As part of Black History Month 2021, PSAC organized a series of panel discussions that looked at the issues facing Black workers and to honor the contributions of Black labour activists in this country. PSAC is now making these discussions available online for everyone’s benefit. See the following page for more information.
I would like to clarify some of the comments I made in an interview with Mario Dumont on his TVA/LCN news program that were upsetting to many, particularly to members of the Jewish community.
In the interview, which took place on March 26, I spoke with Mario Dumont about the significant influx of travellers at the Canada-U.S. border, especially at Quebec’s Lacolle port of entry. I also talked about the lack of resources from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) to enforce the quarantine rules.
When asked about the reason for this unusually heavy influx, I said that the increase could be explained — in part — by a large number of people in the Jewish community returning to Canada to celebrate Pesach, or Passover. At the same time, I stressed that the issue was not the religious practice, but rather PHAC’s inability to manage so many entries and ensure compliance with the public health rules put in place in response to COVID-19.
A short time later, the interview was shared in the form of a video excerpt within an article on the same topic and released on several sites of the Quebecor network. When initially released, the excerpt contained an erroneous subtitle suggesting that I attributed the influx solely to the Jewish community entering Canada at the Lacolle border crossing.
I truly regret the impact that this has had on the Jewish community at large as well as on our membership. My statements were meant to be complete generalities and were to highlight the strain on our members when large numbers of people arrive at border crossings unexpectedly.
This inaccurate subtitle in no way represents my comments or our union’s position — we reacted swiftly, demanding a correction on the excerpt as soon as possible, which was done that same day. While I did state that border officers estimated the number of people crossing to be around 8,000, I specified I was talking about the total number of travellers, and not specifically members of the Jewish community.
I also raised concerns about those making the crossing who might not abide by public health regulations. Again, my intention was to address all those crossing the border but I understand that my comments could be interpreted to have singled out the Jewish community. I regret using this language and the negative impact it had.
I raised these concerns because they echo the findings in the recent report released by the Auditor General of Canada: PHAC, tasked with enforcing the quarantine order and health measures, is not equipped to fulfil its mandate and is therefore unable to ensure the health and safety of Canadians in an efficient manner — particularly during times of significant influx, regardless of the numbers.
This reality is certainly not unique to a single port of entry. Across the country, in recent months, border officers have been dealing with travellers refusing to comply with public health requirements, and they are unable to take action. PHAC officials, who have the required powers, simply lack the resources, training or support from their agency to do so. The situation is not only frustrating, but worrisome.
I hope that my comments can be viewed in good faith — I wanted to raise awareness about the ongoing issues CBSA officers and public health officials are dealing with in enforcing quarantine rules for travellers and the need for them to be properly equipped to do this work, and therefore to ensure the well-being of all Canadians during this pandemic.
CIU National President Jean-Pierre Fortin sent the following letter to the Hon. Bill Blair, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, on March 25, 2021.
Dear Minister Blair,
With vaccination against COVID-19 now ongoing across Canada, I wish to highlight the urgent need for the members of the Customs and Immigration Union (CIU), who work for the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), to be vaccinated along with other essential frontline workers. As federal workers are often overlooked by provincial authorities, I am asking for your help to ensure that our members are suitably prioritized as part of vaccination efforts in all provinces.
As you know, provincial governments are responsible for establishing the immunization schedule, and for administering the vaccine. Vaccination plans therefore vary greatly from one province to another, which makes the resulting situation especially difficult to navigate for federal workers. Indeed, two federal public servants who work in a similar environment, who perform the same duties, but who are located in different jurisdictions may very well not benefit from the same access to priority vaccination, if they are prioritized at all.
