Ottawa stays firm on RCMP deal

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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Canada’s federal government hinted that it is ready to negotiate an agreement to keep the RCMP in British Columbia, but didn’t deny that it is insisting the province to meet a deadline to acknowledge Ottawa’s offer.

On Tuesday, provincial Solicitor-General Shirley Bond said that Ottawa has warned to depart the Mounties from B.C. by 2014 if an agreement is not signed before November.

Heritage Minister James Moore, B.C.’s senior federal cabinet minister said: “Well, ‘ultimatum’ is I think a torque word. You [need] a deadline. We have an obligation to make sure that we have a finality to the negotiations.”

Moreover, he said Ottawa and Victoria concur on the cost-sharing formula that was applied in recent 20-year agreements signed with Alberta and Saskatchewan, but both sides are so far looking into questions relating to the possibility of unexpected costs being shared.

Moore said: “[Public Safety Minister Vic Toews] is prepared to talk to them about governance issues. The gulf here, I should say, is not that wide. We’re prepared to work with them on a solution. It is up to them to make that decision. We do not force provinces to accept the RCMP. We think it is a good deal, but it is up to the provinces to do it.”

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