Our Action Plan

Canada already has the law it needs to give the CBSA independent oversight. Parliament passed it in 2024. Nearly two years later, it still has not been brought into force.

That gap is not just a technical delay. It means allegations like the ones raised by Luc Sabourin, a 31-year member of the Canadian Armed Forces and CBSA, have nowhere independent to go. It means the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act, the main law meant to protect federal whistleblowers from reprisal, has produced almost no successful outcomes in nearly 20 years. And it means people who come forward to report wrongdoing keep paying the price alone.

We think that is fixable. Here is what we are asking for, and how you can help make it happen.

What We Are Calling For

1. Proclaim the Public Complaints and Review Commission Act. This law, passed by Parliament in 2024, would create Canada's first independent oversight body for the CBSA and the RCMP. It has Royal Assent. It just needs to be brought into force.

2. Reform the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act. Right now, a federal whistleblower cannot even bring a reprisal complaint to a tribunal without the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner's consent. The law needs to actually protect the people it was built for.

3. Review Luc Sabourin's pension and medical retirement. Whistleblowers should not face financial harm for reporting wrongdoing. Mr. Sabourin's case should be reviewed on its merits.

Why Now

On July 30, 2026, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled unanimously that laws shielding government decisions from court review are unconstitutional. That decision is about a different case, but the principle applies here too: government cannot pass laws that put its own decisions beyond independent scrutiny. The oversight legislation Parliament already passed for the CBSA is sitting unused. That is the same problem, in a different form.

How You Can Help

Read the report. Our full analysis of the Sabourin case and the policy gap behind it is available here. 

Contact your Member of Parliament. Tell them proclaiming the Public Complaints and Review Commission Act should not wait any longer. MP Lookup Tool

Share this with your network. The more people who understand this gap exists, the harder it is to leave unaddressed. Follow us on Facebook or X

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