The federal government is moving forward with existing plans to beef up border security, including a campaign promise to hire 1,000 new personnel.

At a Friday news conference, Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said the government will also increase the weekly stipend for new recruits and make it easier for existing officers to retire without taking a pension hit.

The Public Safety department is setting aside $617.7 million over five years to pay for the measures. That spending is separate from an existing $1.3-billion border crackdown from last winter.

"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 a

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