Senior officials at the Canada Border Services Agency scrambled to organize internal meetings after a Conservative MP brought forward whistleblower allegations of harassment and discrimination, newly released records show.Blacklock's Reporter says emails obtained through Access to Information reveal executives moved quickly to address concerns after Rhonda Kirkland successfully pushed a parliamentary motion to investigate what she described as a “toxic workplace culture” within the agency. The motion, passed by the Commons public safety committee, calls for formal hearings that are still pending.In a message to staff sent the day after the motion was introduced, the agency acknowledged serious concerns about workplace conduct and urged employees to come forward without fear. “People must be confident they will be treated fairly and feel safe as they do their jobs,” the email stated.A separate message from the agency president confirmed senior leadership convened immediately to discuss how harassment and discrimination complaints are handled. While existing initiatives were acknowledged, executives admitted more work was needed and called for a clearer plan to address ongoing issues.Kirkland said the push for an investigation followed emotional testimony from a constituent who alleged she was demoted while undergoing cancer treatment. Other employees, she said, reported facing discipline after taking pregnancy leave..“We are dealing with a systemic issue,” Kirkland said, adding she has heard from multiple sources who claim dozens of women have had similar experiences.She warned that many employees remain reluctant to speak out, fearing retaliation or job loss. “There are hundreds of young women currently working as officers who are afraid to say something,” she said. “They are afraid of reprisal.”Kirkland also alleged agency leadership failed to act on prior complaints raised by whistleblowers, though internal records do not detail how those concerns were handled.According to the agency’s own report, Addressing Misconduct And Wrongdoing At The Canada Border Services Agency 2024-2025, there were 259 cases of employee misconduct last year. Of those, four resulted in termination, 14 in resignations and 72 in suspensions.The report documented 21 serious harassment cases involving behaviour such as inappropriate sexual comments, threats of violence and unwanted physical contact. Other incidents cited included fraud, theft, embezzlement, nepotism, misuse of government credit cards, falsified time sheets, impaired driving and associations with known criminals.
