This morning, media outlets reported that Quebec Minister of Transport Jonatan Julien is set to authorize commercial vehicle enforcement officers to carry firearms. Cabinet is expected to make the final decision in the coming days.
“After six years of discussion and debate, we applaud the Minister’s wise choice,” said Jean-Claude Daigneault, President of the Fraternité des constables du contrôle routier du Québec (FCCRQ). “We’ll be able to resume patrolling Quebec’s roads and ensuring user safety in the coming weeks.”
Commercial vehicle enforcement officers have fought for years for better tools to carry out their duties safely and effectively. In March, the Administrative Labour Tribunal ordered that officers must cease patrols until they are better equipped. Commercial vehicle enforcement officers were the only officers in Quebec without the right to carry arms. Enforcement has been limited to highway weigh stations since the ruling.
“PSAC-Quebec is proud to have supported FCCRQ members throughout this long struggle,” said Sébastien Paquette, Executive Vice-President for PSAC-Quebec. “Our next step is to ensure that officers receive proper training during the rollout of these new tools.”
We look forward to hearing from the minister’s office as soon as the news is official.