Economic Integrity: Questions and Answers

• What is Economic Integrity?
• Which crimes can affect confidence in Canada’s Economic Integrity?
• Why was Economic Integrity chosen as a strategic priority?
• How will the RCMP contribute to this new priority?
• What does it mean when something is a strategic priority at the RCMP?
• Will new funding be allocated to this strategic priority?
• Will there be any new initiatives to support this priority?
• What is the difference between Organized Crime and Economic Integrity? Don’t they cover the same ground?
• So does this mean that the RCMP will be putting away more white-collar criminals?

Q1. What is Economic Integrity?

Economic Integrity refers to consumer and investor confidence in that Canada is a safe and secure place to conduct business, invest and save money. It is where consumers and investors have confidence in Canada’s financial, currency and marketing systems.

When consumers and investors become victims of economic crimes, their confidence is weakened in the system. As an example, individuals could be more fearful of using certain methods of payment, even when the commerce that is being conducted is legitimate and secure.

Q2. Which crimes can affect confidence in Canada ’s Economic Integrity?

The RCMP is involved in preventing and detecting crimes that can affect Canada’s Economic Integrity. These include:

• mass marketing fraud
• currency counterfeiting
• counterfeit of goods/intellectual property crime
• payment card fraud
• identity fraud
• money laundering
• securities fraud

Q3. Why was Economic Integrity chosen as a strategic priority?

Research and environmental trends indicated that this was an area of concern. The nature of crimes that affect the economy has been rapidly changing. In the face of globalization and technological progress, criminals are operating beyond jurisdictions, using sophisticated and continuously-evolving methods to find victims.

There are already several activities related to Economic Integrity and we are looking at what else the RCMP can do in this area. The priority is still in its infancy and the RCMP is currently undertaking planning activities to roll-out the priority for the 2006-2007 fiscal year.

Q4. How will the RCMP contribute to this new priority?

Law enforcement agencies play a critical role in strengthening and preserving the security and economic interests of Canada. The RCMP’s role in contributing to Canada's Economic Integrity involves education, awareness and enforcement to prevent, detect and deter crimes that affect the Canadian economy.

The RCMP already undertakes a number of activities that contribute to the new priority, in cooperation with our partners. These include:

• RECOL (Reporting Economic Crime On-line): Complaints of fraud are reported.
• Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (Phonebusters): Intelligence on scams and identity theft is collected.
• Integrated Marketing Enforcement Teams (IMETs ): These teams detect, investigate and bring to justice those who commit serious capital market offenses.
• Proceeds of Crime and Money Laundering: The identification, seizure and forfeiture of proceeds of crime .
• Specific measures to detect and deter currency counterfeiting, including educating merchants are undertaken.
• Work with FINTRAC to combat terrorist fundraising.

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Q5. What does it mean when something is a strategic priority at the RCMP?

There are five RCMP strategic priorities that impact RCMP planning and operations.

• Aboriginal Communities,
• Terrorism,
• Organized Crime,
• Youth, and now,
• Economic Integrity.

The RCMP conducts strategic planning and performance management in relation to its priorities. When undertaking strategic planning activities, if something is a priority, initiatives will be linked to it. A critical component of this planning activity involves consulting our community partners on activities surrounding priorities in the interest of ensuring that our goals are aligned.

Canadian communities are diverse in nature and therefore face different challenges. For example, one community’s key area of interest related to Economic Integrity could be currency counterfeiting, while another’s could be mass marketing fraud.

Each strategic priority has a dedicated working group at RCMP headquarters that is championed by a Deputy Commissioner.

Q6. Will new funding be allocated to this strategic priority?

Our current funding will be allocated to ensure that it meets the requirements of this new priority. Planning continues to be underway, and as such, no exact determinations have been made about how funding for the new priority will be directed.

Q7. Will there be any new initiatives to support this priority?

To support Canada ’s Economic Integrity in our diverse communities, the current initiatives available to law enforcement could be augmented by new initiatives designed to respond to different circumstances and needs.

Q8. What is the difference between Organized Crime and Economic Integrity? Don’t they cover the same ground?

There are aspects of the Economic Integrity priority that are not covered in the Organized Crime priority. For example, groups of individuals that commit crimes are not necessarily classified as “organized crime”. As well, Organized Crime does not take into account crimes committed by individuals that affect the economy. For one, computer hackers that look for personal financial information are not necessarily organized criminals nor are individuals who manipulate stocks.

Q9. So does this mean that the RCMP will be putting away more white-collar criminals?

It is up to the courts to decide the most appropriate punishment in any case. However, the enforcement and penal system are a joint responsibility of all members of the justice system; therefore, we must work in cooperation with the courts as well as other law enforcement agencies. Maintaining Canada’s Economic Integrity is a complex issue that must be tackled in cooperation with other law enforcement, multiple orders of government and our international partners.