A recently completed internal Canadian government audit of its diplomatic missions in the United States finds that staff experience safety risks and face challenges related to health care access and housing. The audit, completed late last year, concludes that U.S. cities where Canada operates missions present security concerns, including risks tied to street crime, protests, and the widespread presence of firearms. The findings come more than a year after a union previously raised similar concerns about working conditions for diplomats in the U.S.
According to reporting on the audit, Canadian personnel are posted not only to the embassy in Washington, D.C., but also to Canadian consulates and trade offices in 15 other cities across the United States, spanning locations from Boston to Los Angeles. The sources describe the audit as documenting operational challenges faced by staff, including difficulties obtaining health care and issues related to housing while posted overseas.
Overall, the coverage indicates the audit identifies multiple risk areas affecting diplomatic missions, and that some concerns were highlighted earlier by staff representatives before the audit’s completion.
