Hello Brothers and Sisters - For Widest Distribution -
Please note that seats are still available for the upcoming Human Rights course, scheduled for Saturday, January 28th, here at the PSAC Toronto RO Boardroom. In order to accommodate further registrations from members of your locals &/or committees, the registration deadline has been extended to Tuesday, January 24th.
Please encourage members to register by the revised deadline. Members can register on-line from the link below or by fax to the Toronto RO.
http://ontario.psac.com/ontario/education/schedule_toronto.shtml
Course Description - Human Rights
The course is designed for union members interested in discovering more around the issues of Human
Rights. This one day will provide a brief introduction to the legislative requirements and related introductory
information. Participants will identify appropriate union and community resources to respond to
discrimination, harassment and inequities in the workplace and in the union. You will explore the meaning of
power as it relates to issues of human rights.
Open to: All members
OTTAWA .
An Ottawa civil servant has won a groundbreaking court decision that extends federal human rights protection to family leave.
Tracey Patterson, an auditor with the Canada Revenue Agency, lost out last year on two promotional opportunities because she had taken more than three years of family leave to care for her children.
The CRA said her family leave disqualified her from consideration for the jobs, which required "recent and significant experience."
That experience was defined as relevant work "for a period of time of not less than 24 months within the past five years."
In a ruling released this month, Federal Court Judge Judith Snider deemed that policy discriminatory.
"In my view," the judge concluded, "there is no principled reason why family leave should be any differently treated under the Canadian Human Rights Act than maternity leave."
Judge Snider ordered the CRA to reconsider Ms. Patterson's two applications for the advertised jobs.
The federal government has yet to appeal the decision.
If it stands, the ruling means that federal employees who take family leave to care for children or elderly parents will have powerful new legal protection in the workplace similar to that afforded new mothers.
"It is an important decision - and it's a progressive decision in a social context," said Martin Ranger, legal counsel for the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada.
The institute represents more than 55,000 public servants, mostly white-collar professionals such as scientists, engineers, auditors, researchers and nurses. It fought the legal case on behalf of Ms. Patterson.
Protections offered by the Canadian Human Rights Act now ensure, among other things, that women on maternity leave accrue seniority and years of service.
The law applies to the Government of Canada and all federally regulated businesses.
In court, the CRA argued that since current collective agreements recognize a difference between maternity leave and family leave, it was also reasonable for the agency to treat them differently in job competitions.
Judge Snider, however, ruled that while separate contractual provisions apply, it "does not change the fundamental character of both leaves as being related to family status."
Ms. Patterson, a mother of two, took one year of maternity leave beginning in May 2005. She then went on family leave until October 2009, when she returned to work.
She applied for two different positions within the CRA in November 2010, but she was screened out of both competitions before her qualifications were assessed because she did not meet the experience requirements.
The judge found that Ms. Patterson had been discriminated against based on her family status because she was unable to meet those requirements by virtue of taking three years and four months of family leave.
"Stated differently," the judge said, "she was denied an employment opportunity because she took leave to care for her family."
It may be, the judge conceded, that the CRA had compelling reasons to demand job applicants have substantial experience. And it is also possible, Judge Snider said, that Ms. Patterson's lengthy absences could be problematic for the agency.(Ms. Patterson was also on maternity and sick leave between June 2003 and October 2004.)
Nonetheless, the judge said, the CRA had a duty to consider other ways of accommodating Ms. Patterson's job applications, possibly by having her write a special exam, rather than disqualifying her on experience alone.
Mr. Ranger said Ms. Patterson and the CRA are now discussing how to proceed in light of the court ruling. Ms. Patterson declined an interview request.
The Federal Court decision will also apply to men who take family leave.
© Copyright (c) National Post
Sisters and Brothers,
On December 6, 2011, a Health and Safety Officer conducted an investigation into a group work refusal by BSOs working at the Emerson Port of Entry, Manitoba.
The BSOs refused to board buses alone and travel down the bus aisles to the rear of the bus to collect declaration cards and verify traveller identification.
