December 14, 2007
Task Force Report
Statement from Minister Day
Good afternoon.
I would like to take this opportunity to share some initial thoughts about the report issued today by the Task Force on Governance and Cultural Change in the RCMP.
First allow me to commend the members of the Task Force and their staff for their diligence and professionalism.
I also want to thank them for being so inclusive. Members of the Task Force went to extraordinary lengths, traveling to every province and territory, to hear directly from a broad cross-section of employees, both police officers and civilians.
In all, more than two thousand RCMP employees provided input to the Task Force. The employees met with the Task Force at town halls and in detachments large and small and they sent input via e-mail.
All of our employees who worked to support the Task Force should also be commended for their commitment and constructive approach. This is a credit to the individuals involved and to the RCMP as a whole.
As the report notes, "the force, the management and its people could not have been more helpful."
Of course, the RCMP was only one source of information for the independent Task Force, which sought advice from a number of academics and subject matter experts.
I appreciate the fact that the Task Force also met with a number of our provincial and municipal partners, along with representatives of other federal government departments and agencies.
Mr. Brown and his colleagues did a commendable job of taking such an enormous volume of material and distilling it into a relevant and readable document.
I hope our employees are encouraged - as I am - by the report’s positive observations about the quality of our men and women. This reinforces what I have seen myself since becoming Commissioner a few months ago.
The Task Force was appointed the same day I became Commissioner, on July 16. Since that day, I have traveled across the country and have met with employees in detachments large and small, in divisional headquarters and, in laboratories and offices. I have also met with many of our partners and stakeholders.
Consequently, I am not surprised today by the observations the Task Force has made in its report, because I have seen and heard many of the same things in my travels.
There are no doubt many significant issues reflected in the report. However, I continue to be impressed and inspired by the dedication, competence, and overriding commitment of our employees to do what is right for the communities we serve.
I am obviously not in a position today to provide specific comments on the report or its recommendations.
But I have read enough to know that it is an important document that will serve as one of the key drivers of change going forward.
The report is, I believe, an important turning point. I would not, however, say it is the starting point of real and significant change in the RCMP. There have already been, and there will be further changes, including in the senior leadership of the RCMP.
And we have been working, not only in support of the Task Force, but on a number of other very significant issues.
Let me be clear. There is simply no other option. The RCMP must change.
And we must change in significant, relevant and meaningful ways to address the problems described in the Task Force report.
I have no doubt that this report will contribute greatly to what I see as a journey of renewal.
Renewal as it relates to the urgent need to address a wide range of issues including management accountability at all levels, internal discipline, disclosure, ethics, and independent oversight and review.
I need not elaborate on these issues, as they are thoroughly canvassed in the Task Force report, and have been the focus of much public debate.
But it is clear that renewal is going to mean new approaches, new processes, and new policies.
Our renewal effort must fix administrative, financial and human resources practices that simply do not support our employees as they should.
In tackling these changes our objective must be to strengthen public trust in the RCMP. We cannot provide effective policing services without the support of the communities we serve.
I have been very encouraged by the strong support we receive every day at the community level. In spite of all the negative headlines, the vast majority of Canadians that I speak to, remain confident in our ability to keep their communities and neighborhoods safe.
We cannot take this for granted.
Trust is the cornerstone of our relationships with Canadians.
The men and women of the RCMP serving on the frontlines, have built that trust over 134 years of sacrifice and public service.
As Commissioner, I agree with the Task Force about the need to create a modern workplace that supports, encourages, and nurtures our employees.
If we are to properly serve Canadians, then we must make every effort to create the best possible working environment for our own people.
I see that as one of my top priorities going forward and I am fully committed to making whatever changes are necessary to achieve that goal.
Let me conclude by acknowledging that these are difficult and challenging times for the RCMP, for the women and men who serve Canadians in literally every corner of the country and in fact, around the world.
We are proud people, proud of the organization, and proud of the work we do.
We are stewards of a legacy built by thousands of dedicated men and women who have served before us.
And all of us are painfully aware that urgent change is needed.
On August 10, 2007, at the official ceremony marking the Change of Command of the RCMP from Commissioner Busson to me, I said, “… throughout the long and proud history of the RCMP, dating back to the very early beginnings of our great country, men and women have served Canada as members and employees of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police with pride and distinction.
We must strive always to honour their dedication, their sacrifices and their service. We must build on our strengths, recognize and address our weaknesses, and live up to the highest standards that we set for ourselves and that Canadians rightly expect of us.”
The RCMP clearly has significant weaknesses, as the report highlights. We must address them and we will address them. We must, however, not let them blind us to our many strengths, including the fact that our employees are highly committed, highly professional people who deal with difficult situations every day.
The changes that we will see in the coming weeks, months and even years, will help our organization become better at what we do - to be more responsive to the citizens we serve, and more responsive to the needs of our own employees.
I also recognize that it is up to me and the leadership of the RCMP to SHOW the way. Not simply by what we say, but by what we do and how we do it.
One thing is certain: the status quo is not an option. We have no choice but to move forward with substantial change while, at the same time, staying true to the principles and values on which the long and proud history of the RCMP is built.
Thank you.
