Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree admitted this week that cabinet has not yet delivered on its April election promise to hire 1,000 new RCMP officers and 1,000 Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers — and told MPs the responsibility wasn’t his.“I’m not responsible for the hiring,” Anandasangaree said during testimony before the Commons public safety committee. “As the Minister of Public Safety I am focused on ensuring the safety and security of our country and all Canadians.”Blacklock's Reporter sayid the Liberal government reannounced the same campaign promise four times this year, vowing to “crack down on drugs” and “tackle drug and human trafficking.” But when pressed by Conservative MP Frank Caputo, a former Crown prosecutor, Anandasangaree refused to say how many new officers had actually been hired.“You’re the minister,” said Caputo. “You’re expected to know this. The buck stops with you.”“You promised 1,000 new border officers for the Canada Border Services Agency; how many have been hired?” Caputo asked. “We are in the process of ensuring the 1,000 new Agency officers will be trained,” replied Anandasangaree..Caputo shot back: “You’re answering questions I’m not asking. I asked, how many were hired? Simple number.” The minister stayed silent. When asked the same about RCMP recruits, Anandasangaree again deflected. “I will invite the RCMP Commissioner to answer,” he said.“You’re the minister,” replied Caputo in disbelief. “I beg your pardon?”.Anandasangaree maintained his stance: “I’m not responsible for the hiring of the officials.”Conservative MP Rhonda Kirkland said Canadians are losing confidence in the government’s ability to keep them safe. “Right now people don’t feel safe,” she said. “You are the public safety minister; it is your job to keep the public safe, would that be?” “That is my responsibility,” the minister conceded.RCMP recruitment has been declining for years, with the number of graduates at the Mounties’ Regina training academy dropping from 1,508 in 2007 to just 380 in 2021..Conservative MP Dane Lloyd added that the number of border police remains dangerously low.“We have been told by the Customs and Immigration Union we have only 300 Canada Border Services Agency officers who are at the borders removing potentially violent criminals from Canada,” he said.“How can you justify that?”“I think that number is incorrect,” replied Anandasangaree.
