Border Guards’ Casual Facebook Comments Embarrass
October 2, 2007 by Eric Eggertson
Filed under Marketing
Our question for today: What federal employee in their right mind would post pictures of their keg bash on Facebook?
Answer: Customs officers guarding Canada’s border from all threats.
Don’t take my word for it, check out the CBC report, or go to Facebook and search for the Windsor Customs group.
We know the downside of posting potentially embarassing comments on a website. In a just world, it would be equally embarassing to publish boring photos and posts.
But it isn’t a fair world. The bland are rewarded with squeaky clean online reputations. The irreverent and witty get moved to the Loose Cannon stack in Human Resources.
My rule of thumb: If you don’t want it distributed widely, don’t post it on the Internet, even in a so-called walled garden.
Eric, it never ceases to amaze me how many people leave their commonsense behind when they are online. Fun is one thing, stupidity and unprofessionalism is something completely different.
I can see why these summer workers weren’t rehired!
I find it funny how they are asking for Border Guards across the country and they are taking these kids for the simple fact that they have a degree or diploma from a “recognized” institution.
I went through the recruiting process in Newfoundland Labrador, scored very high, and have a file that is still supposedly active. Yet, due to new rules stating the above requirement, I am no longer eligible.
Odd that I would have 14 years experience with the Canadian Forces, including a tour in the middle east, complete with security and weapons training, not to mention the common sense on how to use such training. Yet I get looked over by some irresponsible brat, simply because of a piece of paper.
If you ask me, the organization needs to take a hard look at the type of people they want wearing their uniform!
In response to all these comments, what’s awesome is the media and mr. Hughes choose to focus on how “students don’t recognize passports”, but not “Students weren’t trained properly”. Instead of focusing on “these people are having fun in their off time” (for the couple guys who WEREN’T in their uniform shown kissing and provocative poses), maybe they should focus on “hey, they are normal human beings having doing having fun, PRIVATELY, with their friends”. Oh, and same deal with the girl whow as posing “daringly” with happy face balloons.
I am not denying that it was stupid of the TWO individuals who posted pictures and comments that were inappropriate and unprofessional, but as a member of visible minority, AND a student border service officer, I challenge all you critics to look at themselves in the mirror and can honestly say that you have NEVER been racist, and NEVER discriminated against ANYONE for ANY reason. In regards to the female officer who called Stephen Harper a “serial killer” and French Canadians as “F-ing French Bastards”, it presents the FREEDOM OF SPEECH that is evidently present in Canada.
I am once again disgusted by the media and how easily you fall for a one-sided argument without also investigating the other side of the story. The irony of Chris Hughes’ attempt to restore ‘justice’ by exposing the ‘lack of judgment’ on the part of young recruits, is shown in the lack of research done on his part before pitching a story that is unfair and filled with false information.
As a student border service officer, I’d like to clarify that new applicants who take part in 13 weeks of training in Rigaud are NOT PAID for the time they stay there, contrary to his claim that they are funded by taxpaying Canadian citizens. What these normal, individuals do in their own time is their business; if Mr. Hughes believes that casual drinking is forbidden, then I’d like to challenge him to take part in such a rigorous training program, designed to ensure that such recruits are adequately trained to protect Canada. In the picture that shows Canada Border Services Agency recruit drinking and partying this summer at Rigaud is an ignorant attempt to find every possible way to implicate them in a negative way; perhaps they just graduated? Since when did we not allow the freedom of human beings to have fun and celebrate personal achievements?
Has Mr. Hughes been to Rigaud? Has he seen people break down in tears because they are far away from home, family members and loved ones, enclosed in an unfamiliar little town which imposes language barriers for most individuals, and their future careers are on the line because they can be sent home at any given time?
Preference is given to those with a University Degree, and the irony of it all is it generates animosity and JEALOUSY on the part of those individuals who are not qualified to be hired on, such as Mr. Hughes; perhaps it’s time that he consider the possibility that he just wasn’t good enough to protect Canada as a Border Service Officer, that maybe, just maybe, his own Superintendants did not consider him eligible to be a CBSA employee. Perhaps, his personality that consists of vengefulness, jealousy, and scarily, the mere possibility of him turning into a full-time stalker that eventually eliminated him from a competitive recruitment process.
So, please, for the sake of common sense, would people PLEASE look at both sides of the story before forming an opinion that has been force fed into the gaping mouths of our Media friends?
Thanks for the comment, F.C.
I certainly didn’t see anything in the CBC coverage that passed for balance. Was there an attempt to get a recruit’s point of view? Not that I saw. Instead, the reporter just snooped on photos that were obviously mainly posted so that fellow recruits could see the pictures.
I doubt this blip of embarrassing coverage will have a long-term negative effect on Canada’s border guards. But you’re right, it focuses solely on the overly righteous idea that no one who’s involved in public service should ever have fun during or after hours. Next there will be a report criticizing police officers and border guards for not showing some humanity and humor when they’re on the job.
I would like to comment on what FC said. To a point you are right except you make reference to the freedom on speech. Does that go for everyone or just the border guards? Mr. Hughes was using his freedom of speech however since many didn’t like what he had to say, he has become the bad guy. Secondly, the article says that he had worked summers, which mean more than one. If you truly work for the CBSA you would know that they just don’t call back anybody, you have to qualify each summer. If he was there more than one then guess what, those supts. that you refer to..found him qualified! Thirdly I would like to say that I guess if you were not paid while in training, you must have lived in a tent on the street while you were there??? And ate food that you caught on your own? Hmmm No?? Oh you stayed at the customs college in Riguad and ate their food. Guess what?? All that is paid for by someone. Would you, with your degree know who that is?? I’ll help you…the TAXPAYERS. So don’t think that you got a freebee because you didn’t. The true hero here is the 2 people that exposed this problem. All that being said. The CBC shouldn’t have grouped ALL student officers into this group because this ISN’T THE CASE!! There are many (in fact most )student officers are dedicated to the job and show professionalism. If you FC are a student officer I would be placing my anger where it belongs, in the faces of those that defaced my credibility…those students involved. It is hard enough as it is to make a good impression where you are already ridiculed for being a student by the regular officers that you do not need help by these “rogue” individuals. The CBSA did not help the situation either by not standing up for the students..this gives me the impression that Mr. Huges was right. If this happened to the military or police, their management would have been spitting nails to back up their officers 100%, where is the CBSA??? Answer: No Comment!