Mr. Scott was unable to attend this morning. He wanted me to tell you how proud he is of the great strides we have made together in the fight against organized crime. When the government first took office, it pledged that Canadians will continue to feel secure in their homes and on their streets. This is a commitment we've taken very seriously. And I think we've seen the results of that, especially in tackling organized crime.
Organized crime is the federal government's number one law enforcement priority.
In my view, the theme of your conference, Trying to Better the Odds, reflects the approach we've taken to work against this global menace. We've stressed the importance of forums and workshops like this, which foster intelligence-sharing and partnerships across jurisdictions. This week will give you time to reflect on what's going on in other parts of the country. That's why I'm here to open this workshop. It's one more concrete step in cultivating the necessary partnerships.