News

A public inquiry into the 2020 mass shooting in Nova Scotia heard Wednesday from a former assistant commissioner of the RCMP who said the police force has a long history of ignoring calls for change.

Since the new collective bargaining agreement between the National Police Federation, which represents 20,000 RCMP officers, and the federal government was announced August 2021 it has become become another uncertain cost for municipalities across the country.

Municipalities across the country could soon face increased taxes or loss of services to cover retroactive costs to the RCMP.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, the cost for RCMP jumped to $92 million in the current budget, an increase of about $17 million over the previous year.

Representatives from a number of southern Alberta communities that rely on the RCMP for policing are concerned about the costs that could be dropped onto taxpayers as a result of a new labour deal for officers.

Grande Prairie will be exploring the possibility of creating its own municipal police service.

The mayor of Plaster Rock says communities like his deserve more information about the level of service they're getting from the RCMP.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, under fire for its response to recent mass killings, is facing calls for a shake-up.

A lawyer for the family of the last person killed in the Nova Scotia mass shooting says it seems the "petty feud" between RCMP and municipal forces impacted how the tragedy unfolded, and how many lives were lost.

A retired Ontario Mountie with 36 years of service believes Alberta will benefit from a provincial police service and the RCMP should focus on national obligations.

Mayor Tanya Thorn says the federal government should pay the retroactive pay increases for RCMP

A new RCMP contract has meant big dollars owed officers for back pay.

Halifax RCMP members within the criminal investigation division work alongside Halifax Regional Police officers in an integrated model, but long-standing issues with this arrangement have surfaced during the N.S. shooting inquiry.

Nova Scotia's justice minister isn't buying assertions by senior Mounties at the inquiry into the 2020 mass shooting that his province chronically underfunds the RCMP for policing services.

Op-ed by Richard Fadden

A senior Mountie who investigated the 2020 mass shooting in Nova Scotia RCMP told a public inquiry on Tuesday that the federal police force suffers chronic staffing shortages in its rural detachments.

An all-party legislative committee reviewing the Police Act recommended switching to a provincial police service

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says he wants the province to be a "nation within a nation" by increasing its autonomy in several areas, including policing, taxation and immigration.

'Our people lived for generations without RCMP,' says K'asho Got'ine self-government negotiator

Public Safety is reviewing the RCMP's role in regional and municipal policing.

Op-ed by Wally Oppal

A parliamentary committee will consider allegations that the government interfered in the investigation of the deadliest shooting in Canadian history.

The federal government should look at ending contract policing within the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, fundamentally changing the national police service, says a landmark report by MPs.

The province has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Siksika First Nation that states the two sides will try to create a new police service.

“I think we’re witnessing the beginning of the end of the RCMP in Nova Scotia”

Justice Minister Mark Furey has called for the review in light of RCMP contract costs

Brad Johns says he's 'very comfortable' with current level of policing in province

Justice Department says 5 municipal units have begun formal reviews of their policing models

More than $20 million in increased policing costs contained in Nova Scotia's spring budget will be passed down to cash-strapped municipalities that contract the RCMP

Federation president says municipalities don't want to compromise safety but struggle to adapt to new costs

Mayor Murray Scott, a former police officer, says a number of officers are on leave or have transferred

Ted Flemming says New Brunswick closely watching Alberta as it studies dropping RCMP

Building's size an issue amid discussions of future of RCMP in province

Moncton council has voted unanimously to hire an expert to review policing services and the future of Codiac RCMP.

RCMP police 8 provinces, 3 territories, more than 150 municipalities through contract policing agreements

Letter says Mountie HQ wasn’t told of problems before cabinet minister Ted Flemming triggered removal

First collective agreement between federal government, National Police Federation signed this month

Village residents say RCMP take too long to respond to calls or don't respond at all

The union of municipalities of New Brunswick says crime and policing are one of the top issues it deals with.

Several of Saskatchewan’s public safety agencies have been united under a single organizational structure.

The tragic events in Nova Scotia and subsequent response once again confirm that the national RCMP culture, structure and systems of organization are long overdue for restructuring.

The force’s mandate is simply too broad. The Senate is well-placed to perform a root-and-branch review of the Mounties’ mixed federal-provincial role.

Report also recommends empowering the RCMP's watchdog

Union representing 20,000 Mounties says it welcomes any review

The RCMP mandate is so vast, diverse and complex that the only thing that unites it as an institution is the musical ride and the Mountie uniform.

What happened to civilian oversight of the RCMP

The mystique that has helped cement the RCMP as a national symbol is also what renders it particularly, stubbornly difficult to reform

“This is a question of governance. The RCMP are controlled from Ottawa. The province needs a police force that is governed locally."

B.C. Provincial Police was absorbed by the RCMP in 1950, after 92 years

RCMP won't speculate on next steps until after reviewing report: province's commanding officer

“This is a question of governance. The RCMP are controlled from Ottawa. The province needs a police force that is governed locally."

Committee wants mental health supports as part of 9-1-1