RCMP union applauds planned federal spending on border security

By Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press on December 17, 2024.

Members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) march towards the front lawn of Parliament Hill during the 47th Annual Canadian Police and Peace Officers' Memorial Service in downtown Ottawa, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby

OTTAWA – The union representing rank-and-file Mounties is welcoming a federal plan to spend $1.3 billion to bolster border security and ensure the integrity of the immigration system.

In its fall economic update Monday, the Liberal government said it would invest in cutting-edge technology for law enforcement, so that only people who are eligible to remain in Canada do so.

The money, to be spread over six fiscal years, is earmarked for the RCMP, Public Safety Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency and the cyberspies at the Communications Security Establishment.

RCMP members enforce laws between official points of entry and investigate criminal activities related to the border.

National Police Federation president Brian Sauvé says members have been protecting the border with limited resources, and the new money will allow them to continue delivering on their mandate.

Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc is expected to join other ministers this afternoon to provide more details on the plan.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 17, 2024.