Five Country Ministerial Meeting and Quintet of Attorneys General Concludes

OTTAWA, Aug. 30, 2018 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada works in close collaboration with international partners to strengthen our national security and safeguard Canadians' rights and freedoms. From August 28 to 30, Canada participated in meetings with its allies Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, the Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, and the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, met with their counterparts during the Five Country Ministerial (FCM) Meeting and Quintet of Attorneys General.

The Annual FCM began on August 28 in the Gold Coast, Australia. During the meetings, Ministers discussed a range of issues including counter-terrorism, borders and irregular migration, human trafficking, critical infrastructure, and cyber security. Ministers discussed a number of steps to address collective national security concerns, including: strategies for countering and removing illicit internet content; raising global standards for aviation security; enabling shared 24/7 monitoring of hostile cyber activity; working with industry on emerging border technologies, and; improving intelligence-sharing on human trafficking networks and globalized transnational and serious criminal networks.

Ministers agreed efforts to stop online child sexual exploitation must be escalated, and called on industry to strengthen its capacity to take-down illicit content and prevent it from being uploaded in the first place. They agreed to work to overcome barriers to collaboration between government and industry, and advanced a united stance to combat this horrific crime that disproportionately affects girls.

Ministers were then joined by their Justice colleagues of the Quintet of Attorneys General to discuss foreign interference and espionage, encryption, corporate beneficial ownership, and criminal information sharing.

The Quintet meeting of Attorneys General brought together the principal legal officers of each of the five countries. They discussed common legal challenges and issues, including challenges to international crime cooperation, trial related issues, family law and family violence, and the overrepresentation of Indigenous peoples and ethnic minorities in the criminal justice system.

The Five Country Ministerial and Quintet of Attorneys General offer a unique opportunity for partner countries to share lessons learned and best practices, and to leverage individual and collective experience, promote specialized dialogue, and foster mutually-beneficial cooperation and communication between intelligence, law enforcement, and policy experts within each country. Details on meeting objectives and agreements can be found in the joint Communiqué.

Quotes

"We need to work together with our allies to counter increasingly global threats and keep Canadians safe. Our Five Eyes partners share a long history of deep collaboration and cooperation, based on our common values and shared interests. I am pleased with the productive discussions we had to help ensure our safety and protect our rights."

- The Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

"Collaboration with our close partners is crucial to addressing common concerns, such as family law and family violence, the overrepresentation of Indigenous peoples in the criminal justice system as well as the importance of working together to improve the effectiveness of international cooperation in the fight against terrorism. It was a pleasure meeting with my colleagues, and I look forward to continuing our work together on these important issues as we work to promote a safe, peaceful and prosperous society."

- The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, P.C., Q.C., M.P., Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

"I look forward to continued collaboration with our international partners to develop lasting solutions for key global issues such as irregular migration. Our countries have a strong history of working together on shared approaches in providing real opportunities for those seeking temporary or permanent migration.  We have much to be proud of in this regard."

- The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Quick Facts

• The first Five Country Ministerial Meeting was held in 2013. This meeting provides a great forum for the five partner countries to discuss a range of common national security issues and identify areas for collaboration.
• The Quintet of Attorneys General has been meeting annually since 2009 to discuss legal issues of common interest and concern.

Associated Links

• Joint Communiqué from the Five Country Ministerial and Quintet of Attorneys General
• Five Country Ministerial Statement on Countering the Illicit Use of Online Spaces
• Quintet of Attorneys General Communiqué

SOURCE Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada