Brian Masse, MP for Windsor West and NDP Industry, Canada-US Border and Great Lakes Critic, sent the following letter to the Prime Minister of Canada, as well as the President of the Treasury Board, the Minister of Public Safety, and the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, on January 27, 2025.
Dear Prime Minister Trudeau and Ministers,
I am writing to express my support for the Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) letter of January 15, 2025, urging the Government of Canada to fulfill its commitment to offer early retirement eligibility to Canada’s border officers under the Public Service Pension Plan. This promise was made by your government on June 13, 2024, and December 18, 2024.
For over two decades, I have worked closely with border officers in my community and with the national union to ensure their concerns are heard by the Government of Canada. I have consistently advocated in the House of Commons for the implementation of “25 and out” for these dedicated workers, who play a crucial role in defending our borders, enforcing laws, and maintaining security for trade and travel. This legislative change is essential to ensure they are treated equitably alongside other officers.
Given that the House is prorogued, I urge you to act swiftly on this commitment. While the traditional legislative pathway may be delayed, the government can implement this change through an Order-in-Council or any other available mechanism. With the current challenges at the border, including the threat of U.S. tariffs, it is more critical than ever to recognize and support our frontline officers. Border officers are severely understaffed and require an additional 2,000-3,000 officers to address existing gaps and attrition.
The low morale among these workers underscores the need for immediate action to demonstrate support. This will also provide motivation for recruiting and retention, and as you are aware, other law enforcement agencies often hire from the CBSA due to their high-level skill and training set.
In 2017, the government ambushed the community with plans for the Ambassador Bridge expansion via an Order-in-Council, which highlighted the ability of Cabinet to make decisions in their interest. It seems odd that a private American billionaire family would receive privileged treatment from the Liberal government, yet our frontline officers are cast aside. Furthermore, you are also aware that this exceptional arrangement for this family comes when they have purchased housing only to demolish some, board up others, and destroy community institutions with the loss of families in the area. Recently, you are also aware that they have decided to stockpile large girders creating another unsightly blemish and potential safety and security risk as they are left unsecured on the former properties where homes once stood. Despite the original conditions of the Order-in-Council not being met, your government has continued to provide more privileges by creating exceptions for their plaza expansion that remain unclear, create safety issues for the neighbourhood and the border as we enter into 2025.
Mr. Prime Minister, your government has already announced twice that you would address the problem with the ’25 and out’ policy for border officers, yet the issue still remains unresolved. It is one thing to provide billionaire privileges to foreign families who have shown no respect for this country or its community, but it is our Canadian citizens who work on the Ambassador Bridge that you refuse to treat with even the slightest fairness. You have lied to those who must continue their work every day in the shadow of this injustice.
I fully support the CIU’s request and call on you to enact this change, using an Order-in-Council because at least this time it is for public good. You weaponized the Order in Council against the Windsor community, the least you can do is show some decency to use it for the benefit of the workers who protect the busiest international crossing and our citizens every day.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your response.
Yours sincerely,
Brian Masse
MP Windsor West
NDP Industry, Canada-US Border and Great Lakes Critic
Vice-Chair, Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group
Click here for the PDF version of this letter.
