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41st PARLIAMENT, 1st SESSION
EDITED HANSARD • NUMBER 148
CONTENTS
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
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OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD)
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Speaker: The Honourable Andrew Scheer
[Statements by Members]
[English]
STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS
[Statements by Members]
[English]
Sault Ste. Marie's Centennial Anniversary
[Translation]
Layoffs at Paccar
[English]
Natural Resources
Hants County Exhibition
Foreign Affairs
Riding of Edmonton--Strathcona
Citizenship and Immigration
Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal
[Translation]
2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games
[English]
[Translation]
[English]
Foreign Affairs
Canada condemns this senseless act of violence. |
On behalf of all Canadians, I offer our sincere condolences to the family and friends of those killed and wish a full recovery to the injured. |
Status of Women
Public Transit
The Environment
The Environment
Gasoline Prices
The Environment
Oral Questions
[Oral Questions]
[English]
Employment
[Translation]
[English]
[Translation]
[English]
[Translation]
The Economy
[English]
[Translation]
[English]
Foreign Investment
[Translation]
[English]
Aboriginal Affairs
[Translation]
[English]
National Defence
Employment Insurance
[Translation]
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
[English]
Housing
Public Transit
[Translation]
[English]
Gasoline Prices
[Translation]
[English]
International Trade
[Translation]
International Cooperation
[English]
[Translation]
[English]
[Translation]
Canada Revenue Agency
[English]
Pensions
Fisheries and Oceans
Asbestos
[Translation]
[English]
Justice
Canada Revenue Agency
[Translation]
Agriculture
[English]
Citizenship and Immigration
Foreign Investment
Presence in Gallery
[English]
Canada’s Olympic and Paralympic Athletes
(House in committee of the whole to recognize Canada’s 2012 Olympic Summer Games and Paralympic Games athletes, Mr. Andrew Scheer in the chair)
[Translation]
[English]
ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS
[Routine Proceedings]
[English]
Foreign Affairs
Ways and Means
That, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of the House, Ways and Means Motion No. 12, standing on the order paper, be deemed moved, the question be deemed put, and a recorded division be deemed requested and deferred to Wednesday, September 19, at the expiry of time provided for government orders. |
Petitions
[Translation]
[English]
[Translation]
[English]
Few scientific projects of any sort have had the global impact of ELA, and certainly none can match it on the basis of scientific return per dollar spent. |
[Translation]
[English]
[Translation]
[English]
[Translation]
[English]
[Translation]
[English]
Questions on the Order Paper
Motions for Papers
Request for Emergency Debate
[S. O. 52]
Government Orders
[Government Orders]
[Translation]
Enhancing Royal Canadian Mounted Police Accountability Act
[English]
It's the culture of the organization that has not kept pace...We haven't been able to change our practices and our policies, or provide systems that would permit women to thrive in the organization and contribute to policing, which they must do....I've said it publicly, and I'll say it again. I think the problem is bigger than simply the sexual harassment. It is the idea of harassment. The idea that we have a hierarchical organization overseeing men and women who have extraordinary powers in relation to their fellow citizens, which requires a fair degree of discipline. |
This enactment enhances the accountability of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police by reforming the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act in two vital areas. First, it strengthens the Royal Canadian Mounted Police review and complaints body and implements a framework to handle investigations of serious incidents involving members. Second, it modernizes discipline, grievance and human resource management processes for members, with a view to preventing, addressing and correcting performance and conduct issues in a timely and fair manner. |
It establishes a new complaints commission, the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (CRCC). Most notably, it sets out the authority for the CRCC to have broad access to information in the control or possession of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, it sets out the CRCC’s investigati2powers, it permits the CRCC to conduct joint complaint investigations with other police complaints bodies and it authorizes the CRCC to undertake policy reviews of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. |
We on this side agree that there needs to be action to strengthen the RCMP review and complaints body. The RCMP Public Complaints Commission has provided a valuable service but we have concerns about its full independence and its ability to oversee independent investigations.... |
Finally, there needs to be action in the area of modernizing discipline, grievance and human resource management processes. The minister has cited anecdotal evidence of things that take way too long and we all know that is true. However, what is lacking is clear guidance for RCMP members of what those standards are and how failure of those standards will be dealt with in a judicious and fair manner. In addition, when RCMP members have grievances they need to have the understanding that their concerns can be brought forward in a timely manner and that those grievances can be resolved and not drag on for years and years.... |
—I would stress the importance of both the independence of the RCMP from government and the independence of investigations into RCMP conduct from the government and the RCMP, and also the independence of the commissioner, who really ought to be the chair of this new civilian agency and report to Parliament rather than to the minister of the day. |
The "red serge" has been a source of national pride and is recognized around the world as a symbol of who we are and what living in Canada means. However, in the last few years, trust in the management of the RCMP has been shaken. This has had a stunning impact on the members and employees of the RCMP and on the Canadians they serve. Trust in the management of the RCMP needs to be rebuilt. |
The RCMP is arguably the most complex law enforcement agency in the world today. The RCMP provides, under contract, rural and municipal policing services in all but two provinces, in all three territories and in approximately 200 municipalities and aboriginal communities. |