Because BSOs have no control of the situation once they are past a few rows of seats, and because the situation does not allow for a proper threat evaluation, and because CBSA has apparently not conducted a hazard assessment of such a situation, and because CBSA does not have any written procedures in place for this situation, the Health and Safety Officer ruled that the activity constitutes a danger.
Consequently, please advise all members who work as BSOs of this ruling.
Moreover, CIU strongly urges all BSOs to avoid from entering buses to collect declaration cards and verify identification and, instead, ask all passengers from disembark from the bus to collect declaration cards and verify identification, or always ensure that at least two (2) BSOs board the bus at the same time.
Please give the email immediate and wide circulation to ensure as many BSOs are made aware of the ruling and of CIU’s above-noted recommendation.
In closing, I wish to thank the members at the Emerson Port of Entry for exercising their rights, and the Health and Safety Officer for seeing the way to making a proper ruling. CIU places great value on the health and safety of its members, welcomes this ruling, and anticipates working with CBSA to ensuring a proper hazard assessment is undertaken and proper procedures are written.
If you have any questions of concerns, please feel free to contact me directly.
In solidarity,
Jason McMichael
First National Vice-President
Occupational Health and Safety Committee Co-Chair
The 2012 Ontario Health & Safety Conference will be held on April 14 & 15, 2012 at the Marriott Courtyard Hotel in Toronto.
This years Health and Safety Conference theme is Mental Health in the Workplace.
Stress, anxiety and depression are rising within our workplaces due to increased job insecurity, ever-increasing workload demands and precarious working conditions.
The 2012 Health and Safety Conference will provide Health and Safety activists the tools to identify and manage dealing with workplace stress and mental health concerns in the workplace.
Please see the attached Health and Safety Conference Call Out Letter, Registration Form and Travel & Expense Policy. This information is also found at this link:
Greetings Sisters & Brothers,
Our new Winter/Spring Toronto Education Schedule has been posted.
Please visit our website - http://www.psac-afpc.com/ontario/education/schedule_toronto.shtml
Please visit the following links to print:
Please contact the undersigned if you require an alternate format.
In Solidarity,
PSAC Toronto Regional Office
CBSA Baseball Team Picture
Please see the link below for PSAC's Revised Fall Schedule which is posted on our website:
Re Editorial - Name tags for officers promote accountability
Dear Sir ,
With Great Power comes great responsibility.
It may come as a surprise to you that I couldn’t agree more with this statement. It’s true; the border services officers tasked with maintaining the integrity of Canada’s borders have an immense amount of responsibility heaped on them; this, as well as an immense amount of risk. To suggest that mitigating this risk wherever possible would compromise accountability is both ignorant and irresponsible. To compare the people tasked with protecting the integrity of Canada’s borders with employees at Tim Hortons or Walmart...well Sir, I offer the following:
Every year, BSO’s (Border Service Officers) at Canada’s International airports, land borders and marine ports are faced with millions of travellers. BSO’s in Canada are required to process these mostly compliant travellers, while interdicting the undesirable ones such as drug smugglers, gun runners, child pornographers, drunk drivers and terrorists. These folks are rarely willing to identify themselves as such and are often violent, running from the law in another country and usually willing to do whatever it takes to evade capture. In the past, some of these folks have taken to threatening and attempting to intimidate the members I represent. They’ve posted our members faces on the internet and approached their children on the soccer field. Our job should be to make the bad guy’s job harder, not easier.
Incidentally, none of these folks wear name tags.
Accountability is an easy word to throw around from the comfort and security of a mahogany desk. The members I represent throw it around from the front line of defence, while processing thousands of travellers and trying to decipher which ones pose a risk to the people of Canada, the Canadian economy, our infrastructure, even you and your family Mr Larocque. Wearing a badge number doesn’t compromise accountability, nor does wearing a name tag promote it. What does promote it is the level of honour and pride that coincides with the job we do. We’ll continue this practise even if our employer insists on a policy which we feel adds to the high level of risk we meet head on each and every day; and, while we do this, we’ll continue to fight for the safest possible strategy for working in a sometimes unsafe and risky environment.
