Latest news with #Canada Border Services Agency
National Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- National Post
RCMP union pushes for change to help force attract talent from U.S., other countries
Article content That excludes a large pool of well-trained public safety personnel, including members of the Canada Border Services Agency, provincial sheriffs, conservation officers and other law enforcement agents who may not meet the threshold, the report says. Article content Forcing these candidates to repeat a full 26-week training program at the RCMP training depot 'creates a barrier to recruitment and results in missed opportunities to bring skilled, experienced candidates into the RCMP,' the report adds. Article content It also says the federal procurement process is too slow and unresponsive to the urgent needs of modern policing, and drains valuable government resources. Article content 'Delays in rolling out life-saving equipment, including service pistols, body armour and body-worn cameras, threaten both officer safety and public trust,' the report says. Article content During the spring election campaign, the Liberals promised to recruit 1,000 more RCMP personnel to tackle drug and human trafficking, foreign interference, cybercrime and car thefts by organized crime. Article content The Liberals also pledged to create a new RCMP academy in Regina and increase pay for cadet recruits. Article content Watson acknowledged the promise to hire more Mounties and said Public Safety recognizes the importance of cadet pay in broader efforts to support recruitment and retention. Article content The RCMP did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication. Article content The police force has been told to trim two per cent of its budget as part of a governmentwide cost-cutting exercise. Sauve said he is 'cautiously optimistic' the Liberal government will follow through on its commitment to strengthen law enforcement, set out in a May mandate letter. Article content The RCMP provides policing services through contracts with all provinces and territories, except Ontario and Quebec. RCMP policing agreements cover much of rural Canada, all of the North and many towns and municipalities in contract provinces. The police federation acknowledges that some continue to ask whether the RCMP should shed its contract policing role across Canada and become more like the FBI by focusing on federal criminal matters. Article content Article content In March, before Mark Carney became prime minister, the Liberals published a paper outlining a new vision for the RCMP. It suggested the force concentrate on federal policing, reflecting its 'essential mandate and where it is best placed to lead investigations.' Article content The federation flatly rejects the idea Article content 'The RCMP's integrated pan-Canadian policing model remains one of its greatest strengths, due to its ability to leverage co-ordination, consistency and efficiency across all jurisdictions,' the June report says. Article content It argues that moving away from the current model 'would create deep service gaps, duplication and costly public safety and economic inefficiencies with no evidence of better results.' Article content The federation calls for dedicated funding for federal policing, saying RCMP officers carrying out those duties must no longer be used to backstop vacancies in contract jurisdictions. Article content 'Federal assets should be used solely for federal mandates,' the report says. 'If federal members are redeployed for non-federal purposes, those services must be cost-recovered from contract partners.' Article content
National Post
6 days ago
- Politics
- National Post
Canadians can no longer choose 'X' for gender when applying for Nexus card
OTTAWA — Canadians renewing or applying for Nexus travel cards can no longer choose an X gender marker, following an executive order from U.S. President Donald Trump that said the American government will only recognize male or female. Article content The change took effect in February 2025. Article content Article content New applicants and people renewing their membership can apply using a Canadian passport with the 'X' gender identifier but will have to select 'male' or 'female' for their Nexus membership, said Luke Reimer, spokesperson for the Canada Border Services Agency. Article content Current Nexus cards identifying members by a gender other than 'male' or 'female' will remain valid until they expire, the spokesperson said. Article content Article content Canadians first got the option to pick an 'X' gender marker on their Nexus passes in 2022. Between implementation in 2022 and March 2025, about 550 Nexus applications were submitted with 'X' as the gender identifier. The CBSA spokesperson said that while Canada and the U.S. share management of the Nexus program, the application process is housed on a U.S system operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Article content The spokesperson said that while the Government of Canada recognizes the 'X' gender identifier, it can't guarantee entry or transit through other countries. Article content 'Not all countries have the same values and legal system that we have in Canada,' Reimer said in a statement. 'As a result, it is important for travellers to be informed about the legal framework and social customs governing sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics in the destination country.' Article content Article content Reimer said that the CBSA itself recognizes that individuals may self-identify with a gender identity other than male or female. Article content Article content 'What we are seeing right now is a policy that is at odds with our own policy and inconsistent and incompatible with it,' Sarah Mikhail, an associate lawyer at Smith Immigration Law, said, adding that it's too early to tell how Canada's passport policy could be affected. Article content She said trans and non-binary travellers may still face difficulties at the border if their passports don't match the gender selected on their Nexus card. Article content 'I think the border can be a really stressful place and a really sometimes unknown environment for a lot of people. And going in knowing that there's this discrepancy and this is something that could possibly elicit questioning from an officer, and have to be looked at further, I think would be an incredibly, not just stressful experience, but invasive,' she said. Article content The Government of Canada's travel health and safety web page says that people who have a Canadian passport with an 'X' gender marker might face entry restrictions in countries that don't recognize their gender. Article content It says that people may be asked to provide binary sex information when travelling — even if their Canadian passport indicates an 'X' gender marker. Article content
