Has the Carney Liberals broken a vow with Veterans and First Right of Refusal by the Commissionaires?

[George Wallace]

Veterans Affairs ending Commissionaires' $330M federal contracting right

OTTAWA — The largest private sector employer of veterans in Canada is calling on the Liberal government to reverse a decision to end a federal contracting entitlement which grants it first dibs on federal security guard contracts.

www.sudbury.com

Minister of Veterans Affairs announces ending Commissionaires' $330M federal contracting right​

"The largest private sector employer of veterans in Canada is calling on the Liberal government to reverse a decision to end a federal contracting entitlement which grants it first dibs on federal security guard contracts."

The Commissionaires have had the First Right of Refusal on government security contracts since 1925. That means that they have the first chance to take a contract or refuse it. Now we have rumours that Garda has successfully lobbied to have that Right removed, and open up all government security contracts to all Security firms.

The Commissionaires, have for years been facing much the same problems as the Canadian Forces when it comes to recruiting. They are short veterans willing to join the Corps of Commissionaires in their local. The Commissionaires have been hiring people with no military experience, mostly students, for quite some time now.

The question, though, no matter what problems the Commissionaires have in manning positions, does the Government have to break that vow with veterans that was made a century ago? The "First Right of Refusal" doesn't mean that all government security must go to the Commissionaires. It only means that they have the First Right to a security contract, or in turn refuse to take it. Is it really necessary to remove that legislation if the Commissionaires are at a state that they can not fill all contracts?

PS. If Garda maintenance of the Banking Machines at my bank branches can be used as an indicator, I personally hope they don't get any DND or Government contracts.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

I am not an expert, but my understand was that the Commissionaires got first right of refusal by being a veteran majority workforce.

If they are no longer Veteran majority, by what right do they keep other security firms from bidding and winning federal contacts?

 

[Retired AF Guy]

Interesting piece from the Toronto Sun on how GardaWorld hired a couple of Liberal bigwigs to lobby the Liberal government to cancel the Commissioniers Right to First Refusal.

LILLEY: How GardaWorld lobbying could cost thousands of Canadian veterans their jobs

Lobbying by GardaWorld could end a long-standing veterans program, putting thousands of jobs at risk. Read more.

torontosun.com

 

[Haggis]

I am not an expert, but my understand was that the Commissionaires got first right of refusal by being a veteran majority workforce.

If they are no longer Veteran majority, by what right do they keep other security firms from bidding and winning federal contacts?

My workplace has a large Commissionare force. Not a single veteran, or even a Reservist on staff.

 

[YZT580]

My workplace has a large Commissionare force. Not a single veteran, or even a Reservist on staff.

Is there a 'finder's fee' that goes to the vets. if they have a contract?

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Is there a 'finder's fee' that goes to the vets. if they have a contract?

There is a finders fee for getting new recruits and they actively want more veterans. Put there are far less veterans now and the pay is not great. That being said they are one of the best security companies to work for and won't screw their people over, which most security companies are famous for.

 

[brihard]

I am not an expert, but my understand was that the Commissionaires got first right of refusal by being a veteran majority workforce.

If they are no longer Veteran majority, by what right do they keep other security firms from bidding and winning federal contacts?

Precisely this. There’s no justification anymore for the government picking a favourite and distorting the market. Commissionaires no longer have such a bulk of vets. Years back now, they changed and expanded their business model to enter the private security field more broadly, and they massively hired civilians. And that’s fine- but it makes it harder to defend preferential government treatment.

The transition and employment picture for veterans is also vastly different than it was after WW2 when the Commissionaires got the right of first refusal. We don’t have a sudden single massive cohort re-entering the private sector. We have other career transition and education benefits for non-medical releases. We have a separate suite of benefits for medical releases that helps, where possible, to get vocational training.

A ‘default hire’ into the Commissionaires for vets dovetails nicely with the old approach of “here’s your disability pension, let us know if you pick up dependents, make sure someone calls us when you die”. That’s not the case anymore.

Essentially the Commissionaires’ 80 year old model of veteran hiring and federal right of first refusal is obsolescent.

And any vets who still want to get hired as security guards likely will.

Is there a 'finder's fee' that goes to the vets. if they have a contract?

No. It was basically just a super easy, almost default job to hire into for anyone with a service number. After I graduated school I applied and was picked up right away. Fortunately part of my reserve unit’s full time cadre learned I was available and threw work at me instead by the time my security license arrived.

The benefit to veterans was a super easy job search.

 

[Halifax Tar]

Precisely this. There’s no justification anymore for the government picking a favourite and distorting the market. Commissionaires no longer have such a bulk of vets. Years back now, they changed and expanded their business model to enter the private security field more broadly, and they massively hired civilians. And that’s fine- but it makes it harder to defend preferential government treatment.

The transition and employment picture for veterans is also vastly different than it was after WW2 when the Commissionaires got the right of first refusal. We don’t have a sudden single massive cohort re-entering the private sector. We have other career transition and education benefits for non-medical releases. We have a separate suite of benefits for medical releases that helps, where possible, to get vocational training.

A ‘default hire’ into the Commissionaires for vets dovetails nicely with the old approach of “here’s your disability pension, let us know if you pick up dependents, make sure someone calls us when you die”. That’s not the case anymore.

Essentially the Commissionaires’ 80 year old model of veteran hiring and federal right of first refusal is obsolescent.

And any vets who still want to get hired as security guards likely will.

No. It was basically just a super easy, almost default job to hire into for anyone with a service number. After I graduated school I applied and was picked up right away. Fortunately part of my reserve unit’s full time cadre learned I was available and threw work at me instead by the time my security license arrived.

The benefit to veterans was a super easy job search.

RCN wise we are also quickly approaching a time where the security they, the Commissionaires, provide is not considered up to par with what will be required to operate the RCD and AEGIS.

 

[ArmyRick]

At ATC-C Meaford, commissionaires lost their contract to man the alert room at range control and is now run by CBO of B & M