The federal government is advancing its initiative to enhance border security by hiring 1,000 new personnel. Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree announced the plan during a news conference on Friday. The government will allocate $617.7 million over five years to support this initiative. This funding is separate from a previous $1.3 billion investment aimed at border enforcement made last winter. Anandasangaree emphasized the importance of these new hires, stating, "These people will do critical work at our borders, ensuring the smooth movement of people and goods, all the while ensuring that illegal goods, guns and drugs are stopped, and those who are trafficking in them are arrested and charged." The funding will also increase the weekly stipend for new recruits from $125 to $525. Additionally, the government plans to ease retirement conditions for current officers, allowing them to retire without a pension penalty after 25 years of service, regardless of their age. This hiring initiative is part of a broader set of public safety measures introduced by the Carney campaign ahead of the April election. The Conservative Party had proposed hiring 2,000 new border officers if they had won the election. The new personnel will not all be officers, but they will play a vital role in maintaining border security and facilitating the movement of goods and people. The funding for this initiative will be included in the upcoming budget set to be released on November 4.