Whereas the Ports Canada Police was disbanded in 1997 and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority discontinued its financial contribution to the RCMP-led Waterfront Joint Forces Operation in 2015; And whereas this loss of police resources has weakened the security of Canadas ports and allowed organized crime elements to proliferate, as evidenced by the 2019 Peter German report Dirty Money; And whereas both the federal and provincial governments have committed funding and resources to enhance law enforcement at Canadas borders, and improve policing capacity to fight money laundering: Therefore be it resolved that the BC government be requested to work with the Canadian government and port municipalities to develop a strategic plan to re-establish dedicated resources to police ports and waterfronts, including the Port of Vancouver, in order to address the issue of organized crime operating through Canadas ports.
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General Vulnerability of a port impacts the entire province and Canada as a whole. As such, it is a federal responsibility, notably the RCMP-Federal, Serious and Organized Crime FSOC and the Canada Border Services Agency CBSA. The Province is certainly supportive of the conversations with federal partners and maintains situational awareness of threats through the Real Time Intelligence Center-BC, the Provincial Tactical Enforcement Priority program and Canada Intelligence Service of BC The Province is emphasising the importance of this issue with federal entities to meet their staffing commitments which in itself will enhance capacity and ability to service risk areas. The Province has engaged in frequent correspondence between the Federal Government of Canada with regards to federal resourcing.