Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to be here today to discuss the spending plans and priorities of the Ministry of the Solicitor General. Public safety is at the heart of the Government's mandate, and it is the mission of my Ministry. Combating organized crime is a key part of our public safety agenda. Last December, I reaffirmed this commitment in the House of Commons in my Annual Statement on Organized Crime.
Organized crime is a serious national and international problem that threatens public safety.
It is now a multi-billion dollar enterprise in Canada. Many of the problems Canadians see every day are linked to organized crime. We've done a lot so far to hit hard at these criminals. We're proud of what we've accomplished, but we know there's more work to do. To achieve our objectives, Mr. Chairman, we need to demonstrate strong national leadership and provide more tools for the police.