PACP Committee Report

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(g), the New Democratic Party caucus on the Standing Committee on Public Accounts has the honour to present the

NDP Supplementary Opinion to the 2^nd REPORT

1. The New Democratic Party has considered the Standing Committee’s 2^nd Report  on Chapter 9 of the November 2006 Report of the Auditor General of Canada (Pension and Insurance Administration – Royal Canadian Mounted Police) and supports the findings and recommendations of the Report.
   


2. However, the New Democratic Party believes the Committee’s Report is insufficient with regard to two areas: the need for a Commission of Inquiry under the Public Inquiries Act and the benefits to Canada if RCMP officers had access to a union.
   


3. With regard to a Public Inquiry, the NDP firmly believes that there has not yet been a full accounting of all of the elements of the administrative and legal issues surrounding this case. The Committee, for example, because of the constraints of time, the Committee structure and other resources, felt that it was unable to get to the bottom of issues such as problems within the RCMP Access to Information office; the role of various contractors and consultants in the cover-up; the role of the former Commissioner of the RCMP, etc.
   


4. Similarly, the limited terms of reference of the Government-appointed ad hoc Investigator, Mr. Brown, (who’s work was done behind closed doors and without public scrutiny) prevented him from resolving these issues; the RCMP itself has been prevented from investigating these matters because testimony before the Committee is unavailable to them; and other police investigations were halted before they were able to succeed – a matter which itself demands further consideration.
   


5. In order to resolve these matters and help reinstate Canadians’ faith in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police – one of our most cherished national symbols and a force steeped in history and professional pride – a full and public investigation must be carried out. This is consistent with the motion put forward by NDP Member of Parliament David Christopherson (Hamilton Centre) and passed unanimously by the Standing Committee on April 16, 2006: “That the Standing Committee on Public Accounts write to the Minister of Public Safety requesting that the RCMP Pension Plan Funds Investigation be made a full public commission of inquires under the Inquires Act. Therefore, it is the NDP’s recommendation:
   
   Recommendation 1
   That the Government of Canada appoint a Commission of Inquiry under the Public Inquiries Act to investigate and report on all matters with regard to the problems in the Pension and Insurance Administration of the RCMP, including issues with the investigation and attempted cover-up of those problems.
   


6. With regard to the role a union could have played in this matter, it must be understood that members of the RCMP force are currently forbidden from engaging in collective bargaining by the Public Service Staff Relations Act of Canada. As a result, RCMP officers do not have the protections that are afforded members of labour unions, such as rights to representation at disciplinary hearings and legal arbitration of issues.
   


7. In this matter, disciplinary proceedings were carried out behind closed doors against whistle-blowers who have since been found to have been just and honourable.
   


8.  This lack of protections for officers resulted in their being stifled by the weight of a management system intent on sweeping these allegations under the carpet. If they had the rights and protections of unionized public servants, this matter may have seen the light of day much earlier, and the Canadian public would have been saved a considerable amount of money. Furthermore, the deep morale problems affecting the RCMP rank-and-file – morale problems still continuing to this day – may have been addressed some years ago.
   


9. Therefore, it is the NDP’s recommendation:
   
   Recommendation 2
   That the Public Service Staff Relations Act of Canada be amended to allow RCMP officers the democratic rights to collective bargaining,  free association and the protections of union membership, should they wish.
   

Respectfully submitted by David Christopherson, MP (Hamilton Centre)

December 7, 2007