Terms of Reference: Selection Committee for the Position of Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Mandate

On February 25, 2016, the Government of Canada announced a new, more rigorous approach to Governor in Council appointments, which supports open, transparent and merit-based selection processes that are open to all Canadians.  To this end, selection committees are established to assess and recommend candidates for appointment to various Governor in Council positions.

We know that our country is stronger – and our government more effective – when decision-makers reflect Canada’s diversity. Moving forward, the Government of Canada will use an appointment process that strives for gender parity, and ensures that Indigenous Canadians and minority groups are properly represented in positions of leadership. We will continue to search for Canadians who reflect the values that we all embrace: inclusion, honesty, fiscal prudence, and generosity of spirit. Together, we will build a government as diverse as Canada.

The Selection Committee for the position of Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is an independent, non-partisan body whose mandate is to provide recommendations to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness on a list of highly qualified candidates for this position.  

Composition of the Selection Committee

The Committee consists of officials from within and outside the federal public service, for a total of up to ten members. Members serve in their own right and not as representatives or delegates of their host organization. Consequently, substitutes will not be accepted.

The Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness has appointed a member to serve as Chair and one to serve as Vice-Chair of the Committee. The Chair serves as the Committee’s spokesperson. The Vice-Chair may serve in the capacity of Chair, in the event of absence or incapacity of the Chair.

Conflict of Interest

Any member participating in the Selection Committee, in his or her own personal capacity, agrees for the duration of his or her term as member of the Committee not to:

• Participate in any contractual process, competitive or otherwise, involving Public Safety Canada or any of the Portfolio agencies;
• Apply for or accept receipt of any monies obtained through a Grant or Contribution Agreement involving Public Safety Canada or any of the Portfolio agencies; or,
• Engage directly or indirectly in any lobbying activities or work as a lobbyist in any capacity on behalf of any entity making submissions or representation to the Government of Canada.

The members of the Selection Committee must declare any direct or indirect personal interest or professional or business relationship in relation to any candidate if such an interest or relationship could reasonably be considered to represent an actual, potential or perceived conflict of interest.

If such a declaration is made, the Selection Committee must decide, having regard to the nature of the relationship, if the member must withdraw from any deliberation about the candidate.

If the Selection Committee decides that the member must withdraw from any deliberations in relation to a candidate, those deliberations will be undertaken by the remaining members of the Selection Committee.

Terms of Appointment

Under the authority provided for in section 6 of the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Act, the Minister is empowered to create committees and provide for their membership, duties, functions, and operation. These committees serve at the Minister’s pleasure and the Minister may at any time:

• extend the service of members of a committee;
• appoint new members to the committee;
• remove members from the committee; or 
• disband a committee.

Each of the Selection Committee members was appointed by the Minister and will serve on the Committee at the Minister’s pleasure until the selection process for qualified candidates is completed and a recommendation is made to the Minister. To enhance the effectiveness of their work, all members from outside the federal public service underwent a background check as part of a pre-appointment due diligence process.

Recommendations

In accordance with the terms of this mandate, the Chair of the Committee must provide to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, for his consideration and within the time period set by the Minister upon the convening of the Committee, a list of three to five highly qualified candidates for the position of Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.  The Minister may take into consideration some or all identified candidates.

Recommendation Process

The members of the Selection Committee must:

• Observe the highest standards of impartiality, integrity and objectivity in their consideration of all potential candidates;
• Meet at appropriate intervals to engage in deliberations;
• Apply fairly and with consistency the criteria provided in the Notice of Opportunity in assessing whether potential candidates meet the qualifications for appointment to Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police;
• Conduct interviews to assess whether potential candidates meet the knowledge, skills, and ability qualifications for appointment to Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police; and,
• In establishing a list of qualified candidates, seek to support the Government of Canada’s commitments to gender parity and representativeness of diversity, while respecting the values of openness and inclusion that underpin the Government’s new policy approach for Governor in Council appointments.

All personal information provided, and deliberations of the Selection Committee are confidential and must be treated in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act.

The members of the Selection Committee must maintain as confidential any information brought before them in the conduct of their work.

Members of the Selection Committee were required to sign a confidentiality agreement as a precondition of their appointment.

Support

The Selection Committee is to be supported by Public Safety Canada for matters pertaining to reimbursement of expenses.  The Committee will also be supported by the Privy Council Office during deliberations with a member of the Senior Personnel Secretariat acting as ex officio secretary to the Selection Committee.

Location and Frequency of Meetings

Deliberations are held in Ottawa or as decided by the Chair of the Committee. The frequency of meetings is determined by the Chair.

Members have access to teleconference services to facilitate their planning and deliberations.

Agendas and Materials

Meeting agendas, and any required documentation, are distributed to members at least five business days prior to deliberations.

All documentation is available in both official languages and all members are invited to express themselves in the official language of their choice.

Communications

In order to allow for frank and open discussion of important issues, there will be no public communication regarding deliberations of the Committee. No member, other than the Chair or Vice-Chair when acting in the Chair’s capacity, may speak to the media on behalf of the Committee.

Reimbursement

Committee members are entitled to reimbursement for reasonable travel expenses in accordance with Treasury Board policy. Expenses were listed in the Letter of Agreement sent to members.

Members are not remunerated for services rendered.

Ce document d’information est aussi disponible en français.