Crossings at the Lacolle Port of Entry: Clarification — Statement by Jean-Pierre Fortin, CIU National President

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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.

COVID-19 vaccination for frontline CBSA officers and employees: Letter to Minister Blair

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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:

  • As screening officers under the Quarantine Act, we interview potentially ill travellers, assessing them for signs of illness;
  • With commercial activities still going strong at the border, we continue to inspect goods coming into the country, processing hundreds of truck drivers originating from or transiting through COVID-19 hotspots;
  • We work in mail processing centres in proximity to other workers who may have been exposed to COVID-19;
  • We escort detainees around the world, regardless of the preventative measures or lack thereof that exist in that country;
  • We work at Canada’s Immigration Holding Centres, often in close quarters with detainees;
  • We have also been instrumental in swiftly processing orders of personal protective equipment much needed during the pandemic and, recently, in clearing the first vaccine shipments at airports and land borders.

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.

International Women’s Day: Fighting for an equitable future

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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.

Phoenix damages compensation information

Icone discussion PSAC-AFPC

The Public Service Alliance of Canada has published the following resources regarding the Phoenix settlement. Please click on the links below for more details:

Government rushing Phoenix damages payment without tax ruling

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Send a letter to Minister Jean-Yves Duclos and Minister Anita Anand that Phoenix damages shouldn’t be taxed.

The Liberal government has shamelessly chosen the 5th anniversary of the Phoenix pay system disaster to short-change thousands of PSAC members on their compensation for years of pay problems.

Even though PSAC is in the process of working with CRA to review the taxability of Phoenix damages, the federal government has confirmed that it intends to ignore these efforts and issue the up to $2,500 for our members, on March 3 – with taxes deducted. Treasury board provided no explanation for their actions.

“The government still has time to do the right thing,” said PSAC National President Chris Aylward.  “General damages should not be taxed, so we’re calling on key ministers to immediately intervene to fix this before payments are issued.”

The $2,500 settlement, even if taxed, is still greater than the five days of leave offered to PSAC members, but it represents a violation of the language we negotiated into the agreement. PSAC maintains that general damages paid to all employees for ‘stress, aggravation, pain and suffering’ and for the late implementation of collective agreements are non-taxable, as CRA has acknowledged other specific damages in the settlement should be treated.

“It’s a slap in the face to the tens of thousands of PSAC members who suffered years of pay problems, and then worked non-stop during this pandemic to deliver aid and benefits to millions of Canadians in crisis,” said PSAC National President Chris Aylward.

PSAC will pursue every legal route to secure the full compensation that our members are entitled to. This includes tax challenges that would retroactively see our members reimbursed should the payments be issued as planned on March 3, but our goal remains to avoid any time-consuming and complex tax disputes for our members.

“Phoenix short-changed PSAC members for years – the last thing they deserve is for the government to short-change them again,” added Aylward.

PSAC will continue to work to resolve this problem and updates will follow in the coming days.

The original version of this article was first posted on the PSAC website.

FB bargaining: Chair named for Public Interest Commission

For the first time since the FB group was created in 2007, PSAC and Treasury Board have agreed on a chair for the Public Interest Commission that will be charged with providing recommendations in our contract dispute with Treasury Board and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

By law, once impasse is reached, a Public Interest Commission (PIC) is established to help the parties reach an agreement. The Commission is a panel of three – a chairperson agreed upon by both parties or, if no agreement is reached, appointed by the Labour Board, as well as nominees appointed by the union and management. The union and the employer submit briefs and explain their positions on the outstanding issues at a hearing with the Commission. The Commission then makes a report with recommendations to reach a settlement. Unlike arbitration, the Commission’s recommendations are not binding.

Impasse reached in December

Talks broke off in December when our team declared impasse over Treasury Board/CBSA’s refusal to address the key issues we’ve raised in negotiations. For more information on the matters in dispute, visit the FB page.

Now that the chair has been named and the panel established, we are in the process of setting dates to conduct a hearing with the PIC. We’ll continue to provide updates throughout the PIC process.

Take action to support FB members in bargaining

The original version of this article was first posted on the PSAC website.

National Bargaining Conference – PA, SV, TC and EB bargaining units

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The National Bargaining Conference for the PA, SV, TC and EB bargaining units will take place from April 26 to 30, 2021. The event will be virtual.

The above-noted collective agreements will expire between June and August 2021 and the PSAC anticipates serving notice to bargain in the spring and early summer of 2021. The PSAC Centre has informed CIU that it is entitled to six (6) delegates to the national conference from amongst the different Occupational Groups represented by CIU. Delegate entitlement is broken down as follows:

  • CIU is entitled to three (3) delegates for the Program Administration (PA) Bargaining Unit which includes: AS, CM, CR, DA, IS, OE, PM, ST, and WP Occupational Groups;
  • CIU is also entitled to one (1) delegate (from the membership at large) from each of the following Bargaining Units: SV (incl. FR, GL, GS, HP, HS, LI, PR(S), SC), TC (incl. DD, EG, GT, PI, PY, TI) and EB (incl. ED, EU, LS)

Branches are asked to submit, via their Branch President, the names of candidates they wish to be considered for these conference delegate spots. The candidates must be members of the bargaining unit, must hold a Union Office (including shop steward), and will otherwise be committed and engaged in the Union. Branch Presidents are asked to send candidate names and their full contact information to joey.dunphy@ciu-sdi.ca no later than Friday, February 19, 2021.

Source: National Office Memorandum NO-12-2020 from Joey Dunphy, 3rd CIU National Vice-President, and VP Responsible for Collective Bargaining.

