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New Rules Favour Commissionaires Continuing to Guard Fed Bldgs

The Bread Guy

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News Release

Government of Canada Affirms the Role of the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires

OTTAWA – The Honourable John Baird, President of the Treasury Board, today announced measures that will ensure that the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires can continue its long-standing tradition of providing security services to the federal government.

“Canada’s New Government is committed to supporting Canada’s veterans and recognizing their valuable contributions to Canada,” said Minister Baird.  “One way to do this is to ensure that they continue to have access to well-paying, meaningful employment that gives them the opportunity to draw upon their immense security experience.”

Under the Common Services Policy, the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires must meet certain requirements to retain their right of first refusal for contracts to provide security guard services in federally owned or operated buildings across Canada.  The Corps has provided these services to the Canadian government since 1945.

Due to increases in demand for security services and declining numbers of veterans, the Corps has faced challenges in meeting these conditions.  Therefore, the policy has been amended to decrease the required number of hours that must be filled by veterans from 70 per cent to 60 per cent.

Furthermore, the definition of “veteran” has been expanded to include former RCMP officers who have been honourably discharged.  These conditions apply only to fulfilling contracts awarded under the right of first refusal.  These changes ensure the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires can continue meet conditions and retain their right of first refusal.


For more information, contact:

Patrick Robert
Press Secretary
Office of the President of the Treasury Board
(613) 957-2666

Robert Makichuk
Chief, Media Relations
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
(613) 957-2391


If there is a discrepancy between any printed version and the electronic version of this news release, the electronic version will prevail.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Guard Services in Federal Buildings
The Canadian Corps of Commissionaires has provided security guard and commissionaire services to the Canadian government since 1945.  The Corps is a not-for-profit organization that provides meaningful employment to Canada’s veterans.

Today, under the Common Services Policy, Public Works and Government Services Canada is responsible for contracting for security guard services in federally owned and operated buildings.  Traditionally, the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires has had the right of first refusal of government contracts for guard services.

In 2004, the policy was amended to set out conditions that the Corps must meet in order to keep their right of first refusal:

70 per cent of working hours must be filled by veterans as defined in the policy.
This percentage requirement must be met in each Corps Division with the exception of Ottawa and Montreal where recruitment to fill bilingual positions has been particularly challenging.
Due to increases in demand for security services and declining numbers of veterans, the Corps has faced challenges in meeting these conditions.  On December 8, 2006, amendments to the policy went into effect that will help the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires continue to meet the conditions and retain their right of first refusal.

The amendments see a reduction of the percentage of working hours to be filled by veterans reduced to 60 per cent, averaged across the country.  Formerly, the Corps had to reach 70 per cent in each region.  Furthermore, the definition of who may be considered a veteran has been expanded to include former members of the RCMP who have been honourably discharged.  These conditions apply only to fulfilling contracts awarded under the right of first refusal.

 
Great, the geriatric guard will continue to provide the illusion of security...  ::)
 
Great, the geriatric guard will continue to provide the illusion of security...    :rage:

ahhhh, I see, you would rather have our x-military maybe put away where no one can see 'em. YOU, try living on a 40% pension or more (20 years or more of honourable military service) after you devoted the best years of your youth to your country. Heck, maybe one can become a back-bencher for one of our 'outstanding' political parties in that circus that's called a Parliament in Ottawa, 'work' for 8 years as a back- bencher and get a minimum of $40,000 pension.  ::)Yeah, where's the equality in that?!

Suggest you try to read a little on the history of the Corps of Commissionaires (no I am not one), but I do belong to a Legion; any tidbits about the Legion you would like to share?
 
Do people really do that? Retire after 20 years and try to live on their pension? Potentially someone could retire at THIRTY SEVEN years old and try to live on their pension?!

Its a fantasy to think that the commisionaires provide any real security. Until last year there was an 80+ year old woman doing pass checks at NDHQ on the the night shift...
 
signalsguy said:
Its a fantasy to think that the commisionaires provide any real security. Until last year there was an 80+ year old woman doing pass checks at NDHQ on the the night shift...

So?  You quote the fact of an 80+ year old woman doing the job in NDHQ.  Have you asked her her age, or did you just make a generalization?

How about all the Commissionaires that are twenty years old and never seen a military Base in their lives?  There are many of them around.  There are also many Reservists, going to College, who have also gone and joined the Commissionaires for the extra income. 

Generalizations and saying that they are all a bunch of 80 and 90 year olds is a crock and you know it.
 
What I know:

In Kingston,ON a large amount of the jobs for Commissionaires are in the prisons that are in abundance in the area or in halfway houses dealing with criminals.

In Toronto the Corp lost the contract to patrol inside Pearson airport to private firms that could under bid them. So they patrol outside, in some pretty rough weather, and provide traffic and parking control.

Fortunately after a year and a half of being a Commissionaire in Kingston I was able to get a job as a shipper/receiver in a small local firm.

Guess it all depends on were you are working.
 
Age has got nothing to do with the security Commissionaires provide. They're not there to tackle or "take out" a suspect. They are simply a set of eyes. It is the MP's or the CIVPOL's job to arrest.
 
Do people really do that? Retire after 20 years and try to live on their pension? Some probably, so what?; but there are others who join at, ohhh let's say, oh.. 17; spend 35 years in the military - 'retire' at age 52 from the military: too young and/or bored to officially retire; so they join the Commissionaires to help supplement their income (google 'The Commissionaires Canada' for their history and employment opportunities). Are they JTF? SWAT? MASADA? of course not; as Gronk said  :salute: , they are another set of eyes who deserve respect not only for what they have done but for who they are and should not be labelled as the 'geriatric force' by those who obviously have no inkling or respect for what was & is beneath the Commissionaires forge cap. Crap, if a person is able and wishes to work for as long as they are mentally & physically able, why not? I've seen too many in their 20's & 30's who are able to work, but would rather sit home & let the government keep handing them welfare checks. BTY, no, I do not believe welfare is a bad concept when it is badly needed and properly handled.
 
IIRC the information from my friend, who is a former WREN in Halifax and a Commissionaire for 17 years. The absolute retirement age for them is 75. 
 
George Wallace said:
So?  You quote the fact of an 80+ year old woman doing the job in NDHQ.  Have you asked her her age, or did you just make a generalization?

How about all the Commissionaires that are twenty years old and never seen a military Base in their lives?  There are many of them around.  There are also many Reservists, going to College, who have also gone and joined the Commissionaires for the extra income. 

Generalizations and saying that they are all a bunch of 80 and 90 year olds is a crock and you know it.

Okay, I wasn't clear - she was opening the door and letting people in. The doors are locked at night and you have to ring the bell. She was unable to read people's passes through the window and had to open the door to read them. Pretty easy to push past her.... I'm not slamming anyone, I'm just telling you what I've experienced at NDHQ...
 
xo31@711ret said:
Great, the geriatric guard will continue to provide the illusion of security...    :rage:

ahhhh, I see, you would rather have our x-military maybe put away where no one can see 'em. YOU, try living on a 40% pension or more (20 years or more of honourable military service) after you devoted the best years of your youth to your country. Heck, maybe one can become a back-bencher for one of our 'outstanding' political parties in that circus that's called a Parliament in Ottawa, 'work' for 8 years as a back- bencher and get a minimum of $40,000 pension.   ::)Yeah, where's the equality in that?!

Suggest you try to read a little on the history of the Corps of Commissionaires (no I am not one), but I do belong to a Legion; any tidbits about the Legion you would like to share?

What is the aim here? To provide security or act as an employment agency?
 
COBRA-6 said:
What is the aim here? To provide security or act as an employment agency?




Both, while competing in the private sector against low salaried private firms. I am sure this was some of the thinking in this news of first bid ability in federal locations.
 
Kind of intersting the "first right of refusal" being reaffirmed to provide employment for military personal. In one of my last contacts with the Commissionaries I received a letter asking me if I knew anyone who would like to be a commissionaire prior service or not. An interesting academic research project/paper could be developed out of this theme, example "Wage disparity and the Command Structure".

VP
 
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