Evidence of meeting #111 for Public Safety and National Security in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was rcmp.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
I know you're very anxious to pursue this, and I'm sure you'll be given quite a number of other opportunities to pursue it.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
I think that's what you call an extended run-on sentence.
Madam Damoff, you have five minutes, please.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON
Thank you, Chair. I didn't think I'd get time.
I apologize for being late, Commissioner. I want to first welcome you to the committee. I was in the House for the debate on Bill C-65, which is on harassment and violence in the workplace, something that I know, and I'm confident, you will be dealing with in the RCMP.
My colleague Ms. Dabrusin was asking about sexual assault cases and the unfounded cases. One of the other things we've heard quite a bit about, especially at the status of women committee, is indigenous women in corrections and their experience through the justice system, as well as bringing the level of training for RCMP officers.... It's similar to what you're doing with sexual assault cases, but ensuring that all of the officers have training on the history of colonialism, for example, and residential schools, so that when they are dealing with indigenous women who come into the justice system they have some comprehension of the history that these women have probably gone through.
I'm wondering if you could share with us your plans around training, in particular for the officers dealing with indigenous women in the communities.
4:30 p.m.
Commr Brenda Lucki
Again, part of that training is through the Kairos blanket exercise, which covers the historic perspective. We also have a cultural awareness online course that every member must take. The provinces have a two-week course for cultural awareness specifically of indigenous people. I took mine in Manitoba. It was a very comprehensive course, where we actually had a sweat and we got the opportunity to interact with survivors of the residential schools. It's very comprehensive in that way and is supplemented by the online course.
I think we have good coverage of it. In the training academy, we've included a module on missing and murdered women. Specifically, the victim in that case, in consultation with indigenous people, has been made to be indigenous, so that they understand some of the ramifications of the differences and how to interact with the community in those instances.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON
I'm sorry. You said someone who is indigenous is doing that?
4:30 p.m.
Commr Brenda Lucki
No. The victim in the scenario is indigenous. I'm sorry.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON
Okay. That's great.
What impact do you think Bill C-65 will have on what you're doing in the RCMP?
4:30 p.m.
Commr Brenda Lucki
I can't specifically say; I have to be honest.
4:35 p.m.
Commr Brenda Lucki
I don't have the intimate knowledge of Bill C-65, but I know that we're taking a lot of steps and looking at our processes internally with respect to harassment and violence in the workplace. We have to make sure that victims feel free to come forward. Often, the victims who are in the organization don't feel that our process is transparent. We're looking at different ways that we can deal with that—maybe outsourcing—but we're just in the preliminary stages of looking at various ways in which we can ensure that a victim feels they can trust the process we have. Because we can do whatever we want, but if they don't trust it, it's not going to....
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON
Ms. Dabrusin was talking earlier about the Philadelphia model. That's something I know the Halton police are moving towards for Halton. They're actually calling it the Halton model, because they're modifying it slightly, but it's certainly one that lends itself well to working with organizations that have the expertise in the community.
Often we hear that women aren't prepared, that survivors aren't prepared—it's predominantly women—to come forward to the police right away. They need that support in the middle to give them the comfort and the confidence to be able to report to the police. I'm really pleased that it's something you're looking at with the RCMP.
4:35 p.m.
Commr Brenda Lucki
We are in the midst of...or we have already rolled out, I think, the third party reporting in Manitoba.
4:35 p.m.
Commr Brenda Lucki
The victims, with the advocates for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, have that opportunity to report through on third party....
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON
I just would like to welcome you and thank you. I look forward to working with you in your new position.
4:35 p.m.
Commr Brenda Lucki
As do I. Thank you.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
4:35 p.m.
NDP
Matthew Dubé NDP Beloeil—Chambly, QC
I appreciate that you are here today. I know that you are new to this position. Forgive me if my questions are a little difficult.
I would like to return to the issue of access without a warrant, and to cellphone tracking equipment. I know you said that you couldn't comment on this. However, there is currently a case involving 35 or 36 alleged associates of Montreal's mafia. Essentially, the Crown has abandoned the case due to tactics used by the RCMP.
I only have three minutes left, and I know that this is a complex issue, but can we at least have a commitment that these kinds of tactics or procedures will be reviewed? At the end of the day, it isn't only the rights of Canadians that are at stake here. A case like this one can also imperil investigations and, consequently, public safety.
4:35 p.m.
Commr Brenda Lucki
I will ask my colleague Mr. Michaud to answer your question, since he is an expert in this field.
