Reforming the RCMP, again
In December 2007, Toronto lawyer David Brown submitted his task force report on governance and cultural change in the RCMP. It was called Rebuilding the Trust.
Brown found the RCMP was understaffed and that Mounties were overworked and, in many cases, disillusioned with the organization.
Among his 46 recommendations, Brown advised the government to pass laws "as soon as possible" to create a single, independent Commission for Complaints and Oversight for the RCMP (instead of the two groups that do the job now).
Alison Crawford
He also wanted a new civilian board of management and said it was essential for the RCMP to sever itself from the government and be run like a Crown corporation, hopefully by the end of 2009, which is not that far off.
Acknowledging the task ahead, Brown suggested the creation of something called a Reform Implementation Council to establish a timetable for reform, as well as provide advice to the RCMP.
By March 2008, the government had ordered the council's creation and appointed Montreal-based corporate lawyer David McAusland to head it up.
His interim report to the minister of public safety in November echoed many of Brown's earlier recommendations.
For example, McAusland said "separate entity status for the RCMP should be an urgent priority." He hinted the government would have clearly defined options by March 2009.
McAusland also engaged in some mild wrist-slappping by warning the RCMP it was time to shift from study mode to action planning.
Well, it's now March 2009. McAusland's term runs out this week. And there's still no legislation on the books to address Brown's recommendations.
It would seem the government and RCMP still require the services of the Reform Implementation Council, which may be forthcoming.
Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan told the CBC he has recommended the cabinet extend McAusland's mandate.
Reached in Montreal about this, McAusland responded, "I'm aware that the possibility of our mandate being extended has been given very serious consideration. Should that be the case, then I imagine we'd be willing to continue."
— Alison Crawford
About the Authors
- Rosemary Barton started her television career reporting from Quebec City where she covered the ins and outs of Quebec politics. She moved to the CBC Parliamentary Bureau in 2007. She also stood on the side of road awaiting U.S. President Barack Obama's motorcade for hours in the cold. When she finally spotted him, all of Canada heard her shriek, "I saw him!"
- Alison Crawford worked in Fredericton, Calgary and Winnipeg before returning to her hometown to work in the CBC parliamentary bureau. Her beats include the RCMP, justice, public safety and the Liberals. Alison credits her investigative skills as well as a national etiquette column and coverage of a ferret Christmas party, with having prepared her for covering national politics.
- Andrew Davidson is a producer for the CBC politics page in Toronto. He joined CBCNews.ca's national desk in 2006 and was the lead news writer for the website's 2008 federal election coverage.
- Chris Hall is the National Affairs Editor for CBC News. He's been a member of the CBC Parliamentary Bureau since 1998. That adds up to 11 budgets, four elections, three prime ministers and too many confidence votes to count. Chris started his career in print before moving to the CBC in 1992. Since then, he's worked in Toronto, Halifax and St. John's, as well as Ottawa.
- Leslie MacKinnon Leslie's been working in news and current affairs since newsrooms used teletype, televison was shot on film and radio tape was edited with a razor blade. She saw through The Journal's long run on CBC-TV, and since then has worked in Halifax, Toronto and Ottawa in the CBC's various permutations. Right now, she's a TV news reporter in the political bureau, and likes certain parts of Ottawa - the canal, the Hill - a lot.
- Janyce McGregor has been a television producer in the CBC's Parliamentary Bureau since 2001. She started her career working for Studio 2 on TVOntario. In 2005 her then-doctoral student husband persuaded her to follow him to the U.K., where she worked for BBC World Service Radio in London. Janyce is originally a farm girl from southwestern Ontario. Her most important job title is "Norah's Mom."
- Chris Rands has been a member of the Parliamentary bureau since 2001. He started at Toronto's AM Radio giant CFRB before moving to CBC's National Radio News in 1996. Chris has worked in Toronto, Moncton, Sudbury, Regina, Washington and St John's. Every time Chris walks up to the Peace Tower, he wants to throw his hat in the air like Mary Tyler Moore.
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