TORONTO, Oct. 8, 2015 /CNW/ - This morning, members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada-Ontario and the Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) are demonstrating at Pearson Airport to demand greater border security in Canada.
More than 1,000 positions, including front-line border workers, sniffer-dog teams and intelligence officials, have been cut at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). These budget cuts, along with the introduction of automated border clearance (ABC) kiosks, are having a detrimental effect on the security of Canadians.
"When a missing or abducted child is brought into Canada, their best chance to be saved relies on trained officers", states Mark Weber, CIU First National Vice-President. "How do these children tell a machine that they need help?"
In 2013, CBSA installed ABC kiosks at three airports: Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver. While these kiosks can scan passports and customs declaration cards, they cannot detect false declarations.
Since the introduction of this technology, seizures at Montréal-Trudeau Airport have dropped by 25%. The Canadian government as extended this program to US travellers and plans to include other foreign nationals.
"ABC machines can now also be used by Americans arriving in Canada and soon they will be available to all travelers regardless of citizenship, residency or origin of flight," added Sharon DeSousa, PSAC Ontario Regional Executive Vice-President.
PSAC-Ontario and the CIU will continue to take action and use every legal means possible to defend the right to free collective bargaining.
PSAC represents more than 170,000 members across Canada.
CIU represents over 10,000 members across Canada including Canada's Front-Line Customs and Immigration Officers, Investigation, Intelligence and Trade Compliance Officers, Immigration Inland Enforcement and Hearings Officers, as well as all support staff.
SOURCE Public Service Alliance of Canada
Source: Lino Vieira, PSAC-Ontario, 416-577-0238 or [email protected]
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