Five Country Ministerial and Quintet of Attorneys General Concludes

LONDON, Aug. 1, 2019 /CNW/ - Working closely with international partners, such as those in the Five Eyes security alliance, is essential to keeping Canadians safe and to addressing the common challenges in our justice systems. From July 29 to 31, Canada participated in a meeting of the Five Country Ministerial (FCM) and Quintet of Attorneys General alongside Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The three-day meeting was held in London, United Kingdom.

The Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, the Honourable Ralph Goodale, and the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, represented Canada at the FCM, where partners advanced discussions on shared priorities fundamental to the security and prosperity of their countries' peoples.

FCM Ministers examined joint matters ranging from cyber threats, to reliable supply chains for emerging technologies, to border security.

The FCM held a roundtable on online child sexual exploitation and abuse that included participation from Microsoft, Twitter, Facebook, Google, Snap, and Roblox. Ministers reiterated their expectations of digital industry for a safer online environment for children, and agreed to continue to work cooperatively to combat this vile and despicable crime.

Ministers also agreed to continue collaborating to protect electoral institutions and democratic processes from foreign interference. In addition, they discussed the importance of ongoing international cooperation to deal with threats from terrorists who have travelled into the Syria-Iraq conflict zone, including ongoing work to gather and preserve the integrity of evidence from the battlefield that could be used to prosecute those who have participated in the terrorist campaigns of Daesh.

The FCM Ministers and the Quintet of Attorneys General convened a joint session to discuss these and other matters, including countering violent extremism, the Christchurch Call to Action, ways in which the international community can work together to prevent people from abusing the internet to promote radicalization and sensationalize acts of terrorism, and the protection of citizens online through strong encryption while also keeping them safe and secure.

The Associate Deputy Minister of the Department of Justice Canada represented the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, the Honourable David Lametti, for the Quintet of Attorneys General. Like the FCM, the Quintet is an annual gathering at which Attorneys General discuss matters of common interest. This year's discussions addressed social media and data privacy, sentencing frameworks, corporate criminal liability, hostile state activity, and artificial intelligence in the legal system. The Attorneys General also signed a Statement on International Cooperation on Cybercrime, which affirms the Quintet's support for the Budapest Convention and the United Nations Expert Group on Cybercrime as the best means to address this issue.

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, and I am pleased with the productive discussions we have had to preserve the security and prosperity of our nations' peoples."

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

"I would like to thank the United Kingdom for chairing the Five Country Ministerial this year. I look forward to continuing our discussions on effectively managing our migration, ensuring integrity, and addressing the challenges we face in a fair and just manner."

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

"Our ability to collaborate and share information with our Quintet partners on common legal issues is vital. Through cooperation, we enhance our ability to confront emerging legal questions and issues and modernize our legal systems."

- The Honourable David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Quick Facts

    --  The first Five Country Ministerial Meeting was held in 2013. This
        meeting provides a forum for the five partner countries to discuss a
        range of common national security and public safety 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

    --  Five Country Ministerial communiqué
    --  Joint Meeting of FCM and Quintet of Attorneys-General communiqué
    --  Quintet of Attorneys General communiqué, and Quintet of Attorneys
        General Statement on international cooperation on cybercrime
    --  Budapest Convention on Cybercrime

SOURCE Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada