Looking ahead to RCMP reform

Alistair MacGregor is the MP for Cowichan-Malahat-Langford and the federal NDP’s Critic for Public Safety, Critic for Agriculture and Food and Deputy Critic for Justice.

In my new role as the federal NDP’s Critic for Public Safety, a big goal of mine this year is to push the Liberal minority government and Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino to commit to serious and systemic reform of our national police force, the RCMP.

I want to acknowledge the important role that RCMP members play in our communities. As first responders, they show an incredible dedication to keeping our community safe and are often having to make incredibly difficult decisions in very trying circumstances.

There are, however, problems with the force, which have played out in numerous violent interactions with Indigenous people and in how complaints against RCMP actions are handled and followed up on. As an example, we need look no further than the current standoff in Wet’suwet’en territory in northern BC over the Coastal GasLink pipeline to see a militarized police response cracking down on Indigenous land defenders in a dispute that has caused serious divides within the larger community.

These systemic problems were detailed in a comprehensive report by the House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security, entitled “Systemic Racism in Policing in Canada.” Among the 42 recommendations made in that report were calls for a legislative overhaul of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act, including better civilian oversight, a more robust, better resourced, and accountable complaints process, and the transition away from a paramilitary force.

As the 2022 parliamentary year kicks off in earnest this month, I’ll be pressing Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino to honour the recommendations of this report, which were based on the testimony of 53 witnesses over 19 meetings.

The sad reality is that too many Indigenous, Black, and other racialized people in Canada are subject to discrimination and systemic racism at that hands of police. A transformative federal effort is needed to address this injustice, restore trust, and to ensure that accountability, oversight, and transparency are entrenched in our national police force. If the Liberals can find the courage to begin

Help Fight Child Hunger in our Community

WWW.NOURISHCOWICHAN.CA I 250 597-7760

Client Centred, Client Focused FAIZAL CHARANIA

Licensed Real Estate Consultant

RE/MAX of Duncan - Mill Bay 472 Trans Canada Highway Offi ce: 250.748.7200 www.faizal.charania.remax.ca • Residential • Agri Business • Strata I mobile (250) 732.5250

this reform process, we will ensure that all Canadians can equally benefit from professional, respectful, and representative police services.