What Is Public Safety Canada and What Is Its Purpose?
In the wake of numerous recent natural disasters, acts of terror and mass shootings, the US Department of Homeland Security has found itself in the headlines more than ever. What many Canadians may not know is that we have a comparable department in Public Safety Canada (PSC). Public Safety Canada works with various police, security, and emergency services to fulfill its mandate of keeping Canadians safe from risks both natural and man-made. Our continued national security relies on producing more public safety leaders, and Wilfrid Laurier University has worked in alignment with PSC to offer the nation's first and only Public Safety Graduate Degree and Diploma programs. Let's take a look at how Laurier's online Master of Public Safety and Graduate Diploma courses reflect the diversity of Public Safety Canada's work.
Border Strategies
In 2011 the Canadian and US governments jointly issued Beyond the Border: A Shared Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness. This action plan provides a template for cooperation between the two nations on border security. Public Security Canada works with domestic organizations like the RCMP and the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA), as well as American authorities, to conduct threat assessments, improve infrastructure, and bolster cyber security. Laurier's Border Strategies specialization within the Master of Public Safety (also offered as a standalone Graduate Diploma) teaches students pursuing public safety careers how to think critically about infrastructure and policy. As technological and geopolitical changes continue to challenge existing strategies, Laurier graduates will be among this respected group of people keeping the country one step ahead, ensuring our safety while also protecting economic growth and the rights of citizens.
Emergency Management
Natural disasters may be beyond our control, but with sufficient preparedness their impact can be mitigated. PSC takes a leadership role in emergency management; coordinating disaster mitigation efforts with local and provincial authorities; aiding first responders with logistics support; and supporting recovery efforts. Students in the Graduate Diploma in Emergency Management or Emergency Management specialization within the Master of Public Safety, learn to see disasters before they happen, and are empowered with the expertise to do something about them. Graduates will understand the history and methodology PSC has used in the past, and earn the capacity to develop their own action plans to save lives in the future.
Countering Crime
There is no blanket solution for reducing crime. Any possible answer involves not only policing and corrections, but also community development and rehabilitation. PSC works to find unique strategies relevant to the places crime happens: what works in a mid-sized city may not in a remote Indigenous community, or a Bay Street high rise. The Countering Crime specialization within the Online Master of Public Safety, which is also offered as a standalone Graduate Diploma, prepares future public safety professionals by teaching the principles of intelligence gathering and evidence-based decision making. Graduates also learn the importance of accounting for diversity in successful crime policy, improving Canada's chances of becoming a safer and more just society.
National Security
Public Safety Canada's national security mandate is far-spanning, encompassing cyber security, counter-terrorism, CBRN (chemical, biological, radioactive, nuclear) weapons counter-proliferation, and other existential threats to the nation. Pursuing a public safety career requires a thorough knowledge of not only how federal policymakers adapt to Canada's threat portfolio, but also the involvement of communities and private citizens. Graduates of the Master of Public Safety with a National Security specialization or the National Security Graduate Diploma, understand the origins of international crime and terrorism, and the most successful strategies for curbing these threats. Beyond conventional warfare, national security specialists use economic, political, and cultural tools to ensure Canada's well-being from a global perspective.
Laurier's Master of Public Safety and Public Safety Graduate Diplomas
The intertwining tasks of keeping Canadians safe while making the system more equitable and just are central to good governance. The scale and importance of Public Safety Canada's responsibilities means the department has a constant need for skilled, innovative and conscientious workers. If you've completed a four-year undergraduate degree and want to be a part of a new generation of public safety leaders, consider Laurier's Master of Public Safety Program. A 100% online program that can be completed in as little as 32 months of part-time study. If you prefer to obtain a Public Safety Graduate Diploma, there are five specializations to choose from that are offered 100% online and can be completed in 18 months of part-time study. Laurier’s Public Safety programs are the most direct path to joining the over 52,000 people currently employed by Public Safety Canada.
Resources:
Admission Requirements, Tuition, Curriculum and More: /masters-public-safety
Public Safety Canada: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/bt/index-en.aspx
Beyond the Border: A Shared Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/brdr-strtgs/bynd-th-brdr/ctn-pln-en.a...