Public Safety Canada


Public Safety Canada, legally incorporated as the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, is the department of the federal government of Canada responsible for protecting Canadians and helping to maintain a peaceful and safe society.

History

Legislation would began in February 2001 for the department, which would be created in December 2003 during a reorganization of the federal government. It became legally established when the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Act came into force on 4 April 2005. The Emergency Preparedness Canada agency was created under the auspices of the Department of National Defence before the establishment of the department by the Emergency Preparedness Act of 1988.
The department was created to have a single entity with responsibility for ensuring public safety in Canada and is a direct result of lessons learned from the September 11 attacks on the United States in 2001. The department is in many ways similar to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, though it does not cover the protection of maritime sovereignty.

Structure

Most of the department comprises organizations that were previously placed under the Department of Solicitor General of Canada, however the reorganization of several federal departments and ministries added the Canada Border Services Agency to the portfolio, after the two streams of the former Canada Customs and Revenue Agency were split in 2003. In addition, the Office of Critical Infrastructure Protection and Emergency Preparedness from the Department of National Defence was also brought into the department.
The annual budget of the department is.

Organizations

In addition to the department, there are five agencies and three review bodies within the Public Safety portfolio headed by the Minister of Public Safety.
Senior officials of the department include: