Committee overview: Standing Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs: Mandate and Priorities of the Minister of Public Safety (October 20, 2025)

Committee Members

Committee Mandate

Pursuant to Rule 12-7(17), the Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs has the mandate to study issues related to national security, defence and veterans affairs generally. The committee has conducted studies and examined bills in the areas of firearms control, customs and preclearance, security and defence in the Arctic, and to issues related to the Canadian Armed Forces and Canadian Veterans.

CBSA-Related recent studies and reports

• Bill C-20 (June 2024), An Act establishing the Public Complaints and Review Commission and amending certain Acts and statutory instruments
  • Report(s): Eleventh Report (October 2024): Bill C-20, An Act establishing the Public Complaints and Review Commission and amending certain Acts and statutory instruments, without amendment but with observations
• The subject matter of those elements contained in Division 39 of Part 4 of Bill C-69, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on April 16, 2024 (May 2024)
  • Report(s): Ninth Report (June 2024): The subject matter of those elements contained in Division 39 of Part 4 of Bill C-69, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on April 16, 2024
• Bill C-21 (June 2023), An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)
  • Report(s): Eighth Report (December 2023): Bill C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms), without amendment but with observations
• Bill S-7 (May 2022), An Act to amend the Customs Act and the Preclearance Act, 2016
  • Report(s): Third Report (June 2022): Bill S-7, An Act to amend the Customs Act and the Preclearance Act, 2016, with amendment

Committee Members biographies

Hassan Yussuf (Chair)

Independent Senators Group (Ontario)

• Appointed to the Senate in June 2021
• After emigrating from Guyana, Yussuff worked as a truck mechanic for General Motors before becoming involved in the labour movement, joining the Canadian Auto Workers union in 1988. He became the Canadian Labour Congress's (CLC) first person of colour elected to an executive position in 1999
• He served as the CLC's Secretary-Treasurer from 2002 to 2014, and was then elected CLC President in May 2014, becoming the first person of colour to lead Canada's union movement. He was re-elected in 2017 and retired in June 2021
• Prominent international activist, elected for his second term as President of the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas in 2016
• Member of the Executive Bureau and General Council of the International Trade Union Confederation and a member of the Ministerial Council of the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
• Serves as a voice for labour and social justice, drawing on experience with key government bodies like the NAFTA Council, the Sustainable Development Advisory Council, and the Net-Zero Advisory Body
• Recipient of the Pearson Centre Progressive Leadership Award and received honorary Doctorate of Laws from Brock University and Ryerson University

Mohammad Al Zaibak (Deputy Chair)

Canadian Senators Group (Ontario)

• Appointed to the Senate in January 2024
• Senator Al Zaibak is a graduate of the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD.D), a graduate of Harvard Business School (HBS OPM VII), and holds a Bachelor of Science in Telecommunications and Electro-Physics Engineering from Alexandria University, in Egypt
• A Syrian-born Arab Canadian, Senator Mohammad Al Zaibak is an entrepreneur and businessman with a deep commitment to advancing social development, promoting diversity and cultural understanding, and making a difference in his Toronto community
• Senator Al Zaibak is an expert in public-private partnerships, corporate governance, and international negotiations on capital projects in various technology industries. He is the co-founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Canadian Development and Marketing Corporation, a company involved in the development, financing, ownership, and management of specialized information technology services
• Throughout his career, Senator Al Zaibak has worked to strengthen Canada's economic, social, and cultural ties with the global community, in particular with Arab countries. He served as Director of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and Chair of its International Strategy Advisory Committee, and he is a former Chair of the Canada Arab Business Council

Dawn Anderson

Progressive Senate Group (Northwest Territories)

