Don’t bump Mounties from border patrol role, RCMP union tells Ottawa

By Canadian Press on March 5, 2025.

OTTAWA — The union representing front-line Mounties wants Ottawa to dismiss any notion of shifting border security responsibilities away from the RCMP.

The National Police Federation says the RCMP is the only agency that is fully trained and equipped to handle border-related criminal investigations and patrol remote areas between official crossings.

The union’s argument comes as Canada bolsters border security to address the White House’s stated concerns about the southbound flow of migrants and drugs.

The RCMP is responsible for policing between official border crossings, while the Canada Border Services Agency manages security at land crossings, airports and seaports.

The union representing border agency officers has urged Public Safety Minister David McGuinty to expand their duties to allow them to act between ports of entry.

In a statement issued today, the police federation says border agency employees are not trained or qualified to take on the same duties as RCMP officers.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 5, 2025.

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press