For its 15th anniversary, the CBSA has created a historical exhibit of panels that include its legacy organizations dating back to before Confederation, as well as an Honour Wall with the names of its 15 Fallen Officers dating back to 1876. The exhibit is an amazing tribute to both the CBSA’s history and its Fallen Heroes.
On December 12, 2018, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) celebrated the 15th Anniversary, established in 2003. Interestingly, the history of the CBSA and its legacy organizations goes back to a time well before Confederation. This is because customs collection, immigration, and the securing of borders are among the oldest and most basic roles of government.
At Confederation in 1867, Canada gained the autonomous right to fund itself, control its borders, and protect its economy. To support this new independence, Canada immediately created the Federal Departments of Customs and Agriculture to collect revenue and build an economy that grew with colonization. In the years that followed, Agriculture, Immigration and Customs officers worked shoulder-to-shoulder at Canada’s ports of entry to protect the interests of all Canadians.
December 12, 2003 saw the birth of the Canada Border Services Agency, combining the formidable skills of the three traditional partners: agriculture, customs and immigration. In a powerful formation, the Canadian border became the focus of close cooperation between these three entities to ensure the highest level of security for Canadians.
The CBSA’s 15th Anniversary historical exhibit was created to commemorate the Agency’s contributions as the nation’s oldest federal law enforcement organization. When we think of Canada’s history, we can’t help but think of large-scale immigration, of bountiful agriculture, of industry, and of trade — and the CBSA and its legacy organizations have played a leading role in all these pillars of Canadian success. By safeguarding our borders while facilitating trade and collecting revenue, the Agency has helped build the stable and prosperous Canada we all know today.
The CBSA is proud of its work and proud of its history. While accepting the risks that comes with serving Canada and protecting its borders, the Agency remembers those who served through time — and especially those who died in the line of duty:
- Andrew Lemond Wilson (1876)
- Hugh MacLean (1881)
- Herbert George Herbert (1912)
- William C. Hopkinson (1914)
- James Clifford Adams (1914)
- Marshall Jackson (1917)
- William George Hughes (1927)
- Turner Ingalls, Jr. (1927)
- George A. Jackman (1943)
- Percy New (1954)
- Frederick Francis Harris (1967)
- Georges Alary (1980)
- James Finnamore (1994)
- Ruth Korum (1994)
- David Moore (1994)
