Alistair MacGregor at the Public Safety and National Security Committee

On July 25th, 2022. See this statement in context.

July 25th, 2022 / 12:40 p.m.

NDP

Alistair MacGregor NDP Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC

I understand.

I guess if you, as commissioner, were presented with a directive that you felt was operational interference...what tools does a commissioner have at his or her disposal if the government of the day is asking that?

Commissioner, we have examples from the past. In the previous hour, I cited how the Diefenbaker government directed the RCMP to send forces to Newfoundland. The Liberal government under Jean Chrétien, during the 1997 APEC summit, tried to give directional information to the RCMP about the president of Indonesia's visit.

What tools does the RCMP commissioner have at his or her disposal if the government of the day is very intent on micromanaging those types of affairs?

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