Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I apologize that it's not before this committee. I sent it in about a week ago, so it's obviously in the system. But my comments are brief.
I appear before you today as a retired member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. I would like to provide a very brief overview of my service in the RCMP for the benefit of the committee members, so that my role is clearly understood. I joined the RCMP in 1972 and spent the first 18 years in various assignments in British Columbia. I was then transferred to Ottawa as one of the security officers responsible for the protection of the Governor General.
Following a variety of other assignments in Ottawa, I was transferred to New Brunswick, as the officer in charge of criminal operations, in 1996. I then became the commanding officer in charge of New Brunswick until 1999, when I was moved back to Ottawa in charge of human resources, a position I held until the fall of 2000.
In October 2000 I was appointed to the position of deputy commissioner responsible for operations. This included six unique operational areas, which were as follows: community, contract and aboriginal policing—that's one unit—criminal intelligence; Criminal Intelligence Service Canada; federal policing; protective operations; and technical operations.
In addition to internal responsibilities I represented the force on numerous national and international organizations, such as the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and intergovernmental committees focusing on public safety.
I retired from the RCMP, my last day of work being June 17, 2005, and I currently live in British Columbia.
Thank you.