Jason Stockfish, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter | [email protected]
A new campaign is touring the province to inform Albertans of perceived shortcomings in the United Conservative Party’s proposal to replace the RCMP with a provincial police force.
Created by the National Police Federation, Keep Alberta RCMP is hosting information sessions in response to similar events that were held by the province in 2021, looking to persuade residents to the validity of replacing the RCMP with an Alberta Provincial Police Services (APPS).
The UCP’s idea to create a provincial police force arose from the Fair Deal Panel established by the government in 2020.
Looking “to get input on how best to define and secure a fair deal for Alberta (and) to ensure Alberta has a strong voice in Confederation,” the Fair Deal Panel opens by saying, “(a) substantial majority of Albertans do not believe they are receiving a fair deal from the federal government. Many are angry and want the Government of Alberta to reassert its position in Confederation and minimize Ottawa’s overreach.”
Regarding the panel’s finding on policing in the province, a statement from local UCP MLA Martin Long reads, “tens of thousands of respondents expressed frustration with the challenges of relying on a federally managed police service.”
“Albertans want to rely on a service that is tailored to their experience, and to have confidence that it is being managed effectively,” the statement added.
Following the FDP’s recommendation to create a provincial police force, the government hired the accounting firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to research how the concept could be borne out if the UCP decides to implement such a policy.
While the PwC final report on APPS Transition Study points out that the firm does not make a recommendation on whether the UCP should move forward with the proposal, it does establish how it could be done if the UCP chooses to move ahead with the idea.
In opposition to the UCP’s proposal, Jasper’s municipal government sent a letter to Kaycee Madu, minister of justice and solicitor general of Alberta.
Signed by Jasper’s mayor, Richard Ireland, the document reads, “We share the view of our numerous colleagues that no economic case has been made to justify the proposed change, and agree with others that the proposal, if implemented, will undoubtedly and significantly increase the financial burden on already strapped municipalities.”
The letter laments what the municipality sees as the potential loss of “an iconic Canadian symbol.”
“The RCMP continues to be a recognized, intangible, and valuable contributor to our social dynamic and to our international reputation as a visitor destination.”
The letter to Minister Madu states that a more collaborative and concerted effort with the federal government to bolster the RCMP would be a more productive approach.
The municipality’s response further added, “These incalculable community benefits are irreplaceable. Worse, if lost, they will be lost at an as-yet unknown financial cost. It does not add up. We implore you to reconsider, and to abandon the initiative to establish a Provincial Police Force for Alberta.”
The number of officers on the ground, the cost of funding policing in the province and communication with communities across the province are but a few of the issues that the province and the NPF have raised.
Both claim to be able to provide sufficient services, at a better cost, with proper communication with residents and partners.
