OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 10/17/12 -- Yesterday afternoon, a member of the Customs and Immigration Union who was working as a Front-line Border Services Officer was shot and seriously injured while performing her duties at the Douglas port of entry in British Columbia. The National President of the Customs and Immigration Union, Jean-Pierre Fortin, offered the entire membership's support for their injured colleague.

"The thoughts of our entire membership are with our sister and her family in this terrible time. This incident reminds us all that as law enforcement officers serving Canadians, the personal safety risk we undertake is real every time we go on shift because dealing with the unknown is part of our job."

"I want to thank Canadians for the tremendous outpouring of support for our member and our colleagues at Douglas and in the Pacific Region. In the days to come, we will closely examine the circumstances of what took place. Our priority now is the full recovery of our injured member and the continuing welfare and safety of all of our members whose courage and dedication help keep our country safe."

The Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) is a component of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), which represents Canada's Front-Line Customs and Immigration Officers. CIU also represents Investigation, Intelligence and Trade Customs Officers, Immigration Inland Enforcement and Hearings Officers, as well as all support staff - all of whom work at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).