Canadians, Have You Noticed Border Patrol Inside Your City?

Hey ATS,

Just curious if anyone has noticed an increase in CBS agents inside their city in the last few years?

I live in Vancouver and it wasn't until the 2010 Olympics that I ever saw a Border Agent working outside of the border crossing. The event did not go unnoticed as many wrote articles asking what they were up too and why they were performing "inland patrols".

For an example and a photo, check the link below -

2010legalobserver.wordpress.com...

Now it is just as common for me to see these guys as it is my regular city police. Does anyone know why this is happening or what they might be doing?

Are you seeing CBSA in your neck of the woods? Thanks!

The CBSA do have an "Inland Enforcement Branch"

I have never seen any personally (off-border) but then I'm not living in an area I would expect to see them.

There was a lot of controversy surrounding these folks "walking the beat" during the Olympics.

vimeo.com...

^
See video where these two, stop, question, and search a person because they saw him "partaking" are they cops now too? Seems to me they got caught here overstepping their authority and didn't like it much.

The BCCLA (British Columbia Civil Liberties Assoc.) had their own "Legal Observers" walking the beat down there... you know.. to balance the check so to speak.. needless to say they were quite unwelcome and were tagged and bagged by both the CBSA and Police just for being there and keeping an eye on them.

Another interesting read: vancouver.mediacoop.ca... (.pdf links at bottom)

reply to post by wrdwzrd


I live on right on the border here in New Brunswick, I have never seen a border security car outside of our "new improved" customs buildings parking lot... That only covers one of 3 crossings in "my town".. It has nothing to do with border security but, I do know 2 customs officers here personally from here that traveled to BC for the olympics with their son to work security durring the games..

This is from Nova Scotia, but I would think since this is a Federal Agency, it would apply cross country.

ciuns.org...

It looks like they are simply Peace Officers, and only have powers of arrest when working under IRPA (Immigration and Refuge Protection Act)

The thing that's interesting here, is that this seems to point out that the Agency is seeking to further empower these "guards" with Powers of arrest with regards to the criminal code.

This would make them cops would it not?

Note:

The inquiries were prompted by concerns about their arrest authorities when they are subjected to interference, obstruction, and/or assault by a potential client they may be questioning or by a third party

That sounds to me like they want powers of arrest so they can "legally" detain someone for "obstructing their "investigations"... like the Legal Observers seen in the video in my previous post.

It all sounds pretty shady to me. I don't remember hearing ANYTHING about these folks patrolling during the Olympics, nevermind the authority that they carried. For the average person out there, they would just assume that these guys were cops because they look and act just like them - and consequently would feel compelled to "obey" them as such.

This is clearly WRONG, as evidenced by the link above. They have no powers of arrest outside of enforcement involving immigration, and otherwise are simply peace officers.

reply to post by HIWATT


Yeah, I agree, people see them uniform and are compelled to obey whatever instructions they receive. I worked for Van Media Coop, as well as others, documenting the protests during the Olympics so I saw first hand these guys working the streets and definitely had never seen them before.

Just think its strange that they are an everyday occurrence now and I live in the heart of the city, nowhere near the border. See these agents and their vehicles all the time....strange stuff, maybe Ill talk to them next time I see'em!

reply to post by wrdwzrd


I grew up in the Valley so have spent my fair share of time in Van. I find the cops there to be very overzealous, and suspicious of everyone and everything. Also they are ALL young. I don't ever recall seeing a "senior" officer out on the beat.

With respect to the border guards. Yes, confront them (politely) and ask a bunch of questions. See what they say. Also pay attention to how they say it...