Senator Boisvenu: What is the budget for purchasing this polar icebreaker?

[English]

Hon. Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu: Honourable senators, almost a decade ago, a security company invited me to participate in a consultation on the creation of an organization aimed at protecting the public from dangerous criminals. The Bolo Program was subsequently created in 2018.

The Bolo Program is an unprecedented initiative that encourages citizens to be on the lookout for Canada’s most wanted. In fact, that is what Bolo stands for: “Be On The Lookout.”

Created in 2018, Bolo amplifies priority wanted notices from police services across the country. We are talking about individuals wanted for the most serious crimes like murder, attempted murder and procuring. Even after the courts issue Canada-wide arrest warrants, these suspects try to elude the authorities in order to escape from our justice system and, as is all too often the case, to make additional victims.

In collaboration with police services and Crime Stoppers, Bolo launches amplification campaigns for priority wanted notices. By any means necessary, Bolo strives to make sure that as many citizens as possible are on the lookout for these fugitives and can report them to the authorities. Bolo never interferes with police investigations.

Bolo also offers significant rewards of up to $250,000 to encourage citizens to be especially vigilant and submit tips to the authorities. Bolo campaigns don’t cost Canadian taxpayers a dime. The program is the main activity of the private foundation of Stéphan Crétier and his wife. Mr. Crétier is the founding president of well-known international security firm Garda. He is passionate about security and wanted to give back to communities by making them safer.

Since 2018, Bolo campaigns have put the faces of 57 dangerous fugitives in the spotlight, racking up close to 350 million impressions among Canadians across the country. The program’s amplification campaigns have generated almost 1,000 tips to police services, enabling them to advance their investigations and, most importantly, apprehend 19 of these dangerous fugitives.

Recently, the Bolo program was awarded the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police’s 2023 Policing Partnership Award.

Maxime Langlois has been in charge of the Bolo program since its inception. Maxime has a background working for organizations such as the United Nations and INTERPOL, the International Criminal Police Organization, and has built partnerships with the largest police services and Crime Stoppers programs in the country to make our communities safer.

Honourable senators, please join me in congratulating the Stéphan Crétier Foundation for its strong sense of social engagement and for this well-deserved recognition of the Bolo program’s undeniable success.

Hon. Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu: Welcome, minister.

The response that I received recently from your government regarding the procurement of icebreakers confirms that it is now practically impossible for the Trudeau government to meet its objective of getting a single polar icebreaker in service by 2030.

Your government told me that contract negotiations have not even begun yet, whether it be with Davie or Vancouver.

Why did your government not place any real importance on your own deadline of 2030, and why didn’t it rigorously and diligently take the necessary steps to meet that objective?