After two previous proposals failed when Parliament was dissolved, Canada’s federal government filed a bill on Thursday to create an oversight body for its border police and national police force.

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino described the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) as “Canada’s front lines” and expressed optimism that trust would be maintained through independent assessment and accountability procedures.

The CBSA is the country’s sole significant law enforcement agency with no independent control. The RCMP has come under scrutiny for charges of institutional racism leveled by civilians and its own officers.

People will be able to file complaints directly with the commission, although the CBSA and RCMP will continue to accept and investigate most concerns.

Both agencies will be required to collect race-based data, and the CBSA will be required to advise everyone detained of their right to complain.

Following a period of decline during the coronavirus outbreak, Canada’s indefinite detention of non-citizens is on the rise. The most common justification for detention is fear that persons would not show up for hearings, although there was no increase in no-shows when detention numbers were reduced.