Ottawa, ON – Frank Caputo, Conservative Shadow Minister for Public Safety, issued the following statement in response to a new report detailing significant security gaps at Canada’s Pacific ports:
“Canadians might not think of ports before they go to sleep every night, but they deserve to have a government that works to ensure our ports are secure and organized crime is not exploiting weaknesses in our border security to further their illicit activities.
“Unfortunately, after nearly a decade of Liberal government, a new report has found that’s exactly what’s happening: Canada’s Pacific ports are vulnerable to sophisticated criminal organizations because of inadequate inspections, fragmented oversight and a lack of accountability.
“The report cites evidence that less than two per cent of shipping containers in Metro Vancouver are imaged, with fewer than one per cent being physically inspected. Meanwhile, an audit by the Canada Border Services Agency found that exports, outbound vessels, and crews were not being systematically targeted for screening.
“Criminal organizations understand these vulnerabilities and exploit them. Canada has seen record-breaking seizures of methamphetamine concealed in export shipments destined for overseas markets, while law enforcement continues to dismantle increasingly sophisticated drug production operations here at home.
“These cases demonstrate the scale of organized crime operating in Canada and the need for stronger enforcement at our ports. Critical infrastructure cannot be left exposed due to responsibility being scattered across multiple agencies without clear leadership.
“Canadians expect their government to focus on closing security gaps before criminal organizations exploit them. The Liberal government must explain why vulnerabilities identified in its own internal reviews have not been fully addressed and what immediate steps it will take to restore confidence in Canada’s port security.
“Keeping organized crime out of our ports is fundamental to protecting our communities and safeguarding Canada’s national and economic security. That’s why Conservatives believe in intelligence-driven enforcement, stronger export screening, toughening integrity measures for port workers and clear federal accountability to ensure our ports are protected.”