't think that, at least in a starting point, as we look at the trilateral issues the United States may raise that Canada and Mexico would not easily find common ground.
I'm encouraged by my conversations with the Mexicans and to.
Be fair with the Americans on some of those issues that you raised, Canada would probably quite easily find common ground with Mexico and the United States. I don't speak for Mexico, but if the United States raises those issues publicly, some of them that you enumerated, we wouldn't necessarily begin the conversation hesitant to try and find the right common ground.
Yeah, Dominic, I might have just add Look from what I'm hearing on the ground in Mexico over this the course of this week, try colateral agreement is more most beneficial. We have economies that are integrated me suffice. That's something that I'm hearing. I can constantly they want the trilateral and I think when you look at the economics of this, I think it's very plain to see that it has served all three countries very well.
Just following up on that question about external tariffs, Mexico has been moving in the last six months or so to align more closely with what Washington has asked for on tariffs on Chinese goods in particular, but you know non FTA goods in general.
They have raised tariffs significantly.
Canada has broken step I guess with Washington, at least when it comes to electric vehicle tariffs. And I'm wondering to kind of ask the question in a slightly different way on specifically on the question of external tariff alignment it appears like Mexico is going one direction and aligning more with Washington, and Canada is going another direction in
aligning less with Washington. And I wondering if you can comment on what certainly appears to be a divergence between Mexico City and Ottawa on their willingness to align with the US on external tariffs.
So again, I don't speak for the government of Mexico or the government of the United States. We as a federal government in Canada, make decisions that we think are in the interest of the Canadian economy and Canadian workers. So we take note of what decisions our partners make. We're fundamentally committed to a true free trade agreement with the United States and with Mexico. We didn't start a
series of sectoral tariffs or reciprocal tariffs last year. We have to take the steps necessary in our judgment to protect Canadian industry and Canadian workers, and the Mexicans make their own decisions for their own economy. But I wouldn't I wouldn't say there's a divergence between Mexico City and Ottawa. What I would say is that we have in some cases different economies, different sectoral challenges and some cases, some cases very similar. I met people from the steel industry
today in Monterey. Some of their concerns are not different than steel producers uh from from Canada, with whom we meet as well. So there's many issues where there's an obvious common circumstance. Some sectors and some challenges are unique to Mexico or to Canada, And obviously in Canada, the government makes the decisions that we think are in the best interest of protecting the Canadian economy and Canadian workers.
Next on my list, we'll go to Chris Rands from CBC.
Hi, minsters, can hear me?
Okay, Yes, go ahead, Chris.
Thanks bean for.
Mister Leblon, mister Pauliev is causing your party of trying to seize majority through quote back kroom, dirty back room deals, and we're wondering if you ever response to that place.
I never ceased to be amazed by the hypocrisy of mister Polliev on these issues. I was a member of Parliament when in mister Harper's government, they stood and cheered and I think even made her deputy leader or deputy leader in a Liberal MP crossed the floor to join the Conservatives. He should look in the mirror and ask himself why he's having these challenges in his caucus. It's easy to somehow make up a phrase like back room deals. He would be the expert in that sort of stuff.
If his caucus members choose to leave his caucus, he can explain that, and he also should be able to defend why they celebrated similar decisions at a different time in a different parliament.
Chris, do you have a follow up?
Don't ask him again in case he does keep going. No, it's it's I have to go through the immuting prompt. Thank you for that answer. Could you shed some light on when mister Genero did reach out to the Liberal Party?
I can't.
I wasn't involved directly in those conversations. Others may very well have been. And as I say, who reached out to whom and what I don't have any information on that. I can't comment on that. But I think that mister Generou's decision is good for the people of Edmonton, the people of Alberta, and for Canada. He wants to join our government in some of the priorities that the Prime Minister is aggressively pursuing. That makes our country stronger, it
makes our caucus better. Representation from the great province of Alberta is positive for us, so I look forward to working with him.
