DFO ordered to improve officer gear to counter threat from ‘criminals’ with firearms

A labour investigator has agreed with federal fishery officers that heavily armed criminals pose a threat to their lives and has ordered managers to take steps immediately.

A labour investigator has agreed with federal fishery officers that heavily armed criminals pose a threat to their lives and has ordered managers to take steps immediately to reduce the danger.

In a report issued Friday to the fisheries department, the federal labour program’s compliance unit concludes “protective equipment and tactical protocols” currently used during fisheries investigations are inadequate.

The finding by the senior investigator — obtained by The Canadian Press — comes in response to fisheries department enforcement officers filing refusal to work applications under provisions of the Canada Labour Code.

The investigator concludes fishery officers in the Maritime region are having to confront people with weapons, including cases where intelligence indicates the fisher “keeps an assault rifle on board.”

The report also says there are cases where “outlaw motorcycle gangs are armed with firearms.” It concurs with fishery officers that “a number of the illegal fishers that officers deal with regularly are convicted violent criminals and have threatened officers directly and on social media.”

In addition, the report quotes officers stating there has been aggressive behaviour on the sea, including during enforcement of Canadian sovereignty on the border with the United States, along with occasions where officers have “come under fire” while inspecting fishing gear.

The document doesn’t indicate what steps the labour investigator took to confirm the reports the officers made about the dangers they face. Employment and Social Development Canada — which is responsible for the federal labour program — declined to confirm the details of the report or to comment further on it, citing “confidentiality reasons” that limits the sharing of information to employers and employees during an investigation.

“While the investigation is underway, the labour program is working closely with the employer to ensure workers’ health and safety, maintaining oversight until the matter is fully addressed,” spokeswoman Samuelle Carbonneau said in an emailed response.