Jason McMichael
Customs and Immigration Union
Fourth National Vice-President
EDITORIAL: Name tags for officers promote accountability
By COREY LAROCQUE
Posted 14 days ago
With great power comes great responsibility.
That's why Canada Border Service Agency officers should be expected to wear name tags, despite their union's claim it might put their safety at risk.
The union that represents Canada's customs and immigration officers is bristling at the government agency's requirement officers wear badges that identify them by name. Right now, members of the public can identify them only by a badge number.
Border officers' role has changed over the past decade. Once upon a time, their main function was collecting taxes.
Gradually, and especially since 9-11, Canada's border officers have been given more law-enforcement authority. They have the power to arrest. They carry guns now. There's no good reason for the public not to know the name of the official they're dealing with.
It's not much of a stretch to suggest anyone empowered to arrest an individual or authorized to carry lethal weapons should have their name visible for the public to see.
Their American counterparts wear name tags. Canadian Forces personnel wear name tags on their uniforms. Cops in some police forces do as well. It's curious that some Niagara Parks Police and some OPP officers wear name tags, but Niagara Regional Police don't. They all should.
Look around.
At Walmart and Tim Hortons, cashiers wear name tags because it makes them more accountable. They're more likely to be polite and professional if they know a customer could identify them by name and report them if they're not.
Certainly, we should be sympathetic to the union's concerns. The CBSA officers' union says if its members are required to wear name tags, it would be easier for bad guys to intimidate them. They've received death threats from some of the people they've ticked off in the course of doing their jobs.
Naturally when they do their jobs, border officers might occasionally have to step on someone's toes.
But the idea of holding out on accountability now to protect someone against something that might happen in the future is not acceptable in a free society.
If the criminal element is bent on intimidating an officer, they'll find a way to do it -- name tag or not.
There are other ways of safeguarding the personal security of these officers in ways that don't erode public accountability.
Upholding Canada's laws is a vital public service. The power vested in officers should not be abused. A simple name tag would go a long way toward ensuring their powers are balanced by the public's ability to know who's behind the badge.
Border agents refuse to wear name tags
By TONY RICCIUTO Niagara Falls Review
Updated 10 hours ago
TONY RICCIUTO
Niagara Falls Review
The Canada Border Services Agency wants its agents to wear name tags on their uniforms because it will provide better service to its clients. But the front-line officers who deal with aggravated smugglers or travellers say they will refuse to wear them because they fear for their safety.
"I will not wear a name tag and I think it will be close to 100% of the people who will refuse to wear them," said Fred Milligan, president of Local 16, Customs and Immigration Union, which represents workers at the Niagara Falls bridges.
"Management is telling us this is something that is going to happen for sure, and this is something that we are going to fight for sure."
The front-line agents are upset because they say name tags will make it easier for them to be targeted by people who might have had an unpleasant experience at the border and might want to stalk or harass them.
Police in Toronto and Winnipeg went through the same dispute about five years ago. Toronto police officers now have to display their name tags, while officers in Winnipeg do not.
"Most of us live in a small community and are well-known and we don't want people to know where we live," said Milligan. "Some of our officers have had death threats and some have received threats of them being hurt. These threats are not imaginary. They are real."
Agents have badge numbers, he adds, and if anyone encounters a problem and wishes to file a complaint, that is what should be used.
Since 9-11, Milligan said border agents' jobs have changed significantly, more duties are being added and now they are required to carry guns.
"If you want us to be like cops, then pay us like cops," said Milligan. "They only want to go so far and that's why there's a huge concern. My members have already told me they will refuse to wear name tags and will throw them in the garbage as they get them."
This concern has already been expressed by other locals across the country.
Milligan said the union is looking at this matter as a health and safety issue for officers.
There was one reported incident last December when two American rappers, Cam'ron and Vado, were denied entry into Canada while going to do a show in Montreal. They were denied entry because of their criminal histories.
A picture was taken of a female Customs officer who didn't let them into the country. That photo was posted on the Internet. Fans were also told to spread it over the Internet and it was picked by fans' websites.
One agent, who asked not to be identified, said officers have a job to do and there are times when they will find someone who absolutely hates them.
"We are not here to be friends. Some people will hate you, but what can you do?"
CBSA hasn't said when the policy will come into effect, but some workers have heard it will likely happen by the fall.
CBSA officials couldn't be reached for comment Monday.
On the American side of the border, Tom Rusert, Customs Border Protection, public affairs liaison for the Buffalo field office, said their officers have been wearing name tags for a number of years.
PSAC National President John Gordon met with Treasury Board President Tony Clement this week to voice the union’s opposition to the Conservative’s plan to eliminate the deficit by cutting public services.
The meeting was organized in response to a written request by John Gordon following Clement’s appointment to the Treasury Board.
During the meeting, John strongly articulated PSAC members’ concerns and anxieties over the hardening rhetoric of the government towards public sector workers. Cutting programs and jobs is not the way to pay off the deficit; PSAC members play a vital role in supporting Canadians in all regions and communities.
John pressed Clement for details of what the government is planning, but Clement would only agree to share information once it became available. John made it clear that the government must fulfill its contractual obligations to PSAC members, respect the principles of collective bargaining, and ensure meaningful consultation with the PSAC going forward.
John told Clement that we would continue to mobilize against cuts to services and jobs. So we need to continue to make our voices heard.
Email Tony Clement and tell him why public services are important. [http://bit.ly/lp6Kcr]
Send @TonyClementCPC a message on Twitter to keep his hands off our public services. The Minister is receiving your Tweets so keep it up
Notice to All Members of the Disability Insurance Plan:
The purpose of this notice is to advise you of the premium holiday that was approved for the Disability Insurance (DI) plan.
The DI plan is a group insurance plan that provides income protection to employees who are represented in the collective bargaining process when they are unable to work for a lengthy period of time due to totally disabling injury or illness.
Each year, the DI Board of Management reviews the financial operation of the Plan. Based on this review, the Board, through the National Joint Council (NJC) Executive, makes recommendations to the President of the Treasury Board regarding premium rates necessary to ensure that the plan is financially sound and continues to operate in the best interest of plan members.
On October 24, 2010, the President of the Treasury Board approved the recommendation of the DI Board of Management for a three (3) month premium holiday effective January 1, 2011 to March 31, 2011 under the DI Plan.
Employees with questions about their coverage under the DI plan should contact their compensation advisor.
Pharmacies across Canada have been accepting the PSHCP benefit card since November 1, 2010.
With the PSHCP benefit card, you and your eligible family members no longer have to pay the full cost of eligible prescription drugs and certain medical supplies up front, and then mail in a claim for reimbursement. You only have to pay your share of the cost of each prescription.
However, given the magnitude of this implementation, it is normal to encounter certain administrative issues. Since November 1st, Sun Life’s PSHCP call centre has been experiencing very high call volumes resulting in longer wait times than usual. Because most of these calls relate to the card and its use, a series of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) have been developed. Please visit our website at www.sunlife.ca/pshcp and click on "Benefit Card - Frequently Asked Questions" to see details. We encourage you to visit our website regularly, as the FAQ is updated frequently.
Senate gives final approval to bill that ends faint-hope clause
By Carmen Chai, Postmedia NewsFebruary 15, 2011 7:02 PM
OTTAWA — Justice Minister Rob Nicholson says he is "very pleased" that a bill designed to prevent convicted murderers from applying for early parole after 15 years behind bars received its final approval in the Senate Tuesday.
Bill S-6, which would end the faint-hope clause for those serving life sentences for first- and second-degree murder, will become law once it receives royal assent.
"This is a great day for victims in this country. I've had victims tell me that they were victimized over and over again by repeated early parole applications, so I'm very pleased at this development . . . justice has been served," Nicholson said.
The bill was passed in the House earlier this month although the Bloc Quebecois and the NDP did not support it.
Because of a minor amendment to its title, the bill was returned to the Senate for final approval. Nicholson did not know when the bill will receive royal assent, but he said it would be "very soon."
Once that happens, those convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison will not be eligible to apply for parole until they have served at least 25 years. Those who commit second-degree murder will have to wait for their parole eligibility, which could also take as long as 25 years.
Under the current law, those serving life sentences for first- and second-degree murder are eligible to apply to a Superior Court judge for early parole after serving 15 years of their sentence, though the decision is also reviewed by the Parole Board of Canada.
Those who are currently serving their life sentence or are awaiting sentence will face tougher rules when they apply, Nicholson said in a statement.
Conservative Senator Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu, whose daughter was murdered in 2002, applauded the bill's passing.
"We believe the justice system must not put the rights of criminals ahead of the rights of law-abiding citizens," he said. "We will continue to support victims of crime and promote the 'truth in sentencing' that Canadians want."
PSAC ID lookup now on national website
PSAC members who work for the Government of Canada can look up their PSAC ID on the union's website.
Knowing your PSAC ID is the key to getting help from the union. If we know it, we know which local
representative can answer your question or deal with a problem you're having at work.
More here: http://www.psac-afpc.org/news/2011/messages/20110216-e.shtml
Montreal Branch 10007 Results:
Vote on tentative agreement from Treasury Board (PA, table 1)
Here are the results on the vote, regarding the tentative agreement from the Treasury Board, for the Montreal section 10007. The final vote is 69.1% against the tentative agreement.
I would like to thank you for your participation.
Respectfully yours.
Jacques Lafleur
Président SDI/CIU 10007
For those of you that are following information or wondering how things may possibly be going with the ratification votes on the current tentative agreements......Here is some more information I have received.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=lf#!/home.php?sk=group_161800470518468&ap=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QY313gF5DXw&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-64JznvwDU
Remember............GO VOTE and
VOTE NO!!!
Click here to read the open letter about negotiations
Also click here for articles from the Ottawa Citizen about severence pay
Meeting
Nov 4th, Thursday
5 PM
Williams Pub
Dorchester and Thorold Stone
http://psac.com/news/2010/bargaining/20101004-e.shtml
As a result of the error, PA Rat Kits are being reprinted and will be available for delivery next week.
PDF Electronic Kits are also attached (including the revised PA Kit). For greater clarity, the previous Rat Kits for the EB and SV groups did not contain any errors and have not been revised. The "recall" only applies to the PA Rat Kits.
Please note that PSAC Region 6 Ratification Meetings/Votes for the PA, EB and SV groups have been scheduled for the following locations and dates:
Niagara Falls - Saturday, Nov 13 (Royal Canadian Legion - 5603 Spring Street)
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
St. Catharines - Thursday, Nov 18 (CAW Centre - 124 Bunting Road)
3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Hamilton - Saturday, Nov 20 (Royal Canadian Legion - 1180 Barton Street)
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
NOTE: Registration will begin 30 minutes prior to the meeting start time. Members must attend the meeting, in order to vote. The doors will be locked once the speaker begins and entrance/re-entry will not be permitted until voting is complete. Proxy voting is not permitted and mail-in ballots will only be provided to members whose workplace is located more than 60 km from the closest scheduled ratification meeting location. Please bring your union identification card if you have it. Rand members must sign a PSAC membership card to be eligible to vote. Please note that members can vote at any PSAC scheduled ratification meeting.
A meeting schedule will be posted on the PSAC Ontario website next week and will updated regularly.
http://ontario.psac.com/
Well to say the least the last few weeks have been interesting in regards to Collective Bargaining. First of all the Treasury Board Tables (PA, SV, TC, EB, and FB) were asked by Treasury Board to try and come to an agreement prior to the collective agreements expiring. All of these Tables are represented in CBSA but only the PA and FB Table exist in Sask. My first thoughts, along with many others, were WHAT DO THEY WANT???? The employer has never wanted to agree to a new collective agreement prior to the current one expiring...........so why is this time any different. Is it a coincidence that this request to go into expedited bargaining coincided with when we as the CIU and PSAC were just finalizing and collecting bargaining demands..............you be the judge!!! Did the employer think that we were that unprepared..........well SURPRISE!!!!