Black History Month 2021: Time to turn the page on systemic anti-Black racism

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Black History Month is a time to reflect, honour and celebrate the many contributions made by Black people and all people of Caribbean and African heritage. It is a time to recognize the important role Black people and people of Caribbean and African heritage have played in the progress and development of Canada, as well as their impact on its history and the labour movement.

It is a myth that Canada is a model of diversity and inclusion. The reality is that Canadian society has achieved neither equity nor equality for Black Canadians. Black people and people of Caribbean and African heritage have a unique history and experience in Canada that is often ignored or seen through a colonizer’s lens. The voices of Black activists are rarely heard because of the rampant racism that keeps their voices silent.

Last year, everyday life came to a screeching halt due to the pandemic. Shortly thereafter, the world witnessed the brutal murder of George Floyd, a Black man killed deliberately, and violently, by the police. Finally, there was a recognition of entrenched systemic anti-Black racism, not only in law enforcement but throughout our society. For many who experience anti-Black racism on a regular basis, they understand that it was not an isolated incident, but rather a pattern going back to the time of slavery. The killing of George Floyd is yet another example of the failure of society to value Black lives.

George Floyd’s death mobilized people across the world to action. People want to discuss and tackle issues of systemic anti-Black racism and we are witnessing the creation and organization of panel discussions, workshops, demonstrations, media reports, the forming of diversity and inclusion workplace committees, the collection of disaggregated data, development of anti-racism strategies and so on. For example, the Canadian federal government has recently made a commitment to addressing systemic racism in the federal public service and society. But let us not forget that the reality is that anti-Black racism is prevalent at all levels of society. Dismantling anti-Black racism requires foundational societal and attitudinal changes, not to mention on-going individual learning to undo unconscious bias. There must be condemnation and accountability of those who resist efforts of anti-Black racism initiatives and promote white supremacy.

There are many Black, Caribbean or African heritage voices calling for justice, equity and equality in our workplaces and communities. Black voices must be heard, Black contributions must be recognized, and Black lives must be valued. It is time to turn the page on systemic anti-Black racism because Black Lives Matter.

PSAC invites you to celebrate Black accomplishments and hear Black voices during this important month. Black activists and Black history will be highlighted on our website throughout the month of February. Join the conversation and be the change!

The original version of this article was first posted on the PSAC website.

PA, EB, SV, & TC groups bargaining survey: You can shape the future of work in the public service

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The pandemic has radically changed the way many PSAC members work. We have experienced the challenges of working remotely from home; the impact of technological changes;  the effect of an uncertain economy on job security; and the major inequalities that remain for women, racialized workers, and many other marginalized groups. These are some of the key issues that can be addressed in the next round of bargaining that begins this summer.

This next round of talks will be all about the future of work in the federal public service and you can help decide what your union bargaining team brings to the table.

Take 15 minutes to fill out our survey to make sure we address your workplace concerns at the table. Your input is essential. We need to hear directly from you about what has changed over the last year. And we need to know more about you so that we can make the case for a contract that equitably addresses our members’ diverse needs.

Your participation in this survey and the broader bargaining process is key to our success in the next round of talks.

The survey is for members in the Program and Administrative Services (PA), Technical Services (TC), Operational Services (SV) and Education and Library Science (EB) groups. It will be open until February 25, 2021.

We are also still accepting your specific proposals for improving your next contract until January 31. Your component union and PSAC will review your proposals and they, along with the survey’s results, will be discussed at a bargaining conference of member delegates from across the country who will decide the bargaining priorities.

The current collective agreements expire on the following dates:

PA: June 20, 2021
TC: June 21, 2021
SV: August 4, 2021
EB: June 30, 2021

Please keep your contact information up to date via the member portal to receive more updates as we prepare to negotiate your next contract.

The original version of this article was first posted on the PSAC website.

More than ever, mental health matters

a photo of three people with the words "mental health matters"

Today, like in previous years at this time, social media is filled with discussions seeking to raise awareness about mental health issues and initiatives. Unlike previous years, however, challenges brought about by COVID-19 to both physical and mental health, on a scale rarely seen before, make it all the more important to reflect on the state of mental health support within the Canadian government and public service.

More so than usual, frontline and essential workers have spent the past months being confronted with exceedingly taxing situations, and the need for a robust and accessible service infrastructure cannot be understated if we wish to care for the mental well-being of Canadians everywhere – including in the workplace. Last year, the Mental Health Commission of Canada published a study showing that nearly 9 in 10 Canadians want increased funding for mental health. This year, from a law enforcement perspective, Statistics Canada released a report making it clear that the pandemic has had a significant impact on mental well-being of the Canadian population, with some police services reporting a 13% increase in well-being checks calls, and a 12% increase in mental health-related calls.

Beyond the concerns caused by COVID-19, and in addition to the need for general access to care, workplace culture also needs to foster mental well-being and not hinder it. Within CBSA, past employee surveys have shown a high level of dissatisfaction due to a psychologically unhealthy workplace. As a union, we’ve been vocal about the need for CBSA to address the many problems that plague the Agency when it comes to abuse of authority and harassment by managers.

You are not alone

When facing a difficult situation at work or at home, remember that you are not alone. People around you can be a source of support, and your union is there to assist you and help you find the resources you need. As CBSA employees, you can also contact Homewood Health for confidential assistance – be it for advice, counselling or treatment (for more information about Homewood Health and other resources, see our Mental Health page). PSAC has also published a list of resources to assist you if you feel overwhelmed, are struggling with stress, or are facing mental health difficulties.

Just like physical well-being, mental health matters, in any setting.