Interim Management Board Set Up for RCMP
The Canadian government plans to appoint initial advisory board members by April 1, 2019, and will also introduce legislative changes this spring to the RCMP Act to make the board permanent.
After two independent reviews of harassment and bullying behavior within Canada's Royal Canadian Mounted Police showed the organization continues to have systemic issues, Ralph Goodale, Canada's Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, announced Jan. 16 that the government of Canada is accepting all of the recommendations made by those reviews.
He said immediate steps are being taken to establish an Interim Management Advisory Board to provide the RCMP Commissioner with expert external advice on the management and administration of the RCMP and to guide the changes required to address the recommendations.
The independent reviews of harassment within the RCMP were released in May 2017.
The most important responsibility of a government is to protect the safety and security of its citizens, Goodale said, adding that, under the leadership of its commissioner, the RCMP plays a major role in helping the government carry out its responsibility to keep Canadians safe, and a healthy work environment is paramount in enabling the RCMP to fulfill its role.
The government plans to appoint initial advisory board members by April 1, 2019, and will also introduce legislative changes this spring to the RCMP Act to make the board permanent.
"Establishing an Interim Management Advisory Board suited to the unique structure of the RCMP as a 145-year-old national policing force will provide Commissioner Lucki and the government with expert advice and support in leading the force through this period of transformation – a task the new commissioner has accepted with unwavering commitment. Maintaining a modern, healthy and inclusive workplace is not a single event; it is a process that must be relentlessly pursued," Goodale said.
RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki said the creation of the advisory board "is a critical step to help modernize our RCMP and ensure we continue to be transparent and accountable to our people and the public. The board's expertise will provide additional information for decisions to support a diverse, healthy, and effective RCMP that is trusted for our policing excellence."