Canadian Political Musings

Not for one moment did I think Prime Minister Harper and Minister Day would ever consider an outsider for the Commissioner's job in the RCMP, let alone one who has no police experience. Nonetheless, a gutsy "outside the box" move. Probably among the few good decisions this government has made during its short controversial existence. Hopefully, history will agree.

However, Commissioner Elliot (the very utterance of the words must make RCMP management seethe with white foam) will, to a large degree, require the cooperation of management. So far, high ranking officers have expressed their approval in guarded politically correct phrases, while rank and file members seem to be accepting Commissioner Elliot's appointment.

Prime Minister Harper has delivered the RCMP a hard pill large enough to choke a horse. Let's see if the RCMP has the spurs to swallow it.

Labels: accountability, Conservatives, Harper, RCMP, Stockwell Day

Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day has this notion that a closed Task Force will fix all that ails the RCMP. Of course anyone involved in policing knows that couldn't be further from the truth. Three key events must occur before the RCMP can regain the public's trust and restore its members' faith in the organization.

First, there needs to be a Public Inquiry. David Brown's investigation, as good as it was, reveals only the tip of the iceberg. All the problems and issues need to be identified.

Second, in light of Brown's devastating report, the next Commissioner has to be be an external candidate. An internal candidate would equal the "status quo". External candidates are the norm in provincial, regional and municipal police forces and there is absolutely no reason why an external candidate could not lead the RCMP.

Once the issues are identified and an external Commissioner is named, then the Task Force can begin its' work.

Third, the RCMP needs to pull out of provincial and municipal contracts. By doing so they will have the necessary and adequate resources to focus on big ticket national issues such as terrorism, organized crime, market enforcement, and child exploitation to mention a few.

Only then will the RCMP become a truly national police force backed by public trust and the confidence of its members.

Labels: David Brown, Public Inquiry, RCMP

In face of all the past evidence of incompetence, lack of leadership, unethical behaviour, and wrongdoing within the RCMP and now David Brown's scathing report, how can Stockwell Day continue to maintain that the RCMP is the best police force in the world? If Stockwell Day believes the RCMP is representative of the "best", what does that say in his mind about the rest of Canada's police forces?

Labels: ethics, RCMP, Stockwell Day

Not surprisingly, Conservative MP's including the Minister of Public Safety, have placed the blame for the RCMP pension scandal on the previous Liberal government. For the Conservatives to blame the previous Liberal government is symptomatic of incurable political diarrhea.

RCMP ineptness and corruption has transcended numerous governments including the "New Government", Liberals, Progressive Conservatives, and beyond. The pension fiasco is but one of a myriad of scandals plaguing this organization over the past few decades.

Despite being aware of the pension file in September 2006, Minister Day chose to remain silent and inactive. Why should he do otherwise? After all, the RCMP handed the Conservatives their election victory nine months earlier.

The RCMP has never been accountable to the public. Politicians don't have the backbone to hold them accountable. And, the only reason Minister Day has taken any action at all is because several RCMP officers had the courage to testify before the Public Accounts Committee. Had it not been for them, Minister Day would have sat on his hands like his predecessors.

Now, we wait to see who the Minister appoints to investigate this mess and whether or not the results of that investigation will ever see the light of day.

Labels: accountability, RCMP, Stockwell Day

The Investigative Hearing provisions under Part II.1 of the Criminal Code are central to the success of any police force, in particular the RCMP, in preempting a terrorist attack. However, recent antics in Parliament [precipitated by a Vancouver Sun newspaper article] cast a dark shadow over some of the provisions of Part II.1.

The Vancouver Sun identified Darshan Singh Saini as being on a list of potential witnesses for the Investigative Hearing into the Air India case. He is MP Navidner Bains' father-in -law. The article was followed by Prime Minister Harper's deliberate attempt to smear MP Navinder Bains and his family's reputation for political gain.

Political gain at the expense of someones reputation was not the reason why Part II.1 was created. For that reason, perhaps it's time for the sun to set on the Investigative Hearing provisions.

Source: Kim Bolan - Vancouver Sun, February 21, 2007 and Hansard

Labels: Air India Inquiry, Harper, RCMP

So, the RCMP and CSIS refuse to hand over many of their documents to the Air India Inquiry for reasons of national security.

National security? Whatever national security issues remain today after more than 20 years since this terrorist attack likely pale in comparison to the victims' need for answers.

The overriding motive for the RCMP and CSIS to thwart this public inquiry will be found in their desire to avoid public embarrassment for their own failures.

Labels: Air India Inquiry, CSIS, RCMP

Surely, opposition parties can come up with better reasons than Afghanistan to bring down the government. A better target would be the Conservative's perfunctory and trifling environment policies. But, to help staveoff any premature non confidence vote and to give his government a bit of a face lift, Harper will reshuffle his Cabinet before Parliament reconvenes onJanuary 29.

My cabinet minister disappear wish list includes:

1. Beat it Rona Ambrose, Minister of Environment, your services or lack thereof, are no longer required.

2. Begone bedazzled Stockwell Day, Minister and master of the RCMP.

3. Au revoir Lawerence Canon, Minister of Transport, for not comprehending the meaning of the word Québécois and the whole notion of the motion.

4. Hit the road Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign and immature domestic Affairs.

5. "Get a kick" Jim Flaherty, Minister of flatulent Finance (not likely a strong candidate for getting the boot as Jim is deep in the PM's favour).

Unfortunately for us, the PM has a shallow talent pool in the current cabinet and even less talent from which to select his replacements.

Labels: environment, foreign affairs, general politics, Québécois, RCMP

Following RCMP Commissioner's Zaccardelli's ignominious appearence before the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security this past Wedesday, his boss, Stockwell Day appeared yesterday to give his testimony about the Zaccardelli affair. He also appeared in a couple of media interviews later in the day.

In each of the appearances Stockwell Day was sporting a massive RCMP lapel pin on his suit. At first, I thought it was an RCMP hat badge. How tacky and inappropriate! Who's the boss of who?

Stockwell Day is soliciting suggestions from MP's of all parties on how to best de-politicize the RCMP. For starters, ditch the lapel pin.

Labels: RCMP, Stockwell Day

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security gave RCMP Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli the kiss of death today with their overwhelming dissatification of Zaccardelli's explanation for his recanted testimony with respect to the Arar case.

The Commissioner's back peddling was variously described by committee members as perjury, incompetent, or incredulous. Outside the committee, ex-Commissioner for Public Complaints Against the RCMP, Shirley Heafey referred to Zaccardelli as a "walking disaster" for the past six years.

Commissioner Zaccardelli now has the option to immediately retire from the RCMP or be fired. There are no other alternatives. He has lost, not just the confidence of the Standing Committee, but that of the Canadian public. However, in Zaccarelli's defence, those in the RCMP who knew of the facts surrounding the Arar case and chose not to fully inform the Commissioner, should also be fired.

A Commissioner of the RCMP must be ethical, demonstrate integrity, and uphold the reputation of the RCMP. Commissioner Zaccardelli has failed on all three counts and must go sooner than later. How he wishes to leave the RCMP is his decision.

Labels: accountability, ethics, RCMP