Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is on a mission to eliminate the Canada port police. During the last Parliament it sought authority to disband the Canada port police through Bill C-44. However, the bill died on the Order Paper when the election was called. Despite this, the government has gone ahead and proceeded with the changes anyway.
These highly specialized forces focus on extremely important security issues for Canada, such as illegal immigration, illicit drug trading, exportation of stolen goods and security for foreign vessels.
Already this policy is resulting in inconsistencies in port policing from harbour to harbour, as ad hoc deals are made replacing the uniform federal system.
The government must provide the funds to ensure consistent, well trained police forces at every port and not allow a hodge-podge of enforcement arrangements all over the country which will make Canada the country of choice for illegal immigration and drugs.