Yes.
In Ontario, the OPP in smaller rural jurisdictions—similar to the RCMP in other rural jurisdictions in many other provinces—is facing very similar labour and recruitment challenges, which, in the grand scheme, results in challenges from work-life balance to burnout. It's one of those continuous cycles. If we don't hit it at the front end, ultimately, we'll be dealing with it at the back end by having more mental health challenges, more operational stress injuries, PTSD, etc... The goal should be a healthy work-life balance.
From an elected representative's perspective, I think the easiest solution for you today is to support a healthy work-life balance publicly for all first responders, whether they be paramedics, firefighters, volunteer firefighters or even police officers. The easiest start is an acknowledgement of the fact that there are challenges recruiting into this career and over time, we'll try to fix it.
There are a number of good conversations happening with us and the RCMP to see what we can do to expedite different recruitment processes. However, the RCMP is federally regulated. It relies upon the government of the day to establish its budgets, hence the ask for funding. I know it's odd that I'm making an ask on behalf of management—being from a trade union—to give it a bigger budget, but you need to hear it from a number of sources. Depot in Regina really needs to be able to accept an influx of applicants, now that we hope it is a more attractive employer. It needs the capacity to do so.