• Appointed to the Senate in December 2018
• As the Senator for the Northwest Territories, Ms Anderson is committed to raising the profile of Arctic, Inuit and Indigenous issues across Canada to ensure representation that recognizes the uniqueness and diversity of people within the Northwest Territories. She firmly believes that a holistic approach which recognizes community driven approaches and partnership is the way forward when it comes to improving well-being in the North and to bridging socio-economic gaps between the Arctic and the rest of Canada
• Senator Anderson was born and raised on the shores of the Arctic Ocean in Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories; her professional experience has enabled her to engage and collaborate with the majority of the 33 communities throughout the Northwest Territories
• Ms. Anderson has a Bachelors of Child and Youth Care from University of Victoria. She has more than 20 years of experience as a public servant, working with communities and Indigenous peoples across the Northwest Territories
• She served in various roles with the Government of Northwest Territories, Department of Justice. Notably, she was the Director of Community Justice and Policing, and Assistant Director, Corrections Services, where she implemented positive changes to the territorial justice system. She was involved in the feasibility study, development and implementation of the NWT Wellness Court Program, a therapeutic program that attempts to reduce recidivism by treating underlying issues like mental health, addictions, and cognitive challenges
• Prior to her appointment, Ms. Anderson worked as a Policy Analyst with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation where she participated in Inuvialuit self-government negotiations with the Government of the Northwest Territories, and the Government of Canada

Andrew Cardozo

Progressive Senators Group (Ontario)

• Appointed to the Senate in November 2022
• Holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Political Science from York University, a Master of Arts in Public Administration from Carleton University and studied art at the Ottawa School of Art
• Former President and co-founder of the Pearson Centre for Progressive Policy
• Past Executive Director of the Alliance of Sector Councils, and Executive Director of the Canadian Ethnocultural Council
• Former columnist and an Adjunct Professor and Lecturer at the School of Journalism and Communication at Carleton University
• Served as a Commissioner of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) where he championed Canadian content, diversity in broadcasting, and played a key role in the licensing of the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network

Claude Carignan

Conservative (Quebec – Mille Isles)

• Appointed to on August 27, 2009, and was Leader of the Opposition from November 2015 to March 2017
• Holds a law degree from the Université de Sherbrooke, Quebec, and a graduate degree in public law from the Université de Montréal. He has worked as a lawyer since his admission to the Quebec Bar in 1988, specializing in civil litigation, public law, labour relations, and health and social services law
• Sits on the Standing Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators, the Standing Senate Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, and the Special Joint Committee on the Declaration of Emergency. Senator Carignan is also a member of the Privy Council
• Sat on the boards of several social agencies in his region
• Taught public and labour law at the Université de Montréal Faculty of Law and at the Université du Québec à Montréal. He also taught at the École nationale d'administration publique. Elected mayor of Saint-Eustache in November 2000

Donna Dasko

Independent Senators Group (Ontario)

• A respected national pollster, media commentator, and private-sector business leader with significant public policy experience. She holds a Ph.D. and MA from the University of Toronto and a BA (Hons) from the University of Manitoba
• As former Senior Vice-President of Environics Research Group Ltd., she built the firm into a leading Canadian research firm. She led major studies on topics from the economy and health promotion to national unity, and pioneered media-sponsored polling for organizations like the CBC and The Globe and Mail
• A committed community volunteer, her roles have included President of St. Stephen's Community House, Director of the United Way of Greater Toronto, and Chair of the National CEO Roundtable for the Alzheimer Society
• Her passion for promoting women in politics has guided much of her advocacy. She co-founded and served as National Chair of Equal Voice, and co-founded the Campaign for an Equal Senate for Canada. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Women's Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) and works with the National Democratic Institute on international issues related to women in politics
• She is a Senior Fellow at the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy and is a member of Statistics Canada's Advisory Committee on Social Conditions
• Issues raised relating to the Canada Border Services Agency portfolio: Firearms (e.g., C-21)

Marty Deacon

Independent Senators Group (Ontario – Waterloo Region)

