12/20/2024
Just another $ show where the only loser are Canadian taxpayers and the general public. The Canadian border services agents and their union are a main roadblock to stop drugs and illegal weapons from entering or leaving our country, the Americans displeasure with our border security in very understandable, They have taken preventing measures long ago and even when they are being swamped with drugs, weapons, illegal substances and human trafficking from every border and ports of entry, their law enforcement agents have shown they have the commitment and the hands on the job approach to catch millions in contraband and put in jail a lot of very disgraceful and lethal criminals while their Canadians counterparts can't leave their boots for other things that are not breaks and shift changes. Probably my short interaction with a female agent some time ago at one of the Fort Erie boots epitomizes how they consume themselves into oblivion lightly trying to carry on with their uneffective duties. I was mentioning that the border patrol officers along the southern border use K9 trained to detect drugs and by their own words if they didn't have the help of these noble dogs their results would be disappointing, I asked her why they didn't have the same approach in the Canadian borders, she said that officers were not allowed by their union to do that type of inspections because it was very dangerous, for reasons of self preservation I decided to cut short the chat and go on my way. Today a long time after that conversation I cant help but to think about the thousands of victims of drug traffic, dead by gun violence and the millions of dollars product of this miserable trade that had changed so much the Canadian business landscape and create that unbearable corruption in our political institutions.
For our self preservation, is imperative that the government restrict immediately any type of unios intromissive influence with the way officers do their jobs while on duty, if they think the job is too dangerous for them because they have to walk a dog around a semi truck or other vehicles then they need to get the hell out of their jobs and employ themselves somewhere else. second they must work very closely to with the RCMP (if they feel like working) trying to detect and individualize players with high probabilities of breaking the law involving themselves in trafficking, placing a huge emphasis and effort in the transportation area, since trucking have been found to be the biggest trafficker both ways across the border, to use these preventive tactics they don't need to buy choppers, employ thousand of officers more or use the mantra word artificial intelligence so they can deplete the treasury using every trick on the book commit fraud against Canadians. The have law enforcement labor force that needs to be awaken from a complacent lack of compliance with their duties of service and commitment to fulfill their obligations with Canadians, they own us and they must do their job now and once for all or go and work in the private sector to see if they will get so many passes like they do in their public jobs before President Trump put everyone out of a job in Canada, the man is asking for results because they know how inefficient our law enforcement is when it comes to implement the laws at the border.
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Ottawa proposes 24/7 surveillance of Canada-U.S. border, new 'strike force' to stave off tariff threat
Ottawa trying to dissuade Trump from imposing tariffs that could cripple the Canadian economy
Catharine Tunney · CBC News · Posted: Dec 17, 2024 10:54 AM EST | Last Updated: December 17
Canada Border Services Agency officers investigate a vehicle crossing at the Niagara Falls International Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls, Ontario Friday, June 7, 2024. CBSA workers across the country could take job action today unless a deal is reached before the strike deadline.
Canada Border Services Agency officers investigate a vehicle crossing at the Niagara Falls International Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls, Ont., on June. 7. (Aaron Lynett/The Canadian Press)
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The federal government is promising a suite of measures to disrupt the flow of fentanyl and strengthen 24/7 surveillance of the Canada-U.S. border — including outfitting the RCMP with helicopters, drones and mobile surveillance towers and creating a new joint "strike force" to go after organized crime.
Newly sworn-in Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc, flanked by a handful of cabinet colleagues, provided more details Tuesday about how the government plans to spend $1.3 billion to secure the Canada-U.S. border and allay U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's concerns about irregular migrants and drugs.
The drive to strengthen border security follows Trump's threat to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian imports, which he claimed was in response to concerns about border security, migrants and illegal drugs, especially fentanyl. Tariffs at that level could devastate Canada's economy.
Federal deficit balloons to $61.9B as government tables economic update on chaotic day in Ottawa
AnalysisTrump trash talks Freeland in blast from her political past
The government's plan is based on what it calls five pillars: detecting and disrupting the fentanyl trade, introducing new tools for law enforcement, enhancing operational coordination, increasing information-sharing and tightening the immigration and asylum system.
To address concerns about the flow of fentanyl and its precursor chemicals, Ottawa is promising to use artificial intelligence and imaging tools to help law enforcement and border officials detect illegal drugs before they enter Canada.
The government is giving the Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) funds to train new dog teams to sniff out illegal drugs, and new chemical detection tools to deploy at high-risk ports of entry. The news release did not say how much of the available money the border agency is getting.
LeBlanc said Health Canada will also ramp up its investigative capacity to help law enforcement determine the source of illegal drugs, and take measures to ban precursor chemicals.
Tuesday's announcement pitches a new aerial intelligence taskforce for the RCMP using helicopters and drones the federal government has promised already. The news release did not say how much new equipment the Mounties are getting, or what it will cost.
Asylum seekers cross the border at Roxham Road from New York into Canada Friday March 24, 2023, in Champlain, N.Y.
Asylum seekers cross the border at Roxham Road from New York into Canada Friday March 24, 2023, in Champlain, N.Y. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press)
The government said counter-drone technology will help the RCMP provide 24/7 surveillance between ports of entry.
RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme said the RCMP might have to rent helicopters to deploy them as quickly as possible.
"I can't just buy a helicopter tomorrow but there are processes where you could rent a helicopter," he told reporters at a news conference.
"The objective for us is to get the technology out there as soon as we can."
Duheme also said the RCMP will hire another 150 Mounties to build up its border patrols, but will first need to recruit and train those officers.
Money for intelligence collection
The federal government also is promising to invest an unknown sum in expanding the intelligence collection capacity of the RCMP and the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) to better target transnational organized crime and fentanyl trafficking. CSE is responsible for collecting foreign signals intelligence.
WATCH | LeBlanc says border security plan 'important step' for U.S.-Canada relations
LeBlanc says border security plan ‘important step’ for U.S.-Canada relations
2 days ago
Duration1:42
Minister of Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic LeBlanc was asked whether the federal government’s plan for the Canada-U.S. border is enough to avoid the 25 per cent tariff threatened by U.S. president-elect Donald Trump. LeBlanc said he’s ‘encouraged’ by conversations he is having with people in Trump’s incoming administration.
LeBlanc said Canada will also propose to the United States the creation of a new "North American joint strike force" to target transnational organized crime.
"This new joint strike force could include, for example, support in operational surges, dedicated synthetic drug units, expanded combined forces, special enforcement units, binational integrated enforcement teams, and new operational capacity and infrastructure," he said.
Monday's fall economic statement — largely overshadowed by Chrystia Freeland's shocking resignation from cabinet — promised more than a billion for border security but was light on how that be divided up.
The document did propose legislative requirements that would give CBSA new powers to inspect goods destined for export.
If they go ahead, the chances would expressly require that port owners and operators provide the CBSA with the space and facilities it needs, free of charge, to conduct export inspections
four figures, nearly silhouettes, stand in the background behind a pile of bagged drugs on a table. There are three handguns on white cardboard boxes that say "arrowhead forensics" on them in the foreground.
Drugs including fentanyl, M**A and co***ne, along with fi****ms are pictured as the Surrey RCMP drug unit announce one of the largest drug seizures in Surrey, B.C., on Nov. 20, 2024. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
The economic statement also proposes multiple legal changes related to money-laundering that are meant to target organized crime in Iran, China and at home. They include more stringent administrative and criminal penalties and other compliance tools.
The border plan includes multiple promises to bolster intelligence-sharing with the U.S. and increase operational coordination domestically. It proposes creating "regional hubs" to bring federal, provincial and local law enforcement officers together on organized crime and illegal drug files.
As it indicated last week, Ottawa is also looking at the flow of people. Tuesday's border plan promises changes to curb the practice of "flagpoling" — a way for holders of student or work visas to renew them quickly and easily.
Freeland says she was at odds with Trudeau on Trump
LeBlanc said he has spoken already to Trump's chosen border czar Tom Homan and is "optimistic' about the conversation.
But it remains unclear whether the measures proposed by the Trudeau government will be enough to discourage Trump on tariffs.
Trump's return to the White House has shaken up official Ottawa and — as Freeland said in her resignation letter Monday — has exposed disagreements within the Trudeau government itself.
In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and posted to social media, Freeland, who has been finance minister since 2020, said the only "honest and viable path" for her was to leave cabinet after the prime minister approached her Friday about moving her to another cabinet role.
WATCH | Is Freeland's resignation a fatal blow to Trudeau's government?
At Issue | Is Freeland’s resignation a fatal blow to Trudeau's government?
3 days ago
Duration16:39
At Issue special edition: Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland resigns from cabinet hours before she was to deliver the fall economic statement. Can Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s political career survive the blow, and what comes next from the opposition?
Freeland, who led Canada's trade team during Trump's first administration, wrote that she had been at odds with the prime minister about the best path forward for Canada in the face of Trump's tariff threat.
"We need to take that threat extremely seriously. That means keeping our fiscal powder dry today, so we have the reserves we may need for a coming tariff war," Freeland wrote,
"That means eschewing costly political gimmicks, which we can ill afford and which make Canadians doubt that we recognize the gravity of the moment."
Trump entered the conversation late Monday, taking a jab at Freeland on his site Truth Social.
"Her behavior was totally toxic, and not at all conducive to making deals which are good for the very unhappy citizens of Canada," he wrote. "She will not be missed!!!"
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Trump's post shows "that Justin Trudeau and his chaotic clown show makes Canada weak."
He said Canadians shouldn't judge the Liberals' border policies on the price tag alone.
"We should judge it based on what it can do. How many helicopters, how many drones, how many boots on the ground, that's the question I will be asking when I am prime minister," he said.
"And how do we deliver it for the lowest possible price to taxpayers."
The head of the union representing thousands of Mounties is already welcoming the federal plan.
National Police Federation president Brian Sauvé says his members have been working to protect the border with limited resources.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Catharine Tunney
Reporter
Catharine Tunney is a reporter with CBC's Parliament Hill bureau, where she covers national security and the RCMP. She worked previously for CBC in Nova Scotia. You can reach her at [email protected]
