Ottawa - Federal Liberals are preparing to revive a plan to allow detained travelers and immigrants, and others who feel they have been mistreated by the Canada Border Services Agency, to file a complaint with an independent body.

The government is expected to introduce legislation today to give Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) monitors additional responsibility to handle public complaints about the operation of the Canada Border Services Agency and how it deals with people at the border.

The bill to establish the Public Complaints and Review Commission comes after previous requests for research and investigation stalled.

Border officers have the authority to prevent travelers from traveling for questioning, take blood and breath samples, search, detain, and arrest individuals without warrants.

The independent body will handle complaints from the public, while other bodies, including courts, the Federal Privacy Commissioner, and the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency, will investigate various concerns.

It is noted that the Canada Border Services Agency is not overseen by a dedicated and independent complaints body, prompting civil liberties advocates, refugee lawyers, and parliamentary committees to call for stronger oversight.

Editor: Dima Abu Khair