• Appointed to the Senate of Canada on February 15, 2018
• As an Educator with a Masters of Education (Western University) she taught (Physics, Science, Physical and Health Education) in Secondary Schools (Waterloo Region District School Board), at two Universities (University of Toronto, Western University), was a Consultant, and an Administrator at the Elementary and Secondary School level
• Was an Apprentice Coach for the 1994 Commonwealth Games. Has coached, led or served at 15 Olympic, Commonwealth and Pan Am Games and served as a Director on the Canadian Olympic Committee, Commonwealth Games Canada, Ontario Excellence Leadership Centre and the Grand River Jazz Society
• Recognized through a variety of awards including: The Women of Distinction and Lifetime Achievement Award (YWCA), Waterloo Region, The International Olympic Committee, Education and Youth Award, the Jules Nisse "Playground to Podium" award, the Queen Diamond Jubilee Medal, Induction in the Cambridge Sports Hall of Fame and the Cambridge Hall of Fame
• Issues raised relating to the Canada Border Services Agency portfolio: Firearms legislation (C-21) and Foreign interference

Tony Ince

Canadian Senators Group (Nova Scotia)

• Appointed to the Senate in March 2025
• Tony Ince is a former Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of Nova Scotia and a lifelong advocate for social justice, equity, and diversity – particularly within African Nova Scotian communities
• Mr. Ince was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia in 2013, representing the riding of Cole Harbour-Portland Valley, re-elected in 2017, and again in 2021, this time to represent Cole Harbour. He served as an MLA until his retirement from politics last year. During his time in the Legislative Assembly, he held various Cabinet positions, including Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs, Minister of Communications Nova Scotia, Minister of the Public Service Commission, and Minister responsible for the Office of Equity and Anti-Racism Initiatives
• Prior to his career in politics, Mr. Ince contributed to his community in various ways, including as a counsellor for the Nova Scotia Department of Community Services, an educational assistant for the Halifax Regional Centre for Education, and a regional educator for the Black Educators Association. He also served in Canada's Reserve Force and worked as a sales representative for Xerox Canada
• Mr. Ince also co-founded and co-chaired the Canadian Congress of Black Parliamentarians, where he advocated for Black Canadians' rights. He was a member of the African Nova Scotian School Board and the Africville Genealogy Society, and he chaired the Nova Scotia Community College African Nova Scotian Advisory Board

Stan Kutcher

Independent Senators Group (Nova Scotia)

• Appointed to the Senate in December 2018
• Formerly Head of Psychiatry Department at Dalhousie University and Sun Life Financial Chair in Adolescent Mental Health, he developed and deployed innovative school mental health literacy and capacity-building programs. Was awarded the Order of Nova Scotia in 2014
• Leading psychiatrist and professor who earned his medical degree from McMaster University after studying history and political science. His early career included transforming Sunnybrook Hospital's adolescent psychiatry division and pioneering research into youth mental illnesses
• Continues to advocate on behalf of young people with mental illness
• Led the development of a national youth mental health framework as a member of the Child and Youth Advisory Committee of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, a body formed following the Senate's ground-breaking 2006 report
• Is married to Jan Sheppard Kutcher, whose work has focused on integrating immigrants into their professional careers in Canada

David Richards

Conservative (New Brunswick)

• First appointed to the Senate in August 2017
• Richards is an acclaimed Canadian novelist, essayist, screenwriter and poet. His writings, through which he gives voices to the marginalized and helps to deepen the reader's understanding of the human experience, have been translated into 12 languages, and are part of the curriculum of Canadian and U.S. universities
• Mr. Richards has been a writer-in-residence at several universities and colleges across Canada and has received honorary doctorates from three New Brunswick universities and the Atlantic School of Theology

John M. McNair

Independent Senators Group (New Brunswick)