Anyways........the next two weeks were long and enduring for all involved in this expedited process. They were sworn to say nothing and in complete BLACKOUT. All that anyone knew was that there was a HUGE concession on the table and that each table was bargaining on their own, meaning that one Table could reject without the others. Well that is exactly what has happened.
As we now know the concession is the elimination of Severance Pay. In my opinion........... the largest concession in the history of PSAC. At this time I was in complete awe that anyone would even consider giving up Severance Pay or as I like to call............my future in income security!!!! I was and am very proud of the FB Table for holding their own and saying NO to such a huge concession. However, I am VERY DISAPPOINTED in the other Tables. As a concession to one could very well be the building of a very slippery path for all. Not to mention the fact that there would now be a possibility that some employees of the CBSA (those that are members of the PA, EB, and SV such as clerks, program admin, etc........) would no longer have Severance but that the FB’s would keep their Severance. What an excellent way for the employer to divide the PSAC membership (Sarcasm)!!!!
Because I did not know and only suspected the history of how Severance Pay came about..........I did some research on the matter. Even though I still do not have an exact date of when it was added to the contract, I do know that is was prior to 1975. The history I have been told is that at the time Severance was introduced it was at a time where there was no or very little money on the table as far a wage increases.........does any of this sound similar so far to today? Anyways..........because there was no money available, it was agreed upon that Severance would be added. To summarize.........we conceded a wage increase at the time in order to get Severance. Let’s say for a moment the salary concession at the time was a 1% wage increase. This means that today our Severance in worth 1% over 35 years plus inflation. Now ask yourself............is a 1.75%, 1.5%, 2.0% wage increase over the next three years worth the loss of 35 years of 1% also known as severance pay..............I THINK NOT!!!!!
For any of you who are close to retirement..........you understand how important Severance is. For those of you who don’t know or don’t care what severance is.................please take the time to talk to others to find out. This may seem like a small loss right now..............but think of it this way.............2% per year up to 30 years of service at the time that you resign or retire as a way of easing into those retirement years on a lower pension income............or think of it as a way of compensating us as public servants for not always meeting the private sector wages for similar employment.
Last but not least.........if we concede our Severance now..........what’s next our Sick Leave just like Canada Post did. WOW..........wouldn’t that be wonderful (Sarcasm)!!
With all of this..........................CIU Saskatchewan is NOT endorsing the current tentative agreements for the PA, SV or EB Treasury Board Bargaining Tables. As CIU Sask has PA and FB Table members.........I as President of the Branch will not support the ratification of a collective agreement that would put any CIU members at a disadvantage to others. Let alone the CR’s and AS’s who are already severely disadvantaged by not getting their reclassifications dealt with in a timely manner. I am strongly encouraging all members to show support for our PA Brothers and Sisters and recommend to all PA members to vote NO when you have the chance to vote on this lovely agreement which does not include Severance.
This is not just a PA issue .........this is an issue that does and will affect everyone!!! Our Clerks and Admin Support deserve nothing less than the FB’s!!!!
I strongly recommend a NO vote for the PA tentative collective agreement.
Several updates from PSAC in relation to bargaining, read the press release here and the following bulletins:
Click here for a note from the bargaining team. Also there is a copy of the letter sent to Vic Toews and Stockwell Day re: CBSA Strategic review.
While another letter sent to Stephen Rigby re: McCluskey, Welch and Province. There is also a response letter re:CBSA Triennal Re-certification and Skills Maintenance Session and the Lacolle Pilot Project
Statement by CBSA regarding the MV Sun Sea - August 13, 2010
Good afternoon/morning, I'm Rob Johnston, Executive Director at Canada Border Services Agency.
Before I take questions, I'd like to clarify some key points regarding the processing of these individuals on board the Sun Sea.
The safety and security of Canada and the health and safety of our staff and individuals on the vessel is our priority and all necessary steps have been taken to prepare for the arrival of this vessel.
Over the past several weeks, the CBSA has been working with its partners in health and security to prepare for the arrival of several hundred individuals about the Sun Sea.
