To: The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety
Cc: The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development
From: Concerned Canadian Citizens and Business Owners

We, the undersigned, urgently call upon the Government of Canada to launch an immediate and transparent review of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and its treatment of small to medium-sized businesses importing African food products.

African grocery stores and food importers are facing existential threats due to what we believe are systemically discriminatory, inconsistent, and economically damaging practices by the CBSA. These actions are not only ruining livelihoods but also severing a vital cultural lifeline for African diaspora communities across Canada.

The Problem:

While we fully support the CBSA’s mandate to protect Canada’s borders, its current implementation against African food imports is causing undue harm through:

Excessive and Costly Delays: Containers are held for prolonged, unnecessary "examinations," leading to massive financial penalties.

Importers are forced to pay double demurrage fees: first for the seized container and again for the goods held in CBSA warehouses.
Perishable goods spoil, resulting in total financial loss.
Glaring Inconsistency and Lack of Transparency:

Products deemed acceptable for one importer on one day are seized from another importer on a different day. There is no clear, consistent standard.
A prime example is the seizure of Knorr Maggi seasoning cubes, which are simultaneously found on shelves at Walmart, Superstore, and T&T. This contradictory enforcement targets specific supply chains.
Significant Financial Hardship: These practices deliberately target small, family-run businesses that lack the legal and financial resources of large corporations like Canadian Tire or Walmart, which import thousands of containers without facing similar systematic delays and seizures.
Systemic Discrimination: We believe the root cause is a profound lack of cultural competency and Black representation within the CBSA decision-making processes. African foods are often wrongly suspected or misidentified as "contraband" due to unfamiliarity and bias.
Our Demands:

We demand that the Minister of Public Safety and the federal government:

Launch an Independent Audit: Conduct a full review of CBSA practices specifically related to the inspection of African and ethnic food imports, with a mandate to identify and eliminate systemic bias.
Establish Clear, Public Guidelines: Publish a transparent and detailed list of approved and restricted food items, eliminating arbitrary and inconsistent enforcement.
Create an Importer Advocate Office: Establish an independent body within the CBSA framework to which importers can appeal seizures and delays without fear of retaliation.
Implement Cultural Competency Training: Mandate comprehensive training for CBSA officers on African food products to distinguish between legitimate goods and actual contraband.
Review Demurrage Fee Policies: Develop a fair policy where importers are not penalized financially for delays caused solely by CBSA inspection backlogs.
Conclusion:

These businesses are more than just commerce; they are community hubs that preserve cultural heritage and provide a taste of home for millions of Canadians. The current practices are crushing entrepreneurship within the Black community and contradict Canada’s values of diversity, inclusion, and fair economic opportunity.

We need your intervention to ensure fair and equitable treatment for all Canadian businesses, regardless of their size or the origin of their products.

Sign this petition to demand fairness and accountability from the CBSA.