RCMP reform a forgotten issue in 2011 campaign

It's certainly not one of the highest-profile topics of this campaign but more than 30,000 employees of the RCMP and other Canadians care deeply about following through with at least some of the recommendations in the 2007 David Brown report on structural and cultural change at Canada's national police force.

I took a look at how the different platforms address the issue.

The NDP platform contains no promises of overhaul for Mounties, but it does commit to "ending the unfair reduction of pensions for retired and disabled Canadian Forces and RCMP veterans."

The only mention of the RCMP in the Conservative platform relates to assigning them new duties. The party says it would strengthen the coast guard by including the RCMP on its armed boarding teams and establish "a new RCMP anti-contraband force of 50 officers."

The Liberal platform does dedicate a small section to "Managing the RCMP." It refers to how "in recent years, the RCMP have been plagued by frequent setbacks that have shaken trust," and blames the Conservative government for dragging its heels on effective reforms.

Yesterday during a one-on-one interview with Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff, I asked him about his proposed reforms.

Michael Ignatieff: I think there's justified concern right across the country perhaps especially in British Columbia that the Mounties can't just investigate themselves. There are some problems. There, it's a force that has universal admiration and respect but there are some problems, so we need strong, robust, civilian accountability. Mr.. Harper made short work of somebody who was you know the ombudsman. We have got to get strong civilian oversight?

Alison Crawford: Do you think the government bill (Bill C-38, introduced June, 2010 and never called for second reading) is enough, the right template?

MI: I think I need to work with Mark Holland our Public Safety critic on this. I just feel we've got to get a balance here. The Mounties are a great tradition in our country, they have the respect of Canadians but we have got to have a civilian oversight board that's tough enough to respect their traditions and hold them to account in front of the public. What I want is a watchdog that really watches this force but works with them and respects the difficult work that they do.

AC: What about the leadership issues, you mention them and that they need to be addressed, what would you do?

MI: Well I think one of the responsibilities of a Prime Minister is to choose a good chief of the force who has the confidence of the force. It's pretty evident that there have been a lot of internal difficulties. I don't want to make political hay over this because it's a national force and it's a national institution. But clearly things have not gone well for quite a long period of time and you know I, during this campaign, I've had the honour to work with certain members of the force and I have enormous respect for their professionalism and their dedication but I think they need both tougher civilian oversight at the top and stronger more unifying leadership.

AC: They're (government) in the process of looking for a new Commissioner. Is there anything you think they should be doing in particular?

MI: Well I think it's very important for that search process to have its own integrity; that is, to have it not be politicized, for it not to have people like me meddling. I just know that it's extremely important to have strong leadership that has respect within the ranks; that seems obviously very important. And leadership that is prepared to work with civilian oversight and understands that in a democratic society, that oversight is absolutely essential to maintain the legitimacy and effectiveness of that force on the ground. And I think if we find leadership that commands respect and support inside, but also is prepared to work under stronger civilian oversight, that can only be good for the force and it'll sure be good for Canada.

AC: Binding oversight?

MI: Yeah, no question.