RCMP Plans to Redeploy 25% of Eastern Region Staff, Including at the Border
The RCMP states that it is planning to redeploy a quarter of its workforce in the eastern region to areas of operational priority, including the Canada-U.S. border.
President-elect Donald Trump recently announced plans to impose 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports until more action is taken to tackle illegal border crossings and drug trafficking.
This threat has sparked calls from premiers and opposition leaders for the federal government to strengthen Canada’s border security.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has even mentioned the possibility of establishing a provincial border patrol.
The RCMP’s eastern region includes Quebec and the four Atlantic provinces, with only Quebec and New Brunswick bordering the U.S.
Cpl. Martina Pillarova, an RCMP spokesperson, explained that the temporary redeployment aims to support border integrity and other federal policing priorities.
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Pillarova also mentioned that such redeployment is common practice. She stated, “Please note that the situation at the border is stable, and our operations are running as usual.”
U.S. Customs and Border Protection attributes a significant decrease in encounters with migrants at the Canadian border to their increased enforcement.
Furthermore, there has been a notable decline in migration since adjustments were made to the Safe Third Country Agreement last year, closing a loophole that allowed asylum claims outside regular ports of entry.
According to the agreement, both Canada and the U.S. are considered safe havens, and asylum seekers must file a refugee claim in the first country they arrive in.
Before the changes in March 2023, the RCMP in Quebec reported over 12,000 interceptions in the first three months of the previous year.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection noted a 69% reduction in recent months in encounters with migrants at the Canadian border within the Swanton Sector, covering parts of Vermont, Quebec, and Ontario.
In October, there were approximately 1,025 encounters, down from around 3,300 in June.
The RCMP reported 950 interceptions of individuals attempting to cross the border outside of regular crossings between January and October.
The provinces with the highest interceptions were British Columbia and Quebec, with 449 and 393, respectively.
No interceptions have been recorded at the Alberta-Montana border by the RCMP this year.
U.S. border guards recorded 100 encounters in the Havre Sector, which encompasses the Alberta-Montana border, between October 2023 and September of this year.
