Toews Asks RCMP to Structure a Gender Bias Action Plan

The Minister of Public Safety of Canada, Vic Toews, has directly given strict orders to the RCMP to quickly rework a plan to cater the issue of gender biasness in the RCMP force. A latter was interrupted, sent by Toews and addressed directly to the RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson, ordering the RCMP to immediately redraft a report addressing gender inequality in the force.

Toews put across his frustration in the letter asserting that he was not given any action plan from Paulson that “we (you and I, the RCMP and the Government) could present to Canadians.” Toews claimed in the letter, that he has only received an analysis of the existing situation within the force. The letter also indicates that the analysis report submitted by Paulson, on the state of women within the force, did not surprise Toews. He alleged that “in many ways the analysis confirmed issues that we have all known to exist within the force.”

Now, Toews asked Paulson to bring about a plan with “specific, objectively measurable, milestones” and forward it to him by Dec. 11. Toews indicated that RCMP is need of recruiting more women, with intention of making women at least 30 per cent of the force. He hoped that more women will be promoted within the RCMP’s ranks.

Currently, a total of 15,000 male officers and about 4,000 female officers reside in the RCMP task force, out of which the majority of the women officers have lower ranks. Toews suggested that RCMP shall reduce the number of harassment complaints, and address any complaints more quickly.