Gord Johns, Courtenay—Alberni
“The government plans to stop giving the Commissionaires first choice for federal security jobs. This group employs thousands of veterans, and this policy has helped them find work for 80 years. Taking it away hurts veterans, and no one benefits from it. I want the government to cancel this plan.”
“Mr. Speaker, I know people at home are wondering, as it is 12:32 a.m., why we are here. A lot of people do not understand what a late show or an adjournment proceeding is. It is the opportunity for an MP in the opposition to ask for a 10-minute late night debate with the government on very important issues at the end of the sitting day. Of course, our sitting day finished at midnight today, so here I am. I will note the reason this is so important and why I am here at this hour. I am sure the government did not expect me to show up. The Government of Canada formally recognizes its obligation to care for military veterans and RCMP veterans. It has a solemn obligation. I rise today because the government is about to dismantle an employment policy that has supported Canadian veterans for more than 80 years. Since the end of the Second World War, the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires has had the right of first refusal on federal security guard contracts. This was never simply a procurement arrangement. It was created for a clear social purpose: to provide meaningful employment for veterans transitioning from military service to civilian life. However, effective April 2027, the Liberal government plans to end that policy and move approximately $330 million annually in federal security contracts into competitive procurement. The Commissionaires is Canada’s largest private sector employer of veterans, employing about 3,500 veterans across this country. This matters enormously, including in my riding. I recently met with Mark Breslauer, the CEO of Commissionaires Victoria, and Katelyn Anderson, the north island client services manager. In the Comox Valley alone, the Commissionaires employs over 100 people. They talked about the impact this is having on their employees’ mental health and families. This is a community that is home to 19 Wing Comox and thousands of serving members, veterans and military families. These are not just numbers on a procurement spreadsheet. They are our neighbours. They are veterans. They are people who have served our country and found another meaningful way to continue to contribute. I am calling on the government to not abolish the program. If it needs improvement, the government should work with the Commissionaires. The Commissionaires is Canada’s only national not-for-profit security company. Its pure purpose is fundamentally different from that of a private security company, whose primary responsibility is generating profit for its owners and shareholders. If the federal government is going to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on security services anyway, why would we not use that purchasing power to support Canada’s veterans? After all, federal procurement should serve the public interest. Every person who joins Canada’s armed forces or police services makes a promise to give up their life if necessary to keep Canadians safe. The right of first refusal with commissionaires is one small way for Canada to thank them, ensuring veterans have a job that allows them to continue to serve if they need that job. The government is now breaking that commitment. It offers nothing to replace it. The government’s own policy, public briefing materials and standing offer say that Veterans Affairs should work with the Commissionaires to study and modernize the right of first refusal. Instead, this 80-year promise has been broken without consultation, without a transition plan and without a replacement measure. Canada’s defence, intelligence, law enforcement, border, and corrections sites should be guarded by the best people. Why is the public interest being sacrificed? Canada does not benefit from cancelling the right of first refusal. Veterans do not benefit from it. Taxpayers do not benefit. Who does? It is time for the government to tell us who is benefiting from this and reverse this decision.”
Mr. Speaker, I know people at home are wondering, as it is 12:32 a.m., why we are here. A lot of people do not understand what a late show or an adjournment proceeding is. It is the opportunity for an MP in the opposition to ask for a 10-minute late night debate with the government on very important issues at the end of the sitting day. Of course, our sitting day finished at midnight today, so here I am. I will note the reason this is so important and why I am here at this hour. I am sure the government did not expect me to show up. The Government of Canada formally recognizes its obligation to care for military veterans and RCMP veterans. It has a solemn obligation. I rise today because the government is about to dismantle an employment policy that has supported Canadian veterans for more than 80 years. Since the end of the Second World War, the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires has had the right of first refusal on federal security guard contracts. This was never simply a procurement arrangement. It was created for a clear social purpose: to provide meaningful employment for veterans transitioning from military service to civilian life. However, effective April 2027, the Liberal government plans to end that policy and move approximately $330 million annually in federal security contracts into competitive procurement. The Commissionaires is Canada’s largest private sector employer of veterans, employing about 3,500 veterans across this country. This matters enormously, including in my riding. I recently met with Mark Breslauer, the CEO of Commissionaires Victoria, and Katelyn Anderson, the north island client services manager. In the Comox Valley alone, the Commissionaires employs over 100 people. They talked about the impact this is having on their employees’ mental health and families. This is a community that is home to 19 Wing Comox and thousands of serving members, veterans and military families. These are not just numbers on a procurement spreadsheet. They are our neighbours. They are veterans. They are people who have served our country and found another meaningful way to continue to contribute. I am calling on the government to not abolish the program. If it needs improvement, the government should work with the Commissionaires. The Commissionaires is Canada’s only national not-for-profit security company. Its pure purpose is fundamentally different from that of a private security company, whose primary responsibility is generating profit for its owners and shareholders. If the federal government is going to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on security services anyway, why would we not use that purchasing power to support Canada’s veterans? After all, federal procurement should serve the public interest. Every person who joins Canada’s armed forces or police services makes a promise to give up their life if necessary to keep Canadians safe. The right of first refusal with commissionaires is one small way for Canada to thank them, ensuring veterans have a job that allows them to continue to serve if they need that job. The government is now breaking that commitment. It offers nothing to replace it. The government’s own policy, public briefing materials and standing offer say that Veterans Affairs should work with the Commissionaires to study and modernize the right of first refusal. Instead, this 80-year promise has been broken without consultation, without a transition plan and without a replacement measure. Canada’s defence, intelligence, law enforcement, border, and corrections sites should be guarded by the best people. Why is the public interest being sacrificed? Canada does not benefit from cancelling the right of first refusal. Veterans do not benefit from it. Taxpayers do not benefit. Who does? It is time for the government to tell us who is benefiting from this and reverse this decision.