CMPAC Joins Civil Society Groups in Welcoming Bill C-20 for CBSA Oversight, Calls for Further Improvements

Read the full press release here.

The Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council (CMPAC) joins a coalition of civil society organizations in welcoming Bill C-20, which establishes an independent review body for the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). After two decades without independent oversight, the new Public Complaints and Review Commission (PCRC) will help ensure greater transparency and accountability.

While CMPAC applauds these advancements, we caution that the bill still has significant gaps. Notably, it lacks clear mechanisms for addressing complaints promptly and does not allow for judicial review of the Commission’s decisions. Although the bill permits third-party complaints, additional strengthening is needed to ensure broad and inclusive participation.

CMPAC and its allies successfully pushed for key improvements, such as extending the complaint deadline and reducing barriers to filing complaints. However, we remain committed to advocating for a stronger framework to ensure that the CBSA and RCMP are held accountable for rights violations, particularly for marginalized communities, including Palestinian-Canadian and Muslim communities, who have faced discrimination and profiling.