Ottawa - Gord Brown, Member of Parliament for Leeds-Grenville, is sending a letter to Liberal MP Derek Lee after Lee called Canadian border guards who walk off the job, "wimps."

Lee made the remark in the House of Commons yesterday during questioning about the government's plan to arm border guards. Lee later refused to apologize.

"Part 11 of the Canada Labour Code permits federal employees the right to refuse dangerous work where their employer - in this case the Canadian Border Services Agency - has failed to provide remedial tools or measures to safely manage risk," explains Brown.

The guards who walked off the job were advised that an armed and dangerous murder suspect was heading for the Canadian border.

"Canada's New Government recognizes that our border guards need to be armed and we need to eliminate situations where guards are working alone. That is why in August we announced measures to arm guards and increase the number of guards working at our borders," says Brown.

Brown further notes that CBSA management has a history of concealing and distorting safety-related information and reports concerning border guards and their work. As well, the previous Liberal government ignored calls for officer safety.

Former Liberal Revenue Minister Elinor Caplan in 2003 stated that arming border guards would be creating "3,000 accidents" waiting to happen. Last month, Liberal MP Mark Holland condemned the idea of arming border guards and said it was unnecessary even though reports commissioned by the CBSA and the guards' union recommend it.

"I have spoken with many guards at the two border crossings in Leeds-Grenville and they have told me that our government is on the right track," says Brown.

"Lee's comments and those of his colleagues, made as they were from confines of the House of Commons, have no place in the day-to-day reality of manning Canada's borders," says Brown.