This morning, the Fraternité des constables du contrôle routier du Québec (FCCRQ) workers gathered in front of MNA for Louis-Hébert and Minister of Public Safety Geneviève Guilbault’s office to demand, yet again, that commercial vehicle enforcement officers be integrated into the Ministère de la Sécurité publique.
With the slogan “Danger doesn’t exist in unicorn land!” PSAC-Quebec and FCCRQ hope to raise awareness about the risks they face.
“We’re asking that the government act now. Highway patrol officers are peace agents and deserve to be treated with the respect this position commands,” stated Yvon Barrière, PSAC-Quebec’s Regional Executive Vice-President. “To protect them and in turn allow them to protect the Quebec population, commercial vehicle enforcement officers must be armed and recognized as members of the Sécurité publique du Québec.”
Commercial vehicle enforcement officers’ role and responsibilities have evolved a great deal over the last twenty years, but their employment status has unfortunately not followed suit. Their daily work, which is increasingly focused on prevention and protection rather than simply traffic control, is no longer aligned with the mission of the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ), to which highway patrol officers currently belong.
“Too often, we find ourselves in dangerous situations that require a lot of courage. But courage isn’t enough to prevent a tragedy. Every day, we’re confronted with malicious individuals who take advantage of the fact that we are unarmed to disrespect and intimidate us,” said Éric Labonté, president of the FCCRQ. “We have to act now, before a tragedy happens. It’s time for change!”
A few months ago, the Comité consultatif sur la réalité policière, mandated by Minister Guilbault, recommended a “formal review of the governance and status of special constables, commercial vehicle enforcement officers and wildlife officers within the Quebec public safety ecosystem” (recommendation 94). We hope the government will take action now, before it’s too late.