Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. My apologies for being late.
I also want to thank our witnesses for joining us today.
Today, we are discussing Bill C-62, An Act to amend the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations Act and other Acts, but behind this act, there is a partisan objective, as I have already mentioned. During the election campaign, the Liberal government promised to give sick leave back to the unions, a gift of $1 billion. That is the cost of this bill.
What I find interesting in today's presentations is that we are also dealing with the notion of essential services. In the light of my previous experience, the presentations from the Canada Border Services Agency and the Correctional Service of Canada were of particular interest to me.
Mr. Thibodeau, your mandate is to control access to the borders for goods and for people. Heaven knows, that it is an important role, particularly in view of the current migrant crisis. You also have a mandate to ensure national security, and that is what concerns me today. The bill has an effect on labour relations, but also on your ability as an employer to ensure the security of Canadians. To do that, you must have the necessary tools.
We have been told that CBSA officers in the field cannot disclose to the media the number of illegal migrants crossing the border. However, last summer, there were 300 to 400. Those officers are also under pressure to deal with the claims quickly, which, of course, makes Canadians uneasy about how rigorously the process designed to protect them is being applied.
As for essential services, you mentioned that you have to consider the issue, given the new legislation. What will be the effect of the new legislation on the essential services your agency provides? What amendments could we make to the bill to make sure that the priority is first and foremost the security of Canadians?