The CBSA's operational team is ready to process the arrival of the vessel and its passengers in accordance with Canadian law. We are also ready to deal with potential health needs of the individuals on board.
In addition, appropriate examination facilities, and if needed, detention facilities are in place.
It's important to note that updates on the number of passengers, gender, and minors will be provided as soon as we are in a position to provide you facts based on our examinations.
The CBSA will exercise due diligence in the screening of all the individuals for both security and criminal threats. As it becomes available, information that can be shared publicly will be released.
Now, I'd like to run though the CBSA's role in this operation:
Once the vessel arrives in port, the CBSA will work with its health partners to ensure the immediate health needs of the individuals are met and provide access to interpreters.
The CBSA will perform admissibility examinations of all passengers and refugee eligibility determinations should they initiate refugee claims.
All individuals will be processed in accordance with Canadian law, which involves an examination, the taking of fingerprints and photographs, and security and criminal checks.
Where required, we will ensure individuals are placed in the appropriate accommodation and detention facilities.
And, we will work with the RCMP to rummage the vessel and collect evidence concerning any violations of the Customs Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act such as human smuggling.
The IRB conducts detention review hearings and refugee proceedings. CBSA will detain when appropriate and argue continued detention of those individuals deemed to be a security risk, danger to the public, whose identity can not be determined, or those who CBSA believes will not appear for subsequent processing if released.
Individuals released by the IRB under terms and conditions may be required to report to the CBSA at regular intervals. The CBSA is committed to ensuring that those people respect any terms and conditions imposed.
I'll take questions at this time.
- Fact Sheet: MV Sun Sea Migrants
- Statement by CBSA regarding the MV Sun Sea - August 16, 2010
- Statement by CBSA regarding the MV Sun Sea - August 14, 2010
- Statement by the Minister of Public Safety on the boarding of the vessel MV Sun Sea
- Still imagery of the operation is available at www.combatcamera.forces.gc.ca.
- Video b-roll of the operation is available at http://www.combatcamera.forces.gc.ca/common/combatcamera/news/.
- The Immigration Process
- CBSA Migrant Vessel Arrivals – Roles and Responsibilities
Please complete the on-line Bargaining survey.
http://www.psac.com/bargaining/units/treasury_board/pod-e.shtml
Members who fill out the survey will receive a $25 gift certificate for PSAC merchandise from Cavan Advertising's online boutique.
Click here to read a news article about Canadian Human Rights Tribunal found that employers cannot discriminate against their employees should they choose to become parents.
Carmen Filice the Chair, Interim Support Staff Sub-Committee and Second National Vice-President has written an update for CR's and their reclassification, click here to read it.
Happy Canada Day!
Updates to bargaining, and Misc. Documents.
Added new information on the CR/AS Classification Campaign.
Click here to read about the Tuition fun for families of fallen officers
All members:
Yesterday Tuesday May 25th the union met with management, I.e. Bruce Scott and Shelly Kurgan with the acting chief at Rainbow. Today, an e-mail was received by the union whereby Marissa Rocco send an e-mail to BSO’s from Kitchener, copied below.
Hi All:
Please advise me if you are interested in being called for OT at the border. A reply on or before Friday May 28th is appreciated. If you are interested, your name and contact number will be supplied to the bridges.
Thanks,
Marisa Minniti-Rocco
Superintendent
Canada Border Services Agency
Hamilton International Airport
I want to make it clear that at NO TIME where we made aware that this was going to happen. Once again management conveniantly forgot to inform the Union, what a co-incidense. If and when this does occur the following should apply:
- The OT call-out list at Rainbow, QBT, QBW and Whirlpool must be exhausted, if not expect to file grievances
- Kitchener BSO’s must be able to do all the work border BSO’s are expected to do.
Visit the Events page for information on upcoming meetings:
Executive and Stewards meeting - Thursday - May 13, 2010
CR group - Thursday May 20, 2010 - 5:00PM
FB group - Thursday May 20, 2010 - 8:00 PM
Click here to read the Public Safety news release on pilot project to enhance border security between ports of entry near Lacolle, Quebec. The Union response follows here.