Unfortunately, that is all of the time that the ministers have today for questions. Thank you very much for joining us. This will conclude today's press conference.
Thanks me, Thanks everybody here.
Thanks.
My name is Faris Alsud and I am the proud Member of Parliament for Mississauga Center. For those of you who call Mississaga home, it's great to see you as always. And for those of you who don't, welcome to our beautiful city. Now there's quite the lineup behind me, but it is my distinct pleasure to welcome my good friend Minister Champagne. Thank you for taking the time to be
with us today and for this important conversation. Mister Minis, before we begin, i'd like to acknowledge that we're gathered here today on the treaty lands and territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. The land is also part of the traditional territory of the Innishinabe, howd Nishawnee, Huron when Datt and Wyandot nations. We recognize an honor the enduring presence, history, and stewardship of the Indigenous peoples who have cared for this land since time immemorial. Public
safety is foundational when people feel safe, Communities thrive. Residents and business owners must be able to live, work, and invest in their futures without fear, coercion or disruption. The measures being introduced today reflect exactly that, a commitment to protecting our communities, supporting law enforcement, and ensuring accountability. With that, it is my pleasure to welcome the Mayor of Mississauga, Her Worship Carolyn Parish to share her remarks.
Madam Mayor, thank you, Thank.
You very much, and welcome to everyone.
Welcome particularly to Minister Champan, who has been entertaining us for the last twenty minutes. He's so excited about his announcement. It's really fun to watch. Then, Venue Mississauga. That's the best I can do. Welcome also to Minister Sadu, Minister Valdez, Minister Ali, my good buddy, Minister Cosendova, Basta and our great partner with Peel Chief Peel Regional Police Deputy Chief Nick Milanovitch, who's representing Chief Nish, who does a lot
to keep us all safe. I thank you all for coming. We are happy to host members of the federal government. We have a fantastic federal team here and really appreciate them. I want to start by saying we are all partners. We are all strong over the spirit of cooperation. I'm thrilled min A Champagne has chosen to make an announcement here. The facts about extortion are frightening and appalling. We share the concern that this criminal violence has become an epidemic
in our communities. We recognize the urgency to deal with this dangerous problem. What you are announcing today will benefit the people of Mississauga and all of Canada. As an important side note, I also want to thank you, mister Champagne for your federal and your federal colleagues for the
latest installment. Can't I can't not say this twenty eight million dollars from the Housing Fund because we are so good at building, how that we are leaders in providing local incentives to inspire our developers and builders, but could not be successful without your assistance.
We look forward to the morning's announcement. Mercy, Thank you, thank you for coming.
Thank you very much for thank you very much. Very good morning everyone.
Mom.
It's it's a real pleasure to be in Messissauga this morning for a very consequential announcement. This morning, I want to say thank you, Mayor Perish for uh the introduction, but also your leadership. Not only you're in Mississauga, but in Ontario and in our nation. And I'm always glad to be here to have good news for you.
Mayor.
I'll come back again and certainly pleasure to join everyone from the Pield region.
We are in this morning for a very significant announcement.
Our message to criminals is both powerful and simple enough, and this morning we're going to double down.
On measures to fight extortion.
That is the key message that I'm sending to all those who are listening and watching at home.
And we'll read about these announcements today.
But before I go further, let me acknowledge a number of people who have decided to join us this morning because they understand the importance of what we're doing today. I want to say I have a number of colleagues, and I hope you see we are united in our voice and our action to fight extortion. And I want to say President Ali from the treasure Board. Thank you for being your sir, and thank you for your leadership
in the community. Have the pleasure of serving with you, and I see what you can do, and you've done no straight, sid which is reshaping Canada's international trade in a way that we've not seen in a long time. I want to say to my dear friend, Richie Valdez, She's an amazing leader. She's done great things. Always a pleasure to be with you. I want to say to Faris, the youngest member of our team and the MP from this region, from this city.
You're doing great, my friend.
And it's not by accident that you're here this morning with us and introducing the discussion. We have Charles Susa, which everyone knows in this province served with distinction. Sonya Sidou, which is also with us. Sonya is this, dear Amandi is with us. Somewhere Amandi, there you are, Ikuander is with us. Peter Fonseca, my dear friend, and I hope I've forgotten nobody, oh Ikra.
Ali, so sorry.
Listen if I show you the list that I received this morning, and you'll see that there's everyone wanted to be here in Nikrop is a big voice in our caucus and someone who's been fighting. Also want to say I texted my dear friend doc Ford yesterday as well, and you made sure that we have representative from the provincial government because we understand the only way we're going to succeed is by working together. And I want to say thank you to the MPPs that are here in
the minister for joining us this morning. I appreciate that Mayor, thank you for allowing us to be here in Mississauga. Obviously this is a issue for many families, business owners, workers. There's in Mississauga, but it goes beyond obviously Mississauga, Brampton and the Peel region, and also.
In other parts of our country.
I want to say also thank you to Rika Sing, the deputy mayor of Brampton. Thank you, Deputy. You'll have a lot of work after the announcement today. To Nick, my new friend, the deputy chef of police, the mayor was right. I did spend twenty minutes talking to him. But when you see the cheaf of police smiling, you know.
That this is real.
This is not one of those announcements to look good. This is not an announcement just to make an announcement. This is about concrete measures that will make a difference for law enforcement. And when you see the Deputy Chief of Police saying, yeah, this is what is going to help us to make.
A difference, you know you're on the right track.
And I assured him if that's not enough, we'll double down again to make sure that with our law enforcement partner we can do that. I want to expect knowledge our colleagues from the RCMP, which are doing an amazing amount of work.
There are great partners.
And by the way, let's try to applaud all the men and women who serve in our country.
They keep us safe.
They deserve all our respect, our support, and that's what we're giving them this morning, new tools and the toolbox to fight crime. And I want to say thank you to also Mike you m the RCMP Commissioner with whom I exchanged about the announcement this morning. Sava Packet from Findrack. She is the lady leading up the agency where we're going to put boots on the ground helping our law enforcement partners across the country to fight extortion, to combat extortion.
Thank you to you and your team the moment I sent you that notice that instructions to double down, you respond and you said, yes, Minister, we.
Will do it and we will be there to support law enforcement.
I want to say to Peter Rochlitz, the superintendent Ahilosophy may not be known by most Canadians, but someone who is known by all the banking community in our country. Peter and I have been working with the CEOs of all the Canadian banks to make sure that they do their part, and I'm glad that we have many representatives. I think all the banks and financial institution are represented this morning. Peter and I make sure that they would
be part of this endeavor. We have to combat extortion and I think that with that, Jimmy Zeppler, the RCMP Commissioner Office, I think I acknowledge you, sir, and all the RCMP officers, the men and women who can do a lot of work, and all obviously the representative of the bank. I think the message for Canadians watching at home this morning is simple. We speak with one voice to come back in gonna make crime, and this is the team that's going to make sure that we have new tools in our toolbox.
It was really important for me to be here this.
Morning in the Field region, first to meet the mayor, to meet the men and women who are on the front line, to reassure families and businesses who have been sadly affected by the rise of extortion. I've heard many stories of people would say they have family members, neighbors, people in their community who have suffered from what we've seen in extortion in that particular region. For too many people, extortion is not an abstract concept anymore. It is a
trend that is sent to their phone. It is a business owner deciding whether it is safe to open. It is families fitting unsafe in their home communities.
That's not the Canada that I know. That's not the Canada that we want.
My message to all of you, we hear you, we support you, and today we're taking decisive and concrete actions to detect the tour and disrupt financial crime activity in your neighborhood. These crimes target more than finances. They own their mind, people's sense of security, and Canadians deserve to feel safe where they live and where they work. Extortion is also a sophisticated financial crime. I can assure you, having spent time with the expert, they will tell you this.
Is evolving, fast, evolving.
Can we even discuss that with our G seven partners, how we can work together as nations to make sure that we fight financial crime which are going beyond our borders.
These criminal networks.
Will wind up moving money quietly to financial systems, like I said, often across borders to found their operation and try to avoid detection.
We'll have news for them today.
We're gonna double down to the turn, distruct and distract what you're doing. That's why one of the most powerful tools we have is financial intelligence, because when we follow the money, we expose the networks behind these crimes. We identify those which are responsible and we disrupt their ability to operate, whether it's here in the Peel region in Canada and even internationally. Farcilla repons Canada, facle Exton, proate Linen not a Magras collab.
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Helps Canada.
The strengthen are followed the money strategy. I have directed the CEO of Fintrack in fact a week ago because we knew we could not wait. This is an important issues for families and worker in the region to take immediate action to prioritize and mobilize resources to support law enforcement in detecting and distructing extortion and by deploying liaison officers on the ground to work alongside our law enforcement partners in selected regions of the country.
This has never been done before.
We learned best practices when we decided to come together as a team to fight fentanyl. And I must say I want to acknowledge the Fintrack team and you, your leadership, your responded to.
The call of duty. You said, yes, Minister, we will be there.
We'll support our law enforcement partners like we've never done before with boots on the ground being working alongside our law enforcement partners. Their role Canadians may not know is Fintrack, but they do a very important role. They can monitor financial transaction that are reported to them by financial institutions in the country. So their role is to help investigators which will identify patterns, trace illicit fonds and intervene.
Before further harm is done.
As part of this effort, find Track will implement a new targeted indicator profile on extortion, which will be shared with financial institution across the country to help the people recognize suspicious transaction with a series of red flags, so that they can be equipped to report quickly and effectively the suspicious transactions to relevant authorities.
What we're saying, in other words, we're going to make life very difficult for criminals around the country.
I'm also announcing a new countering extortion partnership between Fintrack and the profit sector. This is something that we have tried before in till In and we are reactivating. This partnership will strengthen awareness, improve information sharing, and have ensured that businesses and financial institutions are equipped to recognize and
report signs of extortion related financial activity. So for Canadians who are watching at home today, what we're saying is that the whole financial community is coming together to combat extortion so that criminals won't be able to hide which stolen money.
Like I said before, enough is enough, We're gonna find you.
We're gonna distract the shop, deter you from targeting families and business owners in this community and other communities across the nation. As I see in decade, free Track liison officers will work directly with law enforcement in targeted areas of our country, including here in Peel and in on Tier, but also in BC and in Alberta to support the financial to ensure that financial intelligence is used properly and
effectively to support investigation and enforcement action. Finally, French RACK will also publish new strategic intelligence, so we will define patterns, We will see how people operate and have bad news for criminals. We will publish that how you operate, what you're doing and how you're doing it, so that the intelligence will be published will be around laundering, how laundering
of proceeds from extortion is done. So to help law enforcement and financial institution across the country identify emergen strength and strengthen prevention efforts.
Because once we expose how they operate, it's going to help all.
The financial institution in the country to help us in deterior detect these crimes. This will be a coordinated effort bringing together federal agencies, many of them are represented today that are maybe not known to Canadians, but they do very important work. Local police now want to tank again the police Appeal and other law enforcement partners, financial institution, businesses and communities across the country. Because this meanting these
networks require collaboration. It requires bold actions and relentless focus and attention and even said to the Mayor that we'll be back in thirty days to see if it works. If it doesn't work enough, we'll have to double down and look at other means that we can put in terms of financial intelligence working with our partner. As Mayor Brown Rampted recently said, if you disrupt the money, you weaken.
The trip, and I agree with that.
That is exactly what we're doing today with our follow the Money strategy. We are doing exactly what you said, Mayor, And I want to thank him as well, because we had the pleasure to exchange and understand the importance of what we're announcing this morning. And I like to think all the representatives from our partners that are here today, including Canada's financial institution and credit unions, for their continued effort. And and I want to say thank you, Petary to
our police force. Uh they're on the front line of this and we're giving more tools in the toolbox to fight crimes and we will be there with them along this journey. Viget do Millvin signed ken it is auto prieg conte finaci e resans and columnist The Security Public, The.
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New DETECTI Supervision confrom the regime the lunt.
And Budget twenty twenty five and ounce the creation of a new financial crime Agency which I'm very pleased and proud as the lead agency, which will investigate complex financial crimes including extortion, organized crime.
Fraud and to recover illicit proceeds.
As you can see, we're stepping up in a big, big way to have more tools in our toolbox to go after a criminal and combat extortion. Many different form and sophisticated type of crimes are evolving and we need to evolve.
With them as well, so that we have the best tools.
And the best options and will continue to work with our G seven partner as well to learn best practices. Canada strand has always come from its communities, the people who are watching at home and expect us to be there for them. And this is why this work matters more than ever, because behind every investigation is a person, a shop owner, a worker who depends on their job, a family that deserves to feel safe in their neighborhood. To those we have been targeted, I want to say
you're not alone. We stand with you, Law enforcements stand with you, and Canada stand with you, and we will use every tool available to.
Protect you and hold criminals to account.
Criminals will feel the pressure as we detect the shrub and counter their activities, and communities and families should feel the benefit from our actions. In conclusion, I would say, let's be bold and double down on their efforts. Let's speak quick interactions to increase the sense of security in our community, and together let's fight extortions.
CMMs at MISCHEU.
Thank you everyone, well, thank you everyone. Good morning to Minister Champagne. Thank you so much for your leadership and welcoming you to Peel. Today's an honor for all of us. You know we stand together as we fight crime in our communities, and so thank you for making this announcement today in Mississauga. I also want to thank Mayor Parrish of course, and our men and women in office in uniforms, the RCMP Peel Regional Police for his deputy Chief Alonovitch.
Thank you so much for all the work that you do to keep our communities safe every single day. I'm especially proud to be here as the Member of Parliament for Bramptonice and Canada's Minister of International Trade, standing alongside partners as we battle extortion. Extortion has no place in our communities. Extortion is not just a financial crime, as
we heard from the Minister. It is a crime that threatens families, targets business owners and undermines the sense of safety that every Canadian deserves to feel safe in their homes in their community. Here in Peerle Region, especially in Brampton, we have seen firsthand the impacts these criminal networks can have. Small business owners who have worked hard to build something special, meaningful are being threatened. Families are being intimidated, and this
is unacceptable and our government will not tolerate it. Our new government has been clear being tough on crime means being tough on extortion. Protecting Canadians and protecting our communities is our first and foremost priority. Today's announcements represents real concrete action to deliver on that commitment. By supporting fintrack to dedicate more resources to word combating extortion, we are strengthening Canada's ability to follow the money, identify criminal networks,
and disrupt their operations. It means dedicated financial intelligence experts will work directly with law enforcements in communities here in Mississauga, Brampton and across Canada, helping ensure local police have the tools and expertise they need to act quickly and effectively. And it means strengthening collaboration between governments, law enforcement, financial institutions, and regulators to ensure we are working together to protect Canadians.
Because the reality is that many of these criminal networks operate across churi sections, they operate online, they operate in sophisticated and coordinated ways, our response must be just as coordinated, just as sophisticated, and just as determined. This announcement builds on the broader actions our government is taking to crack down on organized crime and protect Canadians. We are investing one point seven billion dollars to strengthen the RCMP and
support their work combating organized crime and financial crime. We are establishing a new Canada Financial Crimes Agency to lead the fight against money laundering, fraud, and criminal financial networks. And we are strengthening laws and enforcement tools to ensure criminals are held accountable.