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Canadians applying for a Nexus card can no longer choose an 'X' gender marker
OTTAWA — Canadians renewing or applying for Nexus travel cards can no longer choose an X gender marker, following an executive order from U.S. President Donald Trump that said the American government will only recognize male or female. The change took effect in February 2025. New applicants and people renewing their membership can apply using a Canadian passport with the "X" gender identifier but will have to select "male" or "female" for their Nexus membership, said Luke Reimer, spokesperson for the Canada Border Services Agency. Current Nexus cards identifying members by a gender other than "male" or "female" will remain valid until they expire, the spokesperson said. Nexus memberships are valid for five years and are meant to speed up border crossings between Canada and the United States. The CBSA spokesperson said that while Canada and the U.S. share management of the Nexus program, the application process is housed on a U.S system operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The spokesperson said that while the Government of Canada recognizes the "X" gender identifier, it can't guarantee entry or transit through other countries. "Not all countries have the same values and legal system that we have in Canada," Reimer said in a statement. "As a result, it is important for travellers to be informed about the legal framework and social customs governing sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics in the destination country." The spokesperson said that the CBSA itself recognizes that individuals may self-identify with a gender identity other than male or female. Canadians first got the option to pick an "X" gender marker on their Nexus passes in 2022. Between implementation in 2022 and March 2025, about 550 Nexus applications were submitted with "X" as the gender identifier. Helen Kennedy, executive director of Egale Canada, said removing the "X" gender marker option from Nexus travel cards is "a step backward for the recognition and inclusion of trans, non-binary, and gender diverse people." "While this policy stems from a U.S. executive order, its impact is felt on both sides of the border — forcing individuals to misidentify themselves in order to travel," Kennedy said. "Canada must uphold its commitment to gender inclusion and human rights by working with U.S. counterparts to find solutions that do not erase the identities of 2SLGBTQI people." Sarah Mikhail, an associate lawyer at Smith Immigration Law, said the change is a "manifestation" of how the Trump administration's policy will affect trans and non-binary individuals outside of the United States. "What we are seeing right now is a policy that is at odds with our own policy and inconsistent and incompatible with it," she said, adding that it's too early to tell how Canada's passport policy could be affected. Mikhail said the restriction is "distressing and troubling" for the trans and non-binary community. She said trans and non-binary travellers may still face difficulties at the border if their passports don't match the gender selected on their Nexus card. "I think the border can be a really stressful place and a really sometimes unknown environment for a lot of people. And going in knowing that there's this discrepancy and this is something that could possibly elicit questioning from an officer, and have to be looked at further, I think would be an incredibly, not just stressful experience, but invasive," she said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2025. Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press Sign in to access your portfolio
CTV News
6 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Canadians applying for a Nexus card can no longer choose an ‘X' gender marker
A NEXUS card and a Canadian passport are pictured in Ottawa on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick OTTAWA — Canadians renewing or applying for Nexus travel cards can no longer choose an X gender marker, following an executive order from U.S. President Donald Trump that says the American government will only recognize the male and female sexes. The change took effect in February 2025. New applicants and people renewing their membership can apply using a Canadian passport with the 'X' gender identifier but will have to select 'male' or 'female' for their Nexus membership, says a spokesperson for the Canada Border Services Agency. Nexus cards identifying current members by a gender other than 'male' or 'female' will remain valid, the spokesperson says. Nexus memberships are valid for five years and are meant to speed up border crossings between Canada and the United States. The spokesperson for the Canada Border Services Agency says that while Canada and the U.S. share management of the Nexus program, the application process is housed on a U.S system operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2025. Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press
CBC
30-07-2025
- General
- CBC
Refugee claims rise at Lacolle, Que., border despite overall drop in asylum seekers entering Canada
The Canada Border Services Agency says it registered more than 3,000 requests for asylum at the crossing in July 2025, compared to 600 last July.
