Public Safety committee  First of all, with regard to the policy we are developing about when and how to use firearms in different situations, this one about port runners is basically modelled after what they are doing in the United States. For security reasons they don't allow their employees to do that.

Public Safety committee  The plan at the moment is not to arm our officers in airports. Again, as with the timing, the options that were presented to the government included the whole organization or part of the organization. The decision that was made was not to arm people in airports, basically because, contrary to what's happening at the land border, we have advance information now in our system on every person who comes to us.

Public Safety committee  I don't know the numbers for Edmonton, but I am aware that the situation I'm describing is not exactly like this everywhere. But the decision was made on the basis of the fact that by and large—it's not even close—security and safety are higher in airports for our employees than at the land border.

Public Safety committee  Oh, yes.

Public Safety committee  Yes, I am. But the decision was taken that it was to be done at the land border.

Public Safety committee  There's no question that from a management perspective it's more difficult for us to do it in an environment where they are not under the same regime. The fact that the time horizon is longer than we had thought it would be gives us a bit more flexibility to move people and train people.

Public Safety committee  I'll take the last one, which is obviously addressed to us. We will change our policy on summer students. As you know, CBSA is a big organization. We are about 13,000 people. We have more than 1,000 points of service and we are using students in very many situations, but we will use fewer.

Public Safety committee  We did a study. I don't if Barbara remembers the—

Public Safety committee  No, I'm sorry, Mr. Chair, the analyses that were done on this initiative were done in the context of preparing the federal budget. They are basically advice to government, and we don't have what you are looking for.

Public Safety committee  Yes, and I believe that actually the union has commissioned Northgate to do that. I believe they will be one of your witnesses next week.

Public Safety committee  The Senate committee concluded—I don't know the exact words they used—that in an earlier version of the Moduspec report there was reference to...I think it's arming at the sixth biggest port of entry, in a draft version of their report. In their final report they didn't recommend that.

Public Safety committee  Thank you. The cost estimates and projections that we have developed are the best we think we could have developed. They've been tested inside and outside. They've been tested by Treasury Board, who basically had to do the due diligence before they released the money. They're also been tested by private sector experts now.

Public Safety committee  Every government, on basically any option we put to them, can use the “do nothing” option for any situation. You frame the problem as how to deal with situations where people go off work because they are concerned about the risk. We have a labour code that's fairly clear. If people are threatened by a situation, they have the right to basically move away from the work.

Public Safety committee  Yes, from that report; they were not specific on how, if I remember well.

Public Safety committee  That's my understanding, but it can be renewed.