• First appointed to the Senate in October 2023
• Mr. McNair holds a Bachelor of Law and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New Brunswick
• Mr. McNair is actively involved in the community. He is currently a director and treasurer of the Harrison McCain Foundation and has previously served on the boards of several non-profit organizations, including Housing Alternatives, Rehabitat, the Saint John YMCA, Junior Achievement (Saint John), Literacy New Brunswick, Symphony New Brunswick, the Saint John branch of the Kidney Foundation of Canada, the Saint John Airport Authority, the Region 2 Hospital Corporation, the Saint John chapter of wetlands conservation organization Ducks Unlimited, and the Exhibition Association of the City and the County of Saint John
• Mr. McNair started his legal career with the Saint John law firm Clark, Drummie & Company in 1984, advancing to become a partner in the firm, a role he held from 1990 to 1998
• He served as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary to Service New Brunswick (Service NB) between 2009 and 2023. In this role, he was responsible for the interpretation and provision of legal advice on a wide range of issues, including the 28 public acts administered by Service NB, as well as oversight on Service NB memorandums to the Executive Council. Mr. McNair has also been working with Opportunities NB (ONB) as Corporate Secretary since 2009

Judy A. White

Progressive Senators Group (Newfoundland and Labrador)

• First appointed to the Senate in July 2023
• Ms. White holds a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University with an emphasis on Indigenous law. She also completed the Intensive Program in Indigenous Lands, Resources, and Governments at York University's Osgoode Hall Law School, the Leading People and Investing to Build Sustainable Communities Program – an Indigenous certificate program – at Harvard Business School, and the Chartered Director Program at McMaster University
• Senator White is the first Indigenous Senator appointed from the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. She is a Mi'kmaq, a member of the Flat Bay Band, and a King's Counsel lawyer with significant experience in human rights issues, Indigenous governance, and legislative matters
• Throughout her legal career, Ms. White has proudly served many Indigenous groups nationwide and was a partner at an Indigenous law firm
• Prior to her appointment to the Senate of Canada, Ms. White was an active member of numerous boards, provided advice on governance issues, and served many agencies in various capacities, including as the former Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Newfoundland and Labrador, Chair of the Inuvialuit Arbitration Board, Chairperson of the First Nations Centre on Governance, board member with the First Nations Financial Management Board and Co-Chair (Indigenous) of Equal Voice's Newfoundland and Labrador chapter

SECD scenario note/ SECU follow-up fentanyl provincial breakdown

Rounds of questions:

At the Chair's discretion, questions from committee members will proceed as follows:

• 5 minutes for each question and answer

Witnesses to appear

• Gary Anandasangaree, Minister, Public Safety
• Tricia Geddes, Deputy Minister, Public Safety
• Erin O'Gorman, President, CBSA
• Mike Duheme, Commissioner, RCMP
• Daniel Rogers, Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
• Anne Kelly, Commissioner Correctional Service of Canada
• Joanne Blanchard, Chairperson, Parole Board of Canada

Parliamentary analysis

The Minister's Mandate: CBSA implications

The PM published a single mandate letter for his entire cabinet with seven priorities outlined. The 2025 letter charges his Cabinet team with "protecting Canadian sovereignty and keeping Canadians safe by … securing our borders, and reinforcing law enforcement" as a core priority. The Public Safety portfolio is expected to lead on implementing Canada's Border Plan, strengthen enforcement tools and legislation (e.g. via the "Strong Borders Act") to counter illicit trade, fentanyl, organized crime, and smuggling, and improve coordination, intelligence-sharing, and operational capacity across agencies (including with U.S. and international partners). The letter frames Public Safety's mission around securing Canada's borders while balancing trade, travel, and national security.

SECD information

This will be the committee's first substantial meeting since the convening of the 45th parliament. Recent studies of relevance to the CBSA from the previous parliament include:

Bill C-20, An Act establishing the Public Complaints and Review Commission and amending certain Acts and statutory instruments

The committee held 3 meetings on the study of this legislation in the fall of 2024. The Public Safety Minister and officials from the Public Safety portfolio including the CBSA appeared in September 2024. During this study, Senators expressed hope that the legislation would lead to long-overdue accountability, but had questions about sufficient resources to implement the PCRC. Committee members were also concerned about systemic racism and misconduct. Committee members may seek to hear an update on the PCRC, including data collection and if investigations are at arm's length.

Bill C-69 – An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on April 16, 2024

The CBSA had two items included in the BIA that were studied by SECD. One of these, the issue of immigration detention, was lamented as "stuck at the end of a budget bill," depriving Parliament of the opportunity for "proper consultation and study", with the committee criticizing its inclusion and recommending it be removed. A witness advised the committee that international watchdogs were "critical of our practice of detaining immigrants in carceral conditions and for indefinite periods". CBSA officials can expect to be asked about immigration detention. The piece on asylum reform was dropped from the bill before it was adopted.

Bill C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)

This legislation enacted a national prohibition on the sale, purchase, and transfer of handguns, solidifying controls on legal acquisition. The committee studied this bill at length between October and December 2023, holding 10 meetings with many witnesses appearing. CBSA officials appeared in October 2023. During this study, the issue of insufficient staffing at the border was raised, along with the need for better border surveillance.

Upcoming SECD studies

The committee is expected to devote upcoming meetings to studying the impacts of Russia's disinformation on Canada.

Legislation

No Senate bills of relevance to the CBSA.

House of Commons (HoC)

Bill C-12 - Strengthening Canada's Immigration System and Borders Act: Introduced by Public Safety Minister October 8, 2025. Second Reading debate expected to commence the week of October 20th.

Bill C-2 – Strong Borders Act: House of Commons Second Reading debates June 5, June 18, September 16, and September 17, 2025 summaries below:

The debates on Bill C-2 focused heavily on the operational capacity of the CBSA and the scope of the bill's proposed mandate.

CBSA Staffing and Resources: A central and critical point of contention was the CBSA's current staffing shortfall, which is cited by some as nearly 3,000 officers. The effectiveness of the new measures in Bill C-2 is seen as severely undermined unless this resource deficit is addressed.

Officer Shortage: There is a widespread concern that the CBSA is inadequately resourced for its current duties, let alone the expanded mandate of Bill C-2.

Hiring Commitment and Capacity: The government has reiterated a platform promise to hire 1,000 new officers. However, questions were raised about the timeline for these hires, given that the CBSA's training centre is reportedly only able to train approximately 600 officers per year, which barely offsets the current attrition rate.

Historical Responsibility: There was a significant exchange over which previous government was responsible for cuts to CBSA full-time equivalents (FTEs), with both the current government and the official opposition trading blame.

Tools and Expanded Operational Reach: The need for modern infrastructure and the ability for the CBSA to operate beyond official crossings were frequently emphasized.

Infrastructure Deficiencies: A strong demand was made for installing high-powered scanners at all major land crossings and shipping ports. Members asserted that only about 1% of shipping containers are reportedly inspected.

Patrol Authority: A measure proposed by some is to allow CBSA officers to patrol between official ports of entry, which could reportedly be achieved through regulatory change rather than the current legislation.

Other Recommended Measures: Proposals for increasing CBSA's operational effectiveness included deploying thousands of additional border agents, installing advanced surveillance towers, and tracking the departure of individuals with deportation orders.

Specific Policy and Jurisdictional Concerns: While the bill's focus on issues like fentanyl, vehicle theft, and money laundering was generally welcomed as overdue, specific policy concerns were raised.

Asylum Seeker Distribution: A key concern was that the bill does not resolve the "unfair burden" on specific provinces, particularly Quebec, which receives a disproportionate number of asylum claimants, insisting on a fair distribution across Canada.

Privacy and Security: There are concerns that some provisions of Bill C-2 could constitute "security overreach" and potentially infringe on civil liberties, raising red flags about allowing law enforcement to open mail and collect personal information without consent.