New Brunswick and Newfoundland & Labrador made it clear early on that frontline CBSA personnel would be vaccinated as part of their Stage 2, along with other essential workers, in line with federal vaccine rollout guidelines. A few provinces — Ontario, Nova Scotia, Alberta, and British Columbia — indicated at one time or another that frontline workers and police officers would be prioritized, without explicitly including Border Services officers in their order of priority. This understandably caused some confusion amongst our members, as many perform frontline duties. While there has since been some positive movement in Ontario, at the time of writing the situation remains unclear, as it does in British Columbia and Alberta. In Nova Scotia, unfortunately, the provincial government has confirmed to CBSA that Border Services personnel would not receive priority immunization.
Finally, other governments, in Quebec, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, appear to have decided to eschew — for the most part — any order of priority other than age-based immunization, therefore shutting the door to accelerated vaccination for any non-healthcare frontline worker, including our members.
It goes without saying that certain groups, such as the elderly, healthcare workers, or those working in very high-risk environments, do need to be at the front of the vaccination line. However, first responders and law enforcement personnel such as police officers or, in the case of our members, Border Services officers, also operate in environments where they are likely to come into contact with COVID-19 sources. With a 3rd wave now underway in many parts of the country, and with increased community transmission of COVID variants, it is therefore essential for these workers to also be protected in a timely fashion, and not placed at the bottom of the order of priority in any province.
For the better part of the past year, CBSA men and women have continued to perform critical work despite the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The reality is that every day, CBSA officers and employees put their health at risk by coming into close contact with potential COVID-19 sources while fulfilling their duties:
Simply put, Border Services workers and officers have been playing a crucial role in keeping Canadians safe and the cross-border economy active. I am certain you will agree: They must be adequately protected to continue this important work.
For the past weeks, CIU members have been contacting their provincial representatives to highlight the pressing need for timely vaccination. As CIU National President, I have also personally written to provincial premiers, urging governments to include all frontline personnel in their accelerated vaccination schedule. In some cases, the response has been positive, but overall the landscape remains considerably uneven.
You recently met, virtually, with Border Services Officers in Lacolle, thanking them for their tireless work in keeping the country safe. Such recognition was certainly welcomed by our members. I also understand you indicated that, if needed, you would be in touch with provincial authorities to advocate in favour of priority immunization for our members. I am therefore writing to you today to ask for your support in this endeavour: No matter the province, frontline border personnel must not be left behind, and must be included in accelerated vaccination efforts.
I thank you in advance for giving this matter the consideration it deserves. I remain at your disposal should you have any questions, and I look forward to your reply.
Yours truly,
Jean-Pierre Fortin
National President
Customs and Immigration Union
Click here for the PDF version.
This International Women’s Day, PSAC recognizes the strength and resiliency of women each and every day. The global pandemic has disproportionately impacted women. This is a gendered crisis and we must continue to organize and take action towards a just recovery. A just recovery that addresses the intersectional gendered implications of the pandemic.
In the early months of the pandemic, women’s participation in the Canadian paid labour force fell to its lowest level in three decades. This ground will not be easily recovered because women are over-represented in the industries hit hardest by the pandemic. This includes the service sector; where jobs are often lower-waged, non-unionized and precarious. Women make up the majority of our frontline workers and this essential work has placed them at the forefront during the pandemic, putting them at greater risk of contracting the virus.
The closure of schools and daycares created additional hurdles for many women because they were more often forced to limit their paid working hours or give up work altogether to care for their children. This was further exacerbated for women from marginalized communities who face additional systemic barriers.
A just recovery plan must have a feminist approach that is intersectional. This means a Canada-wide affordable and accessible child care system. We have been fighting for child care for decades and we are at a monumental time to bring about this change. Women’s equality and economic independence depends on child-care. Last year, the government promised to create a national early learning and child care system. This is not enough. The government must lay out and fund a plan for universally accessible and high quality child care.
The women of our union have fought long and hard for equality and justice; and we haven’t let the pandemic hold us back. Through our actions and solidarity, we will break down barriers and fight for a just recovery for all. This International Women’s Day, and every day, we must keep fighting for an equitable future. Together, we have the power to create lasting change.
The original version of this article was first posted on the PSAC website.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada has published the following resources regarding the Phoenix settlement. Please click on the links below for more details:
