On December 17, 2024, the federal government announced their new border security plan, aimed at strengthening Canada’s shared border with the United States.
While the announcement by ex-Minister of Public Safety Dominic LeBlanc and colleagues includes a number of investments and measures impacting the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and its personnel — such as new canine teams, new imaging technology and tools, and increased human resources — what is most noticeable is what is absent from the 1.3$-billion plan: A meaningful expansion of the duties of border officers that would allow them to act at and between ports of entry.
In the weeks leading up to the announcement, the Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) wrote to Minister LeBlanc as well as provincial premiers to highlight the need to rethink how the federal government utilizes the thousands of border officers who are already serving Canadians at our land border ports.
Border officers are well acquainted with the border’s legislative framework. Nothing in the law, except for the now infamous 1932 Order-in-Council, prevents CBSA officers from patrolling between ports of entry to assist the RCMP. By failing to further engage border officers on that front, the federal government misses a rare opportunity to modernize Canada’s border infrastructure — at negligible expense — in a way that prioritizes what ought to be at the centre of its border security strategy: Reliance on trained, specialized border personnel. Rather, it seems content to let provincial forces encroach on the federal sphere.
A missing sixth pillar
This new border plan proposes five pillars, emphasizing the need to do more to stem the flow of fentanyl, to boost tools and resources, to enhance coordination as well as information sharing between agencies, and to reduce pressures on the United States. There is some good in there, although it is regrettable that it has taken rarely seen political turmoil south of the border to see movement from the Canadian government on long-standing border issues.
Despite an apparent commitment to secure additional personnel — although how many remains to seen, with Minister LeBlanc speaking of “100-150” initially, well-short of the 2,000-plus needed — it is also unfortunate that the government has chosen not to include staffing as a distinct sixth pillar.
We’ve said it before: A properly staffed border is a secure border, and investments in RCMP drones and helicopters only go so far. Technology must support, and not replace, the officers who are best placed to find and interdict dangerous goods and control cross border movements.
Staffing-wise, new resources to enhance CBSA’s training capacity are also absent from the announcement, casting doubt on the government’s ability to ramp up training in sufficient numbers to address new challenges effectively. We know the only existing CBSA college in Rigaud, Quebec, is limited in output. New, additional training facilities are desperately needed.
Some positives, but questions remain
That is not to say that there are no positives to the recent announcement. New canine teams, in particular, are a welcome addition, and new enhanced detection tools can certainly help. Provisions aiming to stop ‘flagpoling’ will also contribute to freeing resources. Still, questions remain on a number of points and their implementation, notably regarding new legislative requirements obligating operators to provide CBSA with facilities to conduct export inspections.
Ultimately, while not surprising, it is disappointing that the government has opted once more not to consult the union or its frontline border personnel — those who, every day, act as the country’s first line of defence — in drawing up its new border plan.
New solutions needed
The inclusion of language around early retirement for public safety personnel in the recent Fall Economic Statement, which paves the way for new provisions for our members and should help the Agency retain and attract personnel, shows that this government is willing to explore innovative avenues that support its border officers and strengthen CBSA as a core law enforcement agency.
It is unfortunate that this attitude has not inspired the new border plan, and we will continue to push the government to adopt sound border policies that rely on workers first, to the benefit of all Canadians. Ensuring adequate staffing and trusting the expertise of border officers at and between ports of entry is the type of sensible approach that should be the cornerstone of Canada’s border security framework.