Questions, Statements, and Debates in the Chamber

1. Question period:

October 2, 2025 – Senator Housakos (C - Quebec): Government leader, your own Minister of Public Safety calls it a waste of money. Senator Moreau, if the minister himself admits this, why can't the Prime Minister stop clinging to a program that has cost $742 million? Take that money instead, and I will tell you what Canadians want. They want that $742 million to go to more RCMP resources and officers. They want scanners for ports in order to deal with the problem of the Canada Border Services Agency, or CBSA, which is claiming we have a ton of illegal products entering through ports that are, right now, not being policed. That is what Canadians want. They want action, not virtue signalling.

Senator Moreau (Government Representative in the Senate): Senator Housakos, you are well aware that the budget of the RCMP has been increased to tackle criminals in Canada. Now, you were referring to yesterday's unfortunate situation in Laval. Do you think that it was a gun designed for hunters that was used yesterday? It was a military gun, and those guns have no place to be here in Canada.

September 24, 2025 - Senator Martin (C – British Columbia): Senator Moreau, during the previous parliamentary session, our former colleague Senator Plett was told that the Liberal government had already wasted $67.2 million on this failed buyback program. Now the Public Safety Minister says spending could reach $742 million. How can the government justify spending nearly $1 billion to target law-abiding licensed hunters and sports shooters when those funds could instead be used to support police forces and border security in the fight against illegal firearms?

Senator Moreau (Government Representative in the Senate): The government has been clear that they stand beside hunters and those who have guns to shoot. At the same time, the main concern of the government is to keep our streets and communities safe, and I think from that perspective, you must have a strong program, and that's exactly what this is. It is to buy back firearms that are not needed by farmers or hunters and that only help criminals.

2. Debates:

Of interest to the CBSA is a motion by Senator Paula Simons: "That the Senate call on the Government of Canada to investigate the creation of a sovereign, domestic Verified Travellers Program for Canadians." Debate took place September 24, October 7 and will continue. So far, Senators have argued that the creation of a sovereign, Canadian-only program is necessary because the U.S.-linked NEXUS program suffers from massive backlogs, limited French services, and logistical challenges that compromise efficiency. More critically, reliance on the U.S. compromises Canadian sovereignty and human rights, as recent U.S. policy changes exclude 2SLGBTQI+ Canadians and diverge sharply from the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and national values.

Related Written Questions (HoC):

• Q-1² — May 27, 2025 — Dan Muys (Flamborough—Glanbrook—Brant North, ON, CPC) — Stolen Motor Vehicles Illegally exported
• Q-153² — June 11, 2025 — Blaine Calkins (Ponoka-Didsbury, AB, CPC) — Border Monitoring Equipment
• Q-171² — June 12, 2025 — John Williamson (Saint John-St. Croix, NB, CPC) — IRCC Temporary Public Policy/Removals
• Q-186² — June 13, 2025 — Brad Redekopp (Saskatoon West, SK, CPC) —Removals
• Q-187² — June 16, 2025 — Michelle Rempel Garner (Calgary Nose Hill, AB, CPC) — Removal of Persons
• Q-232² — June 18, 2025 — Jacob Mantle (York-Durham, ON, CPC) — Intercepting Stolen Vehicles
• Q-260² — June 18, 2025 — David McKenzie (Calgary Signal Hill, AB, CPC) — Hiring CBSA Personnel/Border Plan

3. Petitions (HoC):

• June 30, 2025 – MP Jenny Kwan (Vancouver East, BC, NDP) Petition e-6627 – Borders ,Bill C-2, Public Safety
• May 28, 2025 - MP Heather McPherson (Edmonton Strathcona, AB, NDP) Petition e-6506 - Canada–U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement, Asylum, Canada-United States relations

Annex A: About SECD

The Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU) was reconvened on June 25, 2025, following the opening of the 45th Parliament.

Recent legislative work

In 2024, the committee examined legislation in relation to countering foreign interference and presented its tenth report without amendment but with observations. It also examined legislation that would establish the Public Complaints and Review Commission and presented its eleventh report without amendment but with observation. It then examined legislation pertaining to cybersecurity, amending the Telecommunications Act and reported its twelfth report with amendment and observations.