Mr. Speaker, first, contrary to the suggestions of the member for Malpeque, I can assure the House and all Canadians that CBSA did not make any cuts to front-line officers. In fact, it is quite the contrary. We have increased front-line border officers by 26% since being elected in 2006. This government, our government, has been and continues to be steadfast in its protection of Canadians and ensuring the laws are upheld.
Let us look at some of these facts. The original directive did not instruct front-line officers to stop doing their job. What it did was outline the top priorities of the agency and introduce an intelligence-led approach.
Criminals do not follow rules. Border-related criminality often starts inland and requires the CBSA to work with its domestic and international law enforcement and intelligence partners to identify and interdict illicit drugs and take the necessary actions against those who seek to break the laws.
As a matter of fact, the CBSA plays a key role in the national anti-drug strategy's enforcement action plan, in partnership with the RCMP, Health Canada, and the Public Prosecution Service of Canada. The action plan increases the capacity of law enforcement agencies to proactively target organized crime involved in illicit drug production and distribution operations.
CBSA is doing great work to keep our borders safe and secure, without impacting legitimate trade and travel. The numbers speak for themselves. Let us talk about some of these numbers.
Canada Border Services Agency has a proven record of intercepting illicit drugs, having made more than 9,000 seizures since April 1, 2013. This is valued at nearly $300 million. In fact, this is even a 4% increase over the previous year.
Our government will take no lessons from the Liberal Party. In fact, this is the party, the Liberal Party, that had a previous member refer to our front-line border security officers as “a bunch of wimps”. Who said that? Derek Lee said it in 2006.
It also had a member who said the border officers are “glorified bank tellers”. That was said by former minister Elinor Caplan.
Again, we will take no lessons from the Liberal Party on this particular issue.