RCMP union calls for clarity amid questions about future of force

CITYnews halifax\ By Cormac Mac Sweeney and Hana Mae Nassar

The head of Canada’s RCMP union is calling for clarity from the federal government after reports the role of the force could be changing.

National Police Federation President and cofounder Brian Sauvé says his members deserve respect and certainty about their future

“The ongoing speculation and vague language from government representatives, the media, and pundits is demoralizing to our members whose careers, lives, and even families have been built around service to their communities large and small,” he said.

“Our members are not pawns — they are people and proud Canadians who care deeply about their jobs, their families, and their communities. They deserve respect and certainty in their future.”

The Star reports there are ongoing talks between federal and provincial governments about changing the nature of the RCMP.

According to reports, the political discussions centre around eliminating many of the front-line policing duties of the RCMP, and having the force focus more on national security, terrorism, cybercrime, and organized crime.

“We already are the FBI of the north. We’re actually the FBI, the DEA, the ATF, Homeland Security, as well as the U.S. Marshalls and the Secret Service,” Sauvé explained.

Most provinces have contracts with the federal government to use the RCMP in areas where there are no local police.

Just last week, Canada’s premiers called on the federal government to take a clear stand on the future of the Mounties.

They cited vacancies within the RCMP as one of their concerns.

“We don’t see a clear path from the federal government about filling those vacancies,” B.C. Premier David Eby said Wednesday, July 12.

“We have officers that have to work extended shifts, that are increasingly strained and stressed and then going off on leave, making the problem worse.”

Eby and his counterparts have questioned whether the ongoing vacancies hint that the force doesn’t have a long-term future.

“There’s a clear direction from the prime minister to his public safety minister to start the conversation with premiers. The contract as a whole is up in the early 2030s and we need to know which direction the federal government is going with contract policing because the current situation is not sustainable for British Columbia,” Eby said.