OTTAWA, Oct. 16, 2015 /CNW/ - There's a place trucks can get into Canada where drivers have about a one in 30 chance of having to stop for an inspection.
Welcome to Canada's most porous border, only one of its kind – St. Zacharie, Quebec – and it happens to be in Conservative MP Maxime Bernier's riding.
St. Zacharie — and the public safety issues associated with letting 10,000 mostly commercial vehicles through with minimal inspections — are the subject of a new video from the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC).
"It seems the Harper Conservatives' professed law and order ideology is actually pretty flexible," said Jean-Pierre Fortin.
The reduction in inspections is part of the government's plans to eliminate almost 1,100 positions at the Canada Border Services Agency by 2017, include front-line border workers, intelligence officials and dog handler teams.
Canadians don't want these cuts. A PSAC-commissioned Ekos poll shows 60% agreed that defending our borders is important.
"Our members are on the front line and feel powerless. They are trying to secure our borders, but lack resources," said PSAC National President Robyn Benson "The current government's cuts to public services are jeopardizing the safety of millions of Canadians."
The video is part of PSAC's Vote to Stop the Cuts campaign. It encourages Canadians to vote Oct. 19 for candidates who oppose further cuts and seek to restore vital public services.
SOURCE Public Service Alliance of Canada
Video with caption: "Video: St. Zacharie – Canada’s most porous border crossing". Video available at: https://youtu.be/ULibBaBajAQ
Interview requests or for further information: Jonathan Choquette, 819-773-2511, [email protected]
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