Statement by PSAC National President Sharon DeSousa and UHEW National President Shimen Fayad 

PSAC and the Union of Health and Environment Workers (UHEW) fully support Fishery Officers as they continue to advocate for a safe workplace and the access to proper personal protective equipment.  

Fishery Officers in the DFO maritime region have had to refuse work because of serious concerns for their safety. 

Many of our Fishery Officers face increasingly dangerous conditions including but not limited to the risk of physical violence, verbal harassment, personal threats, organized crime and poaching and a rise in the use of long guns that puts members at risk in the course of their regular duties protecting Canadians.  

Fishery Officers’ role in the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is crucial in the protection of our country’s fisheries. Not only do they work to monitor and enforce the conservation of our marine life, but their expertise is also essential for crises on the water. 

We call on the employer to align their violence assessments, training and provision of personal protective equipment to be in compliance with the Canada Labour Code. Fishery Officers have been documenting the hazard and making recommendations for years, to no avail. We demand that these workers be provided with personal protective equipment, training and all necessary supports required to do their job, as all other peace officers and law enforcement officers are provided, consistent with a safe and healthy work environment. 

Our union will not sit idly by while public service workers – or any workers who are protecting the safety and security of Canadians – are forced to work in an unsafe environment.  

We have called on the government to acknowledge the dangers, put in place adequate safety measures, and protect the lives of Fishery Officers across the country.