This summer the government is planning to transfer border and customs agents from the Toronto area to Quebec processing facilities. The government expects as many as 400 people will cross illegally into Canada per day once the weather warms up.
Because of the reduced staffing count at places such as Pearson International Airport – the busiest airport in Canada – travelers could easily find themselves sitting on the tarmac waiting for customs backlogs to clear.
According to a memo obtained by The Globe & Mail, Air Canada is preparing announcements to be read over the public address system that explain they’re being instructed to wait on the tarmac. One pilot told the paper that the waits could be an hour or more.
This is unacceptable. The Liberal government’s reckless handling of the border crisis should not spill over into problems for legal border crossings.
As a nation, we have a track record of opening our doors to refugees but Ottawa has swung the door open irresponsibly and appears to have no plan to deal with the mess it’s made.
