Allowing CBSA to patrol border not a short-term priority, Ottawa says

Photo: Adrian Wyld The Canadian Press According to Minister Leblanc, the RCMP and CBSA are working on a list of new equipment that could help them improve their current work at the border.

Nick Murray – The Canadian Press in Ottawa

Published yesterday at 7:07 a.m.

• Canada

Giving the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) more powers to patrol the border with the United States is one option the federal government could consider, but it’s not a short-term priority.

That’s what Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said Monday, as Ottawa tries to quickly beef up border security after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump threatened punitive tariffs on Canada and Mexico.

Instead, he said the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and CBSA are working on a list of new equipment that could help them enhance their current work at the border.

Mr. LeBlanc is expected to face more questions on the subject Tuesday, when he appears before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security to discuss his department's spending.

Last Friday, LeBlanc was part of the Canadian delegation that travelled to Florida at Trump’s invitation for a dinner at Mar-a-Lago. According to the minister, the meeting was mostly about opening up dialogue, so no specific promises were made.

200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000

The dinner came just five days after Trump threatened Canada with a 25 per cent tariff if it didn’t do more to secure the border against illegal migrant crossings and the entry of fentanyl into the United States.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, LeBlanc said his department was considering expanding the CBSA’s mandate to include patrolling between border crossings. Currently, this responsibility falls to the RCMP.

“I've discussed this with the RCMP commissioner. If we were to undertake a major change in the machinery of government that might require legislation in the House of Commons, I'm not sure that would reflect the urgency of the issue,” LeBlanc said.

“We're always looking for good ideas and we're not rejecting this one, but it's not a priority for us to get to the conclusion that we want. »

Read also

• What did Trump and Trudeau say to each other last Friday ?
• Justin Trudeau claims he had an “excellent conversation” with Trump in Florida
• Justin Trudeau and Donald Trump met Friday night at Mar-a-Lago

Last week, LeBlanc revealed that Canada was considering providing the RCMP and CBSA with more resources, including drones, helicopters and personnel in the event of a “surge” at the border.

“This is not just an exercise to appease Mr. Trump, this is an exercise to continue the important work that is already being done, that continues to be done every day,” LeBlanc said during his press scrum.

“We don’t accept the premise or the idea that there is a posture at the border that is not secure. However, we recognize pressures, whether it is fentanyl, whether it is irregular migration across the world, and we understand the urgency of reassuring our American friends that the provisions are in place,” he added.

He wouldn't say exactly what the government is looking to buy at this point, but said the RCMP and CBSA are working on a list.

Supplementary estimates on the committee's agenda include a new request for $8 million from the CBSA to combat vehicle theft in Canada and $23 million for a land border crossing reconstruction project.