ARCHIVED - Harper Government Introduces the Enhancing RCMP Accountability Act
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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 21, 2012 — The Harper Government yesterday tabled the Enhancing Royal Canadian Mounted Police Accountability Act. Today, Candice Hoeppner, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety, was in Vancouver to further reinforce the Government's commitment to ensuring that this proposed legislation will enable the RCMP to be fully accountable for its actions and open and transparent in its service to Canadians.
“The RCMP's dedicated and hardworking members put their lives on the line to protect us each and every day,” said Candice Hoeppner, Member of Parliament Portage-Lisgar and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety. “The RCMP leadership deserve modern, updated tools to do their job and this legislation will give the RCMP the tools it needs to enhance trust and restore accountability in its ranks.”
The Enhancing Royal Canadian Mounted Police Accountability Act will:
- Help modernize the RCMPs discipline, grievance and human resource management framework, including new measures to create a single, seamless and comprehensive investigation and resolution process for sexual harassment complaints where the respondent is a member of the Force. It is also providing the Commissioner the direct authority to discharge members for various non-disciplinary administrative reasons.
- Create a modern and independent Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP to replace the existing Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP and provide it with enhanced powers to carry out its mandate.
- Establish a statutory framework for handling criminal investigations of serious incidents involving RCMP members, which will improve the transparency and public accountability of these investigations.
“The RCMP is recognized around the world as a symbol of who we are as Canadians, and what we value: professionalism, honesty, integrity and compassion,” said Canada's Public Safety Minister Vic Toews. “However, Canadians' confidence in the RCMP has been tested over the past few years and this legislation will ensure that the RCMP remains accountable to the public it serves, and a trusted and responsive organization for generations to come.”
The legislation introduced yesterday builds on the accountability mechanisms included in the new 2012–2032 Police Services Agreements recently signed by Contract Provinces and Territories. These Agreements both strengthen the RCMP's relationship with its contract partners and contribute to the broader modernization efforts of the RCMP.
Backgrounders:
- Increasing RCMP Accountability through a new Civilian Review and Complaints Commission
- Improving the Transparency and Public Accountability of Serious Criminal Investigations of Incidents involving RCMP Members
- Modernizing the RCMP's Discipline, Grievance and Human Resource Management Framework
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