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RCMP's reputation debated

He's a strong, brave, honest, horseback-riding Canadian in a red tunic who always gets his man. At least, that's the clichéd image of a Mountie. But with a history stretching back to 1873, the real Royal Canadian Mounted Police have always been more complex than their squeaky-clean, steely stereotype.

The RCMP is one of Canada's most cherished institutions, with its brave Mounties courageously keeping our country safe. Or, the RCMP has a history of being racist, anti-labour and pro-management. These are the two opposing positions presented by two special guests on this 1973 episode of Cross-Country Checkup - former RCMP deputy commissioner William H. Kelly and leftist historian Lorne Brown. In this excerpt from the program, Kelly and Brown argue vigorously about the RCMP's image vs. reality.
• In the 1960s and '70s, a new generation of Canadians began questioning authority and traditional views of history. As a result, many were less willing to accept the Mounties' iconic status. Native rights advocates pointed out injustices done to native people by the RCMP, union advocates were disturbed by the RCMP's history of strike-breaking, and feminists detested the portrayal of weak women waiting to be rescued in Mountie fiction. And as Michael Dawson points out in his 1998 book The Mountie: From Dime Novel to Disney, "Given the new flag and talk of patriating the constitution, Canadians were less comfortable with a hero who was seen to be serving the British Empire, the monarchy, and the white man's burden."
Medium: Radio
Program: Cross Country Checkup
Broadcast Date: June 10, 1973
Guest(s): Lorne Brown, William H. Kelly
Host: Pierre Pascau
Duration: 14:34
Photo: Library and Archives Canada

Last updated: February 10, 2012

Page consulted on January 8, 2013

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