For their actions.
Through legislation, we are strengthening the consequences for serious offenses, including extortion, with tougher sentences and keeping violent and repeat offenders out of our communities. We are giving law enforcement and financial intelligences stronger tools to disrupt organized crime, crack down on money laundering, and stop criminal networks at their source. And we will continue to engage with all levels of
government to keep our community safe. Everyone deserves a peace of mind that comes from knowing that their government is standing with them. This is exactly what we are doing today and that is exactly what we will continue to do. Thank you very much, beste.
Question, Good morning everyone. It's so I'm honored to be here to represent the writing of Mississauga. Streetsville A welcome Minister Champagne to Mississauga. Honored to stand with many of my colleagues, law enforcement, all the financial institutions. As you've heard today already, we stand together to ensure that we're going to tackle the extortions that is happening in our country, particularly in Mississauga, Brampton and of course out west in BC.
Before entering public service, I was a small business owner right here in Mississauga. I started my business while raising my two kids, and like every entrepreneur, I put my heart into making sure that that business succeeds. When you run a small business, it is very personal. Your business represents years of sacrifice and the future you're.
Building for your family. And that is why extortion is so devastating.
When organized crime targets businesses and in our neighborhoods, it's not only the demand for money.
It creates fear. It disrupts our operations.
It puts entrepreneurs, employees and families in danger, and this is completely unacceptable and that is why today's announcement matters so much to small business owner here in Peel region and right across the country. When we strengthen financial intelligence and improve coordination across institutions, we make it harder for those those networks, those criminal networks, to profit from intimidation
and violence. We disrupt their ability to move money and we make it harder for them to target small businesses. So for entrepreneurs, this means earlier detection of suspicious activity, faster disruption of criminal networks, and stronger prevention efforts to stop extortion before it escalates. These new measures announced today are about protecting families, they are about protecting jobs, and they are about protecting the confidence that allows communities to
grow and for small businesses to thrive. And here in Peel Region, that commitment is reinforced by our one million dollars in federal funding to strengthen Peel Regional Police's work to combat extortion, support victims and disrupt criminal nos works targeting local businesses. And this commitment was previously announced by Minister Gary and Nanda Sandegree. So to the entrepreneurs in Puel Region and across Canada, we see the risks you take.
We value the work that you do, and we are committed to ensuring that you build, invest and thrive in safety and with confidence. So thank you again to Mayor Parish for having us here and the commitment of everyone and particularly our law enforcement who continuously support us to protect us each and every day.
So thank you all.
Good morning to law. My name is Jeff ka Ali.
I'm a Member of Parliament for Brampton Chingkuzie Park and the President of the Churchy Board of Canada. First of all, I would like to thank Madameyir, Madame Parish. She's actually the one I started politics with. I was on her eda when I started my journey political journey. Thank you, thank you for having us, thank you for your leadership on this issue. And I also like to thank our Minister of Good News. Actually he's the Minister of Fineance, but every time he comes he brings good news.
Thank you, a Minista Champagne, for your leadership.
We've been working together in this new government very closely, whether it's expenditure review, whether it's red tape review, whether it's community safety.
Fundings, building communities or all other initiatives.
But this is very important announcement you have made today, very important step you have taken and this is really a great news for the residents of Peel and all Ontario, in all Canada. Thank you for your leadership. Crime has been devastating. Extortion crime, it creates, created fears, It created you know, uncertainty, It created.
Bad impact on businesses. And I like to thank our law enforcement agencies.
That the REPS Council, we have Dipty mayor from Brampton, we have council member from Mississauga, and I see some members of Peelboard Police Board.
Thank you all for your leadership, for your advocacy.
I also like to thank the people behind cameras taking this message to Canadians.
Thank you for your service. You know I hear directly from community members about their consent and when it comes to.