There are currently over 27,000 members and employees of the RCMP comprising regular and civilian members of the Force and public servants. The approximately 17,000 regular members are trained as qualified peace officers, are entitled to wear the uniform and are entitled to carry weapons. There are also approximately 3,000 civilian members of the RCMP who are not trained as peace officers. Civilian members provide specialist support to the Force in areas such as forensic science and technology. Additionally, the RCMP employs approximately 4,700 public service employees who are not members of the Force, but who provide specialized services in key areas such as human resources and financial management. |
Legislation should be enacted by the Parliament of Canada as soon as possible to establish a Board of Management of the RCMP responsible for the stewardship of its organization and administration including the oversight of the management of its financial affairs, resources, services, property, personnel and procurement. |
Canadians understand the importance of the RCMP in both its local and its national roles. They want the Force to live up to its well-earned reputation in meeting their needs for community safety and national policing. They know, of course, that in carrying out its complex responsibilities and interacting daily with tens of thousands of Canadians, the RCMP will inevitably get some things wrong – sometimes badly so – even as it gets most things right. When it does make mistakes, they expect the Force to be accountable and to respond openly and effectively to scrutiny. If, as we fully expect, the RCMP acts decisively to improve its performance in the future, Canadians will know that it has learned from its errors as well as from its successes. |
To meet new challenges and ever-higher expectations, it is clear that the RCMP must be committed to fundamental change and must have the means to bring about that change. Everyone now understands that – the federal government; the provinces, territories and municipalities for which the RCMP delivers police services; the general public and, perhaps most importantly, the leaders of the Force itself. They also need to understand that change must become a permanent condition of the RCMP. |
Participants strongly expressed that they were fearful of coming forward to report harassment as it could hinder promotional opportunities, have a negative impact on their careers, and possibly cause them to become a scapegoat for anything supervisors wanted to fault them with. |
The Summary Report on Gender Based Harassment and Respectful Workplace Consultations decried the “significant failure to report incidents” by Mounties, adding that the lack of formal complaints has resulted in “pent up” frustrations in the force. |
Seven allegations of disgraceful conduct were established against the member.... The board considered both dismissal and a considerable demotion but paid great deference to a joint submission and imposed a sanction consisting of a reprimand, the forfeiture of 10 days' pay, a demotion from the rank of Staff Sergeant to Sergeant, a recommendation for transfer, and a recommendation for continued counseling. |
The seven incidents of misconduct describe a disturbing pattern of activity covering a period of years, involving inappropriate behaviour affecting a number of women who, in one way or another, were directly involved with [the staff sergeant] in his capacity. |
Victim Impact Statements were particularly troubling, revealing wounds which on a personal and an institutional level will require some time and attention to heal. It will take considerable effort to rebuild the damaged trust in our organization, and the Board can only hope that its decision in this matter will prove to be an important step along that path. |
The board recommends a transfer to a suitable position. In the Board's opinion, such a position should ideally be one which removes this member from working in the direct vicinity of the complainants and takes into account the potential (albeit limited, given the expert evidence) risk to other employees. |
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[English]
[Translation]
[English]
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[English]
[Translation]
[English]
It's the culture of the organization that has not kept pace. ... We haven't been able to change our practices and our policies, or provide systems that would permit women to thrive in the organization and contribute to policing, which they must do. ... I've said it publicly, and I'll say it again. I think the problem is bigger than simply the sexual harassment. It is the idea of harassment. |
Increasing Offenders' Accountability for Victims Act
[Translation]
Ways and Means
(Division No. 456)
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[English]
Enhancing Royal Canadian Mounted Police Accountability Act
(Division No. 457)
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(Bill read the second time and referred to a committee)
Private Members' Business
[Private Members' Business]
[English]
National Public Transit Strategy Act
(Division No. 458)
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[Translation]
Children's Health
[English]
Routine Proceedings
[Routine Proceedings]
[English]
Committees of the House
(Division No. 459)
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Private Members' Business
[Private Members' Business]
[Translation]
Canada National Parks Act
[English]
(Division No. 460)
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Preventing Persons from Concealing Their Identity during Riots and Unlawful Assemblies Act
(Division No. 461)
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Corrections and Conditional Release Act
[Translation]
[English]
Motion No. 1 |
That Bill C-350, in Clause 2, be amended by replacing line 0 on page 0 to line 6 on page 2 with the following: |
“result of an order for maintenance, alimony or family financial support” |
[Translation]
Motion No. 2 |
That Bill C-350, in Clause 2, be amended by replacing lines 6 and 7 on page 2 with the following: |
“result of an order made by a court of competent jurisdiction requiring the payment of support in respect of a child, spouse or person who cohabited with the offender in a conjugal relationship for a period of at least one year;” |
[English]
[Translation]
That Bill C-350, in Clause 2, be amended by replacing lines 6 and 7 on page 2 with the following: “result of an order made by a court of competent jurisdiction requiring the payment of support in respect of a child, spouse or person who cohabited with the offender in a conjugal relationship for a period of at least one year;” |
[English]
[Translation]