If I may, Minister, I remind you that staff at the border was in fact reduced over the last year. At the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security, it is not unheard of for border officers or the border officers’ union to come and tell us that they don’t have enough staff. We know that the Canada-U.S. border is extremely long. Roxham Road was closed, yes, but people can still wander just about everywhere along the border.
To reassure Canadians, can you give us details about this famous plan from the RCMP or Canada Border Services Agency? Refugee defence groups and lawyers are already getting photos of backpacks of people in the United States who are ready to cross over into Canada. That is a reality we will be facing soon. I get the impression it’s being discussed now, if it is not already. The plan must be solid for us to monitor that border. Premier Legault said he does not trust the federal government when it comes to protecting the border. He said he intends to deploy staff there himself.
What is your response to that? What do you have to say to the provinces?