Crime, especially extortion. Actually I have few residents of Brampton Chinkuzi Park who were targeted and I can understand and I know how painful it is, how devastating it is that to address that issue today, Minister Champagne took this action to crack down on those criminals, to go after them.
Thank you mister Champigne once again.
And far too many people have been affected by the rise in extortion and we have that. We know that strong communities are built on safe communities. The measures Minister Champagne is announcing today has announced today. It will make a real difference for Bramptonian, for residents across the Greater Toronto area, for Canadians who have been victims of financial crimes linked to extortion.
Safety is not a party is an issue.
It requires all of us working together, federal, provincial and municipal government as well as members from all parties to protect our community. Communities, and thank you for our provincial counterparts for being here. Actually had an opportunity to meet with Premier Ford and we had this conversation that we need to work together, especially on this issue, because.
This is essential.
This is a right for every Canadian to feel safe. And as Minister Champagne noted, we established the new Financial Crimes Agency in Budget twenty twenty five. This is an important step bringing together expertise from across government to better combat extortion, organized crime and fraud. Minister shamp Pain once again thank you for today's announcement. Bamptonians and all Canadians will be safer because of these actions.
Messi Bukul, thank you so much.
And before I go, Happy Ramadan to all of those who are fasting today because I'm fasting and I my mother's right, So thank you, thank you, thank.
You, thank you very much.
Also to non I'm please dobate to see goose my thing.
As mentioned, extortion is a very serious criminal activity that threatens Canadians and Canadian communities. It also generates significant profits for organized crime groups. Those profits are often laundry through Canada's financial systems and are used to facilitate their other criminal enterprises. FENTRAC has been actively engaged in supporting law
enforcement efforts to combat this terrible crime. Over the past two years, our financial intelligence related to extortion has identified forty six subjects for police investigation involving eleven thousand financial transactions. This intelligence was provided to police in seven different jurisdiction across Canada. Today's announcement is about accelerating and deepening our support in relation to this key priority.
In DM and the terms.
We are deploying financial intelligence officers to engage directly with local police to boaster existing relationships and provide underground financial intelligence expertise. This will ensure that law enforcement will be able to fully leverage our intelligence in their extortion related investigations.
And disrupting those activities.
As the Minister has chair, we are also focusing our resources and expertise to work in partnership with businesses such as Canada financials institutions, to identify the financial transaction trends and.
Typologies related to extortion.
We will be developing expedited targeted Andicator profiles or TEAP sheets on indicators of extortion. These profiles will support financial institution and other businesses in interdentifying the latest money laundering practices related to extortion. By sharing indicator through trusted channels on an expedited basis, we will improve the timeliness and
quality of suspicion transaction reporting to film Track. In turn, this will handhance our ability to provide actionable financial intelligence to.
Local police related to extortion.
In addition, will be collaborating with private sector businesses in developing and publishing a special built in on trends, methods and indicators of money laundering associated with extortion. In this work, fintrack will benefit from the frontline perspective of businesses that have adapted leading edge detection techniques.
Our work with local police will also.
Ensure that their expertise and underground knowledge inform our advice and guidance. The resulting special building will further assist businesses in indifying and reporting transactions related to extortion and facilitate our production of actionable financial intelligence in support of law
enforcement investigation. Under the direction of Minister Champaine, Minister of Finance and National Revenue, we are mobilizing fintracks resources in way that responds to the seriousness of this threat, and we are taking image of action to support our financial sectors, stakeholders and law enforcement partners.
Than the show.
Last, but not least, to start, I would like to echo thanks that you've heard here today. Obviously like to thank Minister Champon for his sport today. The other federal ministers, members of provincial parliament, members of Parliament are counselors from Brampton and Missaga, and members of our Police Services Board. The reality is is that currently extortion is one of the most serious public safety threats that faces not only
Peel Region, but our country on a national level. I would like to thank the federal government for recognizing that risk to our communities. This really is about protecting businesses, our communities and the people that make those communities up. I would like to provide some context, and when I do that, I'm going to share some statistics around Peel. But it's important to understand that this is not just
a Peal issue. This is a national issue, which is why it's so important that the collection of people that you see standing here behind me are a part of the solution.
