CBSA members have to wear the vests. They have a militant union that pushes for such things as well as an employer that pushes officer safety.
Zedhead, if you had ever spent an 8-12 hour shift wearing a vest, you would then know that no one actually likes wearing them. They are hot, heavy and cumbersome.
Personally, I think the primary CBSA members look foolish wearing them in the arrivals are of an airport where the arriving people have all had close to cavity checks prior to arriving on their respective flights, however I also know they are not given the choice to wear the vest or not.

Like Simon I do not like the line of questioning that one endures when entering Canada as one's home country. I think some of the questions are too personal to most of us. However I also know the questioning is effective in outing certain people with certain things they shouldn't have. What I don't like is the perception given by CBSA that we are all bad until proven otherwise by our answers to the personal questions. A CBSA member has sweeping powers of search and seizure, far more than the police, they do not need "grounds", they are our frontline security protecting our borders.
Rather than blame the CBSA member you meet, one should blame the employer. It is the employer who is pushing the questioning line.

The US is reknowned (sp) for tough and miserable border people, I have found them to be nothing short of pleasantd and unintrusive. Why does CBSA management insist on being so much more personal and intrusive to it's fellow citizens, than it's southern neighbours, of whom we are guests.

Thank you CBSAguy for joining FT, you will be a great asset in answering many questions and clearing up misconceptions. You will need a mental kevlar vest to deflect much of the flak you will receive here.