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CEUDA - Customs news |
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Statements Read in
the House Adam Angel Mr. Jim Abbott (Kootenay—Columbia, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay posthumous tribute to Kootenay—Columbia customs officer Adam Angel, who tragically died on October 17, 2004 while working alone at the Port of Roosville. During the midnight shift he was found in distress and, in spite of all efforts to assist him, emergency personnel pronounced him dead shortly after their arrival. It is imperative for our customs officers to be safe at all times while protecting our Canadian borders. Every day we are reminded of the dangers our frontline workers face. They confront the most dangerous conditions putting their lives on the line to protect ours. I am proud to say that the new Canadian government has responded with initiatives to strengthen our border security. We have committed $101 million over the next two years to provide arms to all officers, proper training and abolition of work-alone conditions like that of Officer Angel. We believe in secure, efficient borders and we thank these men and women for their courage, bravery and hard work protecting our communities.
Border Service Officers Mr. Brian Masse (Windsor West, NDP): Mr. Speaker, yesterday in the House the Liberal member for Scarborough—Rouge River made an appalling comment when he referred to our brave men and women who guard our borders as “wimps”. His derogatory slur just displayed his ignorance to the fact that 17% of these workers are either veterans of the military or the police forces of this land. They have defended our country, protected our communities, and stand watch at our borders, continuing to put their lives on the line every day to enforce the laws of this nation. To have from this chamber, the place where those laws are created, a member disparage and disrespect those charged with enforcing those laws is a disgrace and a shame brought on this House. He must apologize and admit he was wrong. The fact that he has repeated his outburst brings into question his understanding that our borders are understaffed and our guards are not armed. We need more recruits and more training now, and not an interim plan. We need to have a long term solution. This 10 year delay is nonsense. The Liberal leadership and the member must apologize for not only his outrageous attack but his own government's neglect and inaction on this file.
Border Service Officers Mr. Russ Hiebert (South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, CPC): Mr. Speaker, yesterday during question period the member for Scarborough—Rouge River criticized Sunday's job action by border service officers in my riding. He called these constituents of mine, “a bunch of wimps”. His remarks are incredibly offensive to the brave men and women of our border services whose own personal safety is often put at risk in defence of Canada's national security. Our border service officers do not suffer from any form of cowardice. The officers seize more than a thousand firearms every year. That is an average of three per day and they do it unarmed because of the negligence of the previous Liberal government. Canada's new Conservative government is spending an additional $101 million to fix the problem. We will train and arm our officers and eliminate work-alone posts. The member should be ashamed of himself. I hope that he will personally find the courage to apologize to our front line officers.
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