To this issue.
Families are being targeted, as you've heard, this crime occurs as a result of fear that's created in the community and the motivation is about money. Last year alone in Peel, we had four hundred and seventy six extortion incidents reported to us. Of those four hundred and seventy six, one hundred and ninety targeted our business community. That business community is made up of families and people that are working hard to make our community and Canada a better place
to be. In those one hundred and ninety incidents, twenty nine resulted in shootings and artisans. Many of those have been captured on social media. Many in this room have seen those incidents and it is creating fear.
In our community. That is not just a statistic.
It represents hundreds of people who are living in fear and forced to live with the experiences they've had. And the reality is is, while it's not just Peel, we are on the forefront of this battle and it's one of the reasons why our police service has launched an all on offensive.
Towards addressing that.
Not just doing what you would expect from from a police service in terms of enforcement, but making sure our community feels safe and preventing these offenses. I've said this many times, this is the wrong community to be for people to come to and target for crimes like extortions. This is the wrong police service to try to attempt those types of things, and I think what you see
here today is a demonstration of that. We were one of the first police services to launch an extortion Task Force, which has today grown to just from Peel over forty full time investigators, some of what you see standing behind me today who are working around the clock to investigate these offenses and keep our community safe. But policing alone
is not the entire answer. We need support, like the announcement we hear today, we need support from fintrack, from the collection of people that have spoken today, in order
to address extortions. We are currently formalizing partnerships in addition with the support we're going to have today from Fintrack, we're formalizing partners with our provincial partners, our federal partners and this will be, as I said earlier, one of the largest police efforts in responding to a serious community crime and concern that I in twenty six years have ever had the opportunity or a displeasure to be a
part of. And we will continue to make arrests to lay charges and make sure that anybody that comes to our community is held.
Accountable for doing that.
In addition to the enforcement, we will continue to look for partnerships and opportunities that make us more effective in being able to achieve those objectives. Again, today's a great example of that. Extortion is not random. It is about money. Follow the money and you find the people responsible for extortions and a variety of other transnational crimes. So while today this partnership is important in extortions, tomorrow it will
be important in other crimes well out. Financial intelligence is not just a support tool, it is a frontline tool towards keeping our communities safe again. It allows us to identify networks faster and to make sure that it is less rewarding for the people that are taking advantage of our communities.
And then finally, I'll never you know, miss an opportunity.
You know, we see today as kind of an outcome of really asking and conversations that we've had towards making ourselves better in the space and fighting extortion.
Today's not the end of the conversation.
You know, there are other opportunities where we can pull different organizations together and do different things in order to make it better for our communities and the relation in relation to extortions. You know, our service will continue to
advocate for lawful access. I would not miss the opportunity to share that our ability to obtain information in a lawful, judicially approved manner expediently is crucial to extortions today and our ability to investigate those, but also to the crime or the next crime trend that we will be investigating several years from now. Of course, you know you've heard about justice and bail reform and some of the work that's being done there. Again, that is a conversation that
absolutely needs needs to continue. Similar to our community wanting to see us arrest and charge people, they also want to feel that justice is being upheld and that their protection and rights are.
Are being protected.
In closing, the final message.
I would leave you know, and I'd like to speak directly to our community. I want them to rest assured that we have absolutely organized ourselves in a way that He'll protect them and we are going to win this battle against extortion, and we're going to continue that battle until we do win that battle.
So thank you very much.
Wow, But I convinced my son that there were colors in the world back when I was young, and though everything wasn't black and white, wrong was wrong, and right was right. It was about that time I finally realized maybe my son was right. Though whole damn time most of us were gone. In a clearer time, yeah, things were black.
Shows things will.
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