OCASI joined civil society organizations to express concerns and questions about the newly-created Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction.
In an Open Letter to the Prime Minister civil society organizations from across Canada described concerns and questions regarding the establishment of the new and unprecedented Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction. The letter points out the following:
- Creating a Minister of Border Security fuels an unfounded sense of crisis
- Conflating border security and organized crime is a toxic combination
- A third Ministry adds further confusion regarding roles and responsibilities
The last point refers to the fact that there is a Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, as well as a Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness (includes Canada Border Services Agency). There already exists uncertainty and overlap in their roles, particularly on questisons related to the enforcement of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.