Sarnia's Mayor wants this region to benefit as the federal government considers border security improvements with the United States.
Multiple news agencies in Ottawa are reporting that the Trudeau government is working on a billion dollar plan to protect the border in an attempt to ease Donald Trump's concerns and avoid his threat to impose 25 per cent tariffs. In a letter to Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, Mike Bradley has asked to have Sarnia's Royal Canadian Mounted Police [RCMP] detachment -- which closed in 2019 -- re-establish immediately.
"Sarnia is a key border city that has established a substantial presence with Canadian Border Services," he said. " It houses the CN rail tunnel, a major gateway for rail transport between Canada and the United States. The Blue Water Bridge, located in the closely connected village of Point Edward is the second busiest border crossing between Canada and the United States."
Bradley also highlights the Canada Coast Guard base in Sarnia, which serves as an operating hub for the central region.
"As the largest city on Lake Huron and situated at the midpoint of the Great Lakes, Sarnia is an ideal choice for enhanced security and surveillance measures to address border issues," he added.
Bradley said security services, including the RCMP, could be well suited at the city's airport.
"If they do not want to relocate the RCMP back to the federal building in downtown Sarnia, one of the options is to look at the airport building. The Chris Hadfield Airport terminal would be an ideal location strategically with the highway, the airport, the harbour not far away, and the Blue Water Bridges in Point Edward."
He said the terminal was built by the federal government in 1984 and is currently underutilized, as a result of Air Canada cutbacks.
Customs and Immigration Union National President Mark Weber said empowering border officers to act and patrol in between ports of entry in collaboration with RCMP officers is also a logical step.
"In the wake of the latest American presidential election, the last few weeks have brought renewed interest in the state of Canada’s borders, and in our country’s ability to adequately control the cross-border flow of people along with interdicting dangerous drugs and firearms," Webster said in his own separate letter to LeBlanc.
Weber said a properly staffed border is a secure border. "In response to this renewed pressure, your government has signaled it was considering investing in drones and police helicopters, as well as redeploying existing RCMP officers to priority areas. I am glad to see the Canadian government take border security concerns to heart. A number of border threats have become prevalent in the last decade — notably illegal firearms, dangerous opioids, and human smuggling — and investing in our border is paramount," he added.
Weber said nothing in the Customs Act or the Immigration Refugee Protection Act prevents CBSA officers from performing their duties between ports of entry.
He said the legislation explicitly provides for it, however, it's still the RCMP's responsibility, due to a nearly century-old 1932 Order-in-Council still in effect.
Bradley said border city mayors have worked through numerous issues with the federal government in the past and would be pleased to assist with this as well.
He told Sarnia News Today he's looking to bring the group together again in the new year to discuss a common front.