The committee was studying Canada-United States border management, hearing from Tim Nohara, President and CEO of Accipiter Radar Technologies Inc.; Samuel Cooper, a journalist with The Bureau; Mark Weber, National President of the Customs and Immigration Union; and Laura Dawson, Executive Director of the Future Borders Coalition.
Tim Nohara testified that persistent radar surveillance across the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway is essential to secure the maritime border against human trafficking and contraband smuggling, noting that a decade of successful pilot projects with Canadian and U.S. agencies proved the technology's effectiveness but was not expanded after the RCMP's Border Integrity Technology Enhancement Project, budgeted in 2014, was not completed. He recommended that Canada immediately deploy existing radar systems in key areas within a week and expand coverage across the entire seaway within two years, arguing this would cost 10% to 20% of the Gordie Howe bridge and serve as a force multiplier for understaffed law enforcement.
Samuel Cooper testified that the biggest hurdle to addressing transnational crime, including fentanyl production and trafficking, is a breakdown in U.S.-Canada law enforcement cooperation, stemming from legal obstacles such as the Stinchcombe disclosure standards and Jordan time restrictions, which he said disincentivize complex cases and deter U.S. partners. He alleged that corruption within the RCMP, including the Cameron Ortis case, has damaged Five Eyes relations, and that U.S. sources have concerns about high-level Canadian political and bureaucratic blocks on sensitive investigations involving Chinese, Iranian, and Hezbollah-linked networks. He recommended foundational legal reform rather than simply spending more on personnel or technology, and noted that the non-resident import system is being exploited to bring precursor chemicals into Canada.
Mark Weber testified that the CBSA faces critical staffing shortages, with only one training centre capable of producing under 600 officers per year, making the government's promise of 1,000 new border officers difficult to achieve without innovation, and he stressed that any new hires must be fully trained, armed frontline officers. He criticized the agency for an overabundance of middle management, a toxic workplace culture, and a focus on automated technology that replaces human interaction, arguing that no machine can detain or arrest someone. He recommended allowing CBSA officers to patrol between ports of entry to assist the RCMP, noting that the agency currently refuses to fulfill its legal mandate to interdict illegal crossings, and called for investment in training infrastructure and a reduction in management ranks.
Laura Dawson testified that organized crime operates through far-reaching networks indifferent to what they traffic, and that Canada's piecemeal approach and legal barriers to information sharing hinder effective border security. She strongly supported Bill C-2 for enabling robust information sharing but warned that its costs should not be off-loaded to airports, ports, and other entities, recommending centralized U.S.-style funding instead. She recommended equipping border officials with advanced decision-support tools such as AI, blockchain, and non-intrusive imaging, and urged Canada to use the current crisis as an opportunity for constructive engagement with the United States rather than disengaging.
The committee also heard from members who questioned witnesses on specific issues, including the use of radar in forested areas, the scale of corruption allegations, and the feasibility of hiring 1,000 new officers. No procedural debate, motions, or votes were recorded in the transcript.
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