Facing mounting pressure to overhaul how Canada’s national police force is managed, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has signalled to staff he is keen to appoint a woman or someone with experience on the indigenous file to take charge of the RCMP after Commissioner Bob Paulson retires at the end of June.
Sources tell the National Post Trudeau is committed to a merit-based selection process for the high-profile commissioner’s job, which oversees 30,000 regular and civilian members. At the same time, he wants candidates who represent the diversity of Canada.
But a change in leadership alone may not be enough to address persistent problems plaguing the force, observers say.
The RCMP watchdog issued a scathing report on workplace harassment Monday, saying initiatives to address the problem have been “limited and ad hoc,” highlighting the RCMP’s decades-long inability to bring about cultural reforms on its own.
Ontario member of the Provincial Parliament Jagmeet Singh finally put an end to months of speculation and announced Monday night that he is joining the race to lead Canada's NDP.
Singh, currently deputy leader of Ontario's NDP, launched his campaign in his Brampton riding at the same banquet hall where he celebrated his 2011 election victory.
In his speech to a room full of supporters, Singh said his party and the country are hungry for new leadership.
"Leadership that will bring people together, to build a Canada that is truly inclusive and where everyone can realize their dreams," Singh said.
"That is why, my friends, today I am proud to announce that I am running to be the leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada."
The 38-year-old described how he was born in east Toronto to immigrant parents, but was first raised in Newfoundland and Labrador while his father attended medical school there. His family moved to Windsor, Ont., when he was seven years old.
Singh said he was picked on and bullied because he had "a funny sounding name, brown skin and long hair," but he learned to stand up for himself.
Singh aims to be prime minister
He said wanting to build an inclusive Canada is what motivated him to become a lawyer and become involved in public life.
"That's what draws me to be your leader, and that's what drives me to be your prime minister," he said.
Singh took a few shots at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on multiple policy fronts. He said the Liberal prime minister has adopted the "deplorable climate change targets" of his predecessor, Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper, and that Trudeau has a "shameful record on Indigenous child welfare."
He also made reference to the other party leadership contest going on, the Conservative Party's, and said its candidates are "tripping over each other to drive a wedge between Canadians."
'Fight the politics of hate'
Singh said he is offering a vision for the NDP and the country that aims to counter feelings of cynicism and powerlessness among voters.
"We must champion a politics of love to fight the politics of hate," said Singh.
Brad Lavigne, who was former NDP leader Jack Layton's campaign manager and is supporting Singh's candidacy, said he thinks Singh's aspirational message will appeal to voters.
"I think that there is a tremendous appetite for that," said Lavigne, who was at Singh's event. "I think he's got the ability to attract people from outside of politics, people who have been turned off politics in the past."
Singh will become the fifth official candidate vying to replace Tom Mulcair when New Democrats vote for a new leader this fall. The other contenders so far are:
- B.C. MP Peter Julian.
- Ontario MP Charlie Angus.
- Manitoba MP Niki Ashton.
- Quebec MP Guy Caron.
You think Bernier takes the Conservative leadership role?The only real solution is Maxime Bernier in 2019.
I know so. Voted for him myself!You think Bernier takes the Conservative leadership role?
It must have been the O'Leary endorsement.I know so. Voted for him myself!
I liked jack, thought he was a decent human that wanted good things for the country and would've voted for him if he had lived but the Ndp kinda blow goats in general. That being said, Harper was a fascist (and since Ambrose left today the pc have no leader) and Justin's so fucking into making gender pronouns a legally punishable issue that I want to strangle him with one of his fathers capes.Anyone who votes NDP is at least half retarded. The liberals under Trudeau are cucking the fuck out of Canada.
The only real solution is Maxime Bernier in 2019.
Trudeau is again violated his own conflict of interest rules, this seems a lot more serious than the free Bahamas vacation.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has violated his own conflict of interest guidelines for cabinet ministers, the head of Democracy Watch, a government ethics advocacy group, says.
The alleged conflict stems from the appointment in June 2016 of John Herhalt, the national "public sector leader" for accounting firm KPMG, as treasurer of the Liberal Party. That appointment came the same month that a Liberal-dominated parliamentary committee halted its investigation of KPMG's offshore tax dodge in the Isle of Man, according to an investigation by the CBC's The Fifth Estate.
Though Herhalt retired from the firm in 2013, he told CBC he later returned on contract to KPMG in 2016 and remained there until October — five months after he was chosen to oversee the party's finances. To this day, he responds to his KPMG email in communications with The Fifth Estate.
Herhalt's direct KPMG phone number and voicemail were still active Monday.
The Liberal Party said the treasurer is a volunteer, non-voting position.
Duff Conacher, who lectures on government and ethics at the University of Ottawa and is co-founder of Democracy Watch, says that the prime minister violated his own ministerial conduct guidelines.
"Prime Minister Trudeau set out standards himself in a document called Open and Accountable Government that says that you can't even be in the appearance of a conflict of interest," Conacher told The Fifth Estate's Gillian Findlay.
Aboriginal file?Trudeau wants next RCMP boss to be a woman or someone with experience on aboriginal file, sources say
@JohnyHendricksBeard I know you will have an opinion on this.
Someone who has experience with Canada's efforts to improve our relationship with and the opportunities for Aboriginal / First Nations people in Canada.Aboriginal file?
Agreed, RIP Mr. Farleynot gonna lie, I've lost interest since this guy left the scene
not gonna lie, I've lost interest since this guy left the scene
I liked those guys, Canadian politics needs themAgreed, RIP Mr. Farley
Right, shoehorn a minority in a position of power so us corny white folk can feel better about ourselves (yawn). Head of the RCMP needs to be impartial, not someone who's going in with a chip on his shoulder or is going to be pressured into advocating more for a particular group.If we had a head of RCMP who was First Nations, it would be huge for Canada's current move towards righting the wrongs done to our First Nations people through our history of colonization.
Wanting to hire someone based on gender, race, or sexual orientation is discrimination in its most base form. They should be appointing someone that will address the departments incredible history of corruption period end of story. The RCMP needs an enema, but this government seems more than okay with them turning Canada into a police state.Trudeau wants next RCMP boss to be a woman or someone with experience on aboriginal file, sources say
@JohnyHendricksBeard I know you will have an opinion on this.
I don't think it's even close.You think Bernier takes the Conservative leadership role?
Don't know much, would like to hear from others as wellJagmeet Singh jumps into federal NDP leadership race, aiming to be prime minister
Any of you from Ontario have an opinion on Singh? I dont know much about him.
I got those connectsSomeone who has experience with Canada's efforts to improve our relationship with and the opportunities for Aboriginal / First Nations people in Canada.
If we had a head of RCMP who was First Nations, it would be huge for Canada's current move towards righting the wrongs done to our First Nations people through our history of colonization.
Smoked my 1st bowl of crack with that man... Good timesRob Ford was a gem.
RIP.
The no tax thing is pretty bad ass when you have native friends that can buy shit for youRight, shoehorn a minority in a position of power so us corny white folk can feel better about ourselves (yawn). Head of the RCMP needs to be impartial, not someone who's going in with a chip on his shoulder or is going to be pressured into advocating more for a particular group.
First Nations people have been wronged, but they have a lot of work they need to do within their own community first. A lot of problems that only they can solve, that can't be washed away with a tax-dollar shower.