Commissioner's mandate letter
Brenda Lucki, Commissioner
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
RCMP National Headquarters
73 Leikin Drive
Ottawa ON K1A 0R2
Dear Commissioner Lucki:
Congratulations on your appointment as the 24th Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). As Commissioner, you have a key role in ensuring that the RCMP are keeping Canadians safe, and safeguarding Canadians' rights and freedoms in an open, inclusive, and democratic society. Canadians deserve a police service which reflects our shared values and the diversity of Canada, from coast to coast to coast. In May 1873, the Parliament of Canada established the RCMP and Canadians are proud to celebrate this 145 year history. You will be building on the existing strengths of the RCMP and its members and employees; you will be leading a world-class organization, unlike any other.
Open and Accountable Government (2015) recognizes that the integrity and coherence of government activities depend strongly upon Ministers' ability to coordinate their respective portfolios in an integrated way while respecting any necessary operational independence. Section 5(1) of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act provides that, under the direction of the Minister, the Commissioner has the control and management of the RCMP and all matters connected to the Force. I want to be clear that the Government of Canada recognizes and respects that police independence underpins the rule of law and ministerial direction cannot infringe on the independence of the RCMP in the exercise of police powers in criminal investigations. In exercising the authorities conferred upon me in the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Act, section 5, I will rely on your advice and input to help me establish strategic priorities for the RCMP and to anticipate and manage issues that affect public safety or the soundness of the organization.
In leading one of Canada's oldest and most prestigious institutions, your role will be to reinforce the very best of the RCMP and to support the organization through a period of transformation to modernize and reform the RCMP's culture. This transformation includes continuing to ensure the health and safety of RCMP employees and members are protected, including from harassment and violence in the workplace, and enhancing its role in reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. Ultimately, these actions will bolster the efficacy, the credibility and the trust upon which the RCMP's authority depends.
I have great confidence in your ability to lead the RCMP through a transformation of its culture and management practices. Innovative governance is an enabler of cultural change and I look forward to hearing your views on ways to enhance the RCMP's internal and external governance structures and practices. You will want to ensure that the RCMP is well managed and that it efficiently and effectively delivers policing services based on appropriate priorities while keeping Canadians safe and protecting their civil liberties.
In support of culture change, you will need to prioritize that the RCMP is free from bullying, harassment, and sexual violence, including a comprehensive response to the underlying issues identified in recent reviews undertaken by the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP and Sheila Fraser. Part of that work will also be leading the organization through the unionization of regular members and reservists and engaging constructively with a new bargaining agent.
A priority will also be to implement measures that address mental health and wellness across the RCMP, including the issues identified in the 2017 Spring Report from the Auditor General of Canada on Mental Health support for employees.
I know you will continue to act and lead the RCMP in a manner that supports our continued efforts for a renewed, nation-to-nation relationship with Indigenous Peoples, based on recognition of rights, respect, co-operation, and partnership given the current and historical experiences of Indigenous Canadians with policing and the justice system.
I would encourage you to foster a collaborative and cooperative working relationship with all stakeholders and partners including the RCMP's civilian review bodies, the new National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians and other national security review bodies, Public Safety Portfolio agencies, and other federal departments and agencies.
It is important that Canadians see themselves reflected in the people that police them. To that end, I would encourage you to ensure that the RCMP is representative of Canada's diverse population, including gender parity, and that women, Indigenous Peoples and minority groups are better reflected in positions of leadership.
The presence of the RCMP in our communities is a vital component of both our public safety and our national security. At its best, the RCMP embodies what Canada and Canadians aspire to be: upstanding, loyal and committed to the pursuit of justice.
The RCMP must be a modern organization that reflects Canadian values and culture, and has the trust, confidence and the enthusiastic support of the people they serve.
As a proven leader with almost 32 years of service in the RCMP, there is no question you are equipped to keep our communities safe and secure and to transform and modernize the RCMP. As the Commanding Officer of Depot, your commitment to ensuring cadets receive the best possible training – including on diversity, inclusion and a respectful workplace – and your work to improve the relationship between Indigenous communities and the RCMP in northern Manitoba are important building blocks upon which to strengthen the foundation and set a new course for the RCMP.
Know that you have my support to advance measures to address your key mandate priorities and I look forward to a productive and collaborative working relationship.
Yours sincerely,
The Honourable Ralph Goodale, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
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