Ottawa 'must act' to overhaul RCMP's federal policing program, committee report says
A national security watchdog says Ottawa must drive major changes to the RCMP's federal policing program to ensure Canadians are protected from the most serious threats.
In a report released on Tuesday, the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians warns that the key program has challenges -- from weak governance and staff vacancies to poor data management -- that undermine its ability to fulfil an essential role.
"On the basis of its review, the committee does not believe that federal policing is as effective, efficient, flexible or accountable as it needs to be to protect Canada and Canadians from the most significant national security and criminal threats," the report says.
"The government must act to ensure it is."
The committee of MPs and senators, which hears witnesses behind closed doors, announced its review of the RCMP's federal policing mandate two years ago.
It studied the capabilities and results of the mandate's programs and activities and how the RCMP carries out federal criminal investigations in areas of national security, complex crimes and major organized crime.
Liberal MP David McGuinty, chair of the committee, said in an interview that members were "shocked in some respects" at hurdles that prevent the program from achieving optimal performance.
The report says the federal policing mandate is coloured by the RCMP's long-standing focus on front-line contract policing in most of the country, which has shaped the force's organizational structure, governance, finances and human resource and training models.
Against this background, federal policing "has struggled with challenges" internal to its program, the committee found.
Among the difficulties:
- divisions have a significant say in the federal policing prioritization process, undermining the ability of the program to track ongoing investigations and expenditures, or to redirect resources to higher priorities;
- the program doesn't know if federal policing resources are in fact being spent on federal policing priorities and activities within divisions;
- and there is a "steady decline" in the number of federal policing personnel, particularly police officers, over the last eight years, with "no information to suggest that this trend will change in the foreseeable future."
The report says the RCMP clearly recognizes the problems, noting its many initiatives in the areas of governance, data, prioritization, intelligence, recruitment and training should yield improvements.
"However, the committee is concerned that the impetus to maintain the status quo is strong."
It says the "disincentives for significant reform" include the considerable role of contract policing, the lack of political direction specific to federal policing, the complexity of the problems facing the organization and frequent crises that arise.
"The RCMP cannot do it alone," the report says, adding the "government should take a clear role in driving change."
Ottawa should identify federal policing as a priority and make it clear "that reform is essential," the committee says.
In doing so, the federal public safety minister must take a greater role, providing direction to the RCMP in each of the major areas where the government wishes to see reform, the report says.
While the principle of police independence precludes the minister from providing direction in the narrow area of police investigations, arrests and charges, it doesn't prevent participation in broader areas of institutional reform and government priorities, the committee says.
This would be "an important step to strengthening democratic accountability" for federal policing.
At a minimum, the committee says, ministerial direction should include governance, financial controls, recruiting and training, clear objectives and the minister's expectations in all of those areas, along with annual reporting requirements.
The committee also calls on the government to put in place stronger measures to ensure its monies are spent on federal priorities, and to determine whether additional resources are needed.
At the same time, Ottawa should decide whether changes to the RCMP's structure are required to ensure federal policing succeeds, the report says.
Some have called for the Mounties to shed contract policing and become something akin to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation.
More autonomy within the RCMP might allow the federal policing program to address its most significant challenges, the report says. But it adds that "it may be time for Canada to consider a stand-alone federal policing organization."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2023.
IN DEPTH
Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power.
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
MPs debating second Conservative motion of non-confidence in PM Trudeau
Members of Parliament are debating the second Conservative motion of non-confidence in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government of the week.
Cold case arrest: Nunavut RCMP charge man with murder in 1986 death of teenage girl
Mounties in Nunavut have made an arrest in the murder of a 15-year-old girl almost 40 years ago.
Mounties in B.C. warn 'highly convincing' scammers extorting victims with photos of their homes
Scammers are increasingly using emails to extort money from victims by threatening to reveal compromising photos, videos and personal information to their friends and family members, according to a new warning from Mounties in Metro Vancouver.
Air Canada flight to Toronto diverts due to emergency
An Air Canada flight headed to Toronto from Frankfurt diverted to Edinburgh due to an emergency Thursday, the airline says.
Canadian rapper K'naan charged with sexual assault following arrest in Quebec City
Canadian singer K’naan has been charged with sexual assault after being arrested by police in Quebec City.
WATCH LIVE Helene's winds batter Florida as Category 3 storm races toward the coast
Tropical storm force winds began battering Florida on Thursday as Hurricane Helene prepared to make landfall, with forecasters warning that the enormous storm could create a "nightmare" surge along the coast and churn up damaging winds hundreds of miles inland across much of the southeastern U.S.
NDP MP introduces bill to criminalize residential school denialism
An NDP MP has introduced a bill that would criminalize residential school denialism, saying it would help stop harm caused toward survivors, their families and communities.
Masking reintroduced in N.S. hospitals as respiratory illnesses increase
A partial masking mandate has returned to Nova Scotia hospitals and provincially run healthcare facilities for visitors and healthcare workers.
Eye drops recalled in Canada over infection risk
A Canadian pharmaceutical company is warning consumers not to use some of its eye drops because of potential microbial growth that may result in eye infections.
Local Spotlight
'I loved growing up in Nova Scotia': Sarah McLachlan excited to return to Halifax roots for tour
Sarah McLachlan is returning to her hometown of Halifax in November.
'Hats off to him': 87-year-old player still hitting the court in Sackville, N.B.
Wayne MacKay is still playing basketball twice at Mount Allison University at 87 years old.
'You're headed on a Tim's run': Alberta man puts Canadian spin on hit songs
A man from a small rural Alberta town is making music that makes people laugh.
'It's my most stolen image': Concerns raised about stolen Indigenous art for Orange Shirt Day
An Indigenous artist has a buyer-beware warning ahead of Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Ice cream criminals: Lethbridge break-in sees suspects steal plenty of pints
Police are looking to the public for help after thieves broke into a Lethbridge ice creamery, stealing from the store.
Delivering smiles: Winnipeg Canada Post employees going above and beyond while on the job
An ordinary day on the job delivering mail in East Elmwood quickly turned dramatic for Canada Post letter carrier Jared Plourde. A woman on his route was calling out in distress.
'We'll come back': Fire destroys barn, 17,000 plants at family-owned N.B. business
Fire has destroyed a barn and 17,000 plants at a family-owned business in Lower Coverdale, N.B.
Jeanne Beker, the trailblazer of Canadian fashion and music storytelling, inspires new Calgary exhibition
Before influencers on social media, Canada’s Jeanne Beker was bringing the world of high fashion down to earth and as Calgary’s Glenbow Museum gets a major make-over, it will include a new exhibition showcasing the pop culture icon.
Rescuers free entangled sea lion off Vancouver Island
A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.