Question Period Note: Focus on Federal Policing Mandate

• Several reports and inquiries have identified critical challenges and made a number of recommendations with respect to reforms that the RCMP should undertake, including with respect to RCMP Federal Policing (FP). As a result, the Government of Canada has committed to augmenting RCMP federal policing training and capacity to tackle drugs and human trafficking, foreign interference, cybercrime, and the organized criminal gangs that steal cars.

• The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is a world-class policing service with dedicated employees working to keep Canadians safe in a complex world.

• The RCMP has a broad and complex mandate, which includes a unique responsibility for addressing the highest-level threats to Canada’s democratic institutions, as well as our national and economic security.

• Given the growing complexity of today’s threat landscape, is it more evident than ever that Canada requires a strengthened federal policing presence capable of addressing the most serious threats to the nation’s interests.

• Our Government is committed to ensuring that the RCMP is positioned to keep Canadians safe and secure in this rapidly evolving threat environment.

Information to support statements made in the Key Messages
• The scope, scale, and complexity of the 21st threat landscape has increased with the digitization of society and the transnational nature of crime. As Canada’s national police service, the RCMP is uniquely positioned to investigate significant criminal threats across jurisdictions, and collaborate with domestic and international law enforcement partners to mitigate these threats. The RCMP's FP mandate plays a crucial role in investigating and disrupting serious threats to Canada, such as national security, cybercrime, and organized crime. As such, it is playing a larger role in the face of a rapidly evolving threat environment that increasingly targets Canadian critical infrastructure and economic and national security.

• Several external and internal reports and inquiries have identified critical challenges facing the RCMP including the breadth of the RCMP mandate, and its ability to balance its contract policing obligations, which have shaped the organizations structure, governance, finances, and human resource and training models, with its FP remit. The RCMP has launched reform efforts in response to these reports and continues to adapt to the evolving threat environment. However, more work is required to support the RCMP in meeting the challenges it faces, and given an imminent, impending threat landscape, the scale of investment and scope of authority needed to effect meaningful change exceeds the ability of the RCMP alone.

• Prior to his departure former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau released a White Paper entitled “A New Policing Vision For Canada: Modernizing the RCMP” that suggested refocusing the RCMPs mandate on federal policing and working with provinces and territories that contract RCMP services to transition away from RCMP services. Previously, the Government of Canada had signaled to contract jurisdictions that it would work with them on an approach to the renegotiations of the agreements and ensure the proper path forward to support them in their needs and priorities when it comes to policing in their jurisdiction today and beyond 2032.

• While the newly elected Government of Canada has not made any decision yet related to the future of contract policing, there were commitments in its platform related to the RCMP, including:
o recruit 1,000 more RCMP personnel to tackle drug and human trafficking, foreign interference, cybercrime, and the organized criminal gangs that steal cars, and
o creating a new RCMP academy; and increasing pay for cadet recruits.

If Pressed
Q1- White Paper entitled “A New Policing Vision For Canada: Modernizing the RCMP” released by Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
• As Prime Minister Carney stated previously the White Paper released by former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau represents a discussion document which is meant to stimulate discussion and debate.

• Our Government will take the time necessary to assess the state of policing in Canada before making decisions with respect to RCMP policing services and mandates.

Q2- Contract Policing
• The current contracts between Canada, provinces, territories and municipalities are in place until March 31, 2032.

• The 2012 contracts are 20 year agreements and it will be important that we take the time necessary to consider the breadth of issues that will inform the future of Contract Policing.

• We are committed to working with provinces and territories in recognition of their important role and responsibility for policing in their jurisdictions to gather information and have the necessary discussions in advance of making a timely decision on the way forward.

Q3- Police Service Transitions
• The Government of Canada respects the authority of provinces, territories and municipalities to determine which policing models best reflect local needs and priorities.

• Canada is currently working closely with two municipalities to transition away from RCMP policing services to establish their own independent municipal policing services – Surrey, British Columbia, and Grande Prairie, Alberta.

• The Government is committed to working closely with jurisdictions to manage these complex transitions in an effective and efficient manner to ensure seamless handovers that maintain public and officer safety.