The Public Safety Portfolio is responsible within the Government of Canada for public safety – policing and law enforcement, corrections and conditional release of federal offenders, emergency management, national security, crime prevention and the protection of Canada's borders.

In turn, the Department provides strategic policy advice, delivers community safety programs, national emergency preparedness and critical infrastructure programs and services, and supports the Minister on all aspects of his mandate, including providing direction to the Agencies, ensuring accountability to Parliament for the Agencies and national public safety leadership.