RCMP Governance, Transformation and Modernization
Background
In the past decade, numerous independent expert reviews of the RCMP have resulted in more than 200 recommendations for governance change in order to: address recurring program integrity; promote a safe and healthy workplace; and enable required transformation at the RCMP. A series of changes are underway and under development to tackle these challenges.
Pursuant to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act and Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Act, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness — who is accountable to Parliament for the RCMP — may provide direction to establish the RCMP’s objectives, priorities and goals in relation to public safety and emergency preparedness. The Commissioner has control and management of the RCMP under the Minister’s direction. The Department supports and provides independent advice to the Minister, e.g., to help enable machinery and administrative reforms, on funding proposals and on strategies to enhance accountability of the RCMP.
In March 2018, Brenda Lucki, the 24th Commissioner, was selected to lead the RCMP. Highlights of her Vision 150 plan and ‘People First’ approach to modernize the RCMP include: greater civilianization of non-operational roles, enhanced leadership training, increased employee wellness supports, and investments to increase efficiency and enhance policing capacity.
Status
RCMP efforts are underway with regards to implementing all 13 recommendations from reviews on harassment by the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission (CRCC) and by former Auditor General Sheila Fraser. The RCMP is also involved in four significant class actions on harassment.
In 2017, the Merlo/Davidson settlement was approved and as a result, compensation is being provided to certain female RCMP employees. In 2019, the Tiller agreement was approved to provide compensation for other women working with the RCMP, e.g., municipal employees in RCMP buildings. Two actions — Gray and Greenwood and AMPMQ — are ongoing and seek compensation for other male and female employees, volunteers and other individuals.
In July 2019, changes to the RCMP Act came into force to make permanent a
Management Advisory Board, as recommended by the CRCC and Ms. Fraser. Its 13 members are in place and providing expert external advice to the Commissioner to help guide foundational changes. Of note, the creation of the Board did not change the existing authorities of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, of the Commissioner or of Treasury Board as the employer.
Also in July 2019, regulations were approved to prescribe a definition of “serious injury” in order to clarify when the RCMP must invoke its obligations to initiate an external investigation of a death or serious injury incident as set out in the RCMP Act. In August 2019, a new Chief Administrative Officer of the RCMP (Associate Deputy Minister) was appointed to play a lead role in the administrative management of the organization.
Other initiatives of note intended to better address emerging threats and resource pressures are, a realignment of federal policing resources and a renewed people strategy.
Considerations/Next Steps
A recent review of the entire RCMP budget focused on funding for systematic program integrity gaps, enhancements to operational and technical capabilities and transformation. Some of the pressures identified have been addressed, while others remain.
Enhancements to the RCMP’s harassment resolution process have been proposed to make it more accessible, independent and timely, to address CRCC and Fraser recommendations and to comply with amendments to the Canada Labour Code. This would require additional funding.
The pending unionization of officers — which will magnify fiscal and human resource pressures — heightens the need to modernize the RCMP. Delays in the certification of a bargaining agent have prevented the RCMP from addressing officer pay and other terms and conditions of employment, which remain frozen. The Commissioner has identified the resulting officer dissatisfaction as an obstacle to advancing transformation. The Department is working with the RCMP and Treasury Board Secretariat officials to develop a bargaining strategy that extends beyond human resource management to consider modernization, cost containment and the impact on provincial/territorial and municipal contract jurisdictions.
A separate note describes work on an examination of the sustainability of contract policing, which is also central to RCMP transformation and modernization.
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