Your View

Part II...

While the situation in the field is deteriorating, the Force remains extremely "top heavy" and under Zaccardelli's reign, it was being managed more like a private "profit making organization" than a national law enforcement agency. The taste for accountability remains such that it hinders the members and their supervisors in the daily administration of their duties. Everyone has become a "bean counter" to nourish corporate instruments like "balanced scorecards", "quality assurance processes", etc, etc.

It all sounds very nice and it got a lot of RCMP "bookworms" with little or no operational experience promoted to the ranks of commissioned officers. Wow! In the meantime, what about the Force's primary objective to "serve and protect" or to use their very own "corporate mission statement" theme "Safe Homes / Safe Communities"? Why can't anyone understand that a national police force cannot be managed like IBM or Xerox! Hell, how can one predict how many homicide investigations his / her unit will have to probe during the next fiscal year and how many tax dollards should be put aside!

My best wishes and good luck to Acting Commissioner Busson who will be in the Mounties "driver seat" until a new #1 "Head Bison" has been selected.

With the recent resignation of Mr.Zaccardelli, the RCMP has reached a pivotal point in its long history where a genuine "difference" can finally be achieved. And this, for its own betterment and more importantly, its very own survival in the field of contract policing without which the RCMP would cease to exist.

The year 2012 during when the contracts with the provinces will be negotiated and renewed...or not, is approaching rapidly. Most provinces are far from getting their "bang for the buck" and unless service delivery to the taxpayers is improved by increasing establishments (most Divisions are understrength) and overhauling management practices, we will see the birth of new provincial police forces.

At this time, several variables are making being members of the RCMP, and this whether on the front-line or in a supervisory position, extremely painful and difficult. Units are operating with minimal human resources, members are overworked and morale is at an all time low. All the men and women and support staff of the RCMP are doing the best they can but they can't keep up.

End of Part I (part II to follow)

It is interesting that the vast majority of those who have commented on the hiring of a new commissioner for the RCMP, and have rejected the idea of an outsider, have given no reasons.

It can't be done and you have to walk a mile in their shoes are not reasons, they are just unfounded opinions or trite cliches. Even worse is the comment that only an RCMP member could be a Peace Officer. Is a constable on the beat in Toronto or Calgary something else?

Enough said about the flawed logic, my wish is that the new commissioner be true leader, an adept manager at home both in the office and in front of a cabinet committee, honest to a fault, a law enforcement visionary, capable of implementing and enforcing sound policies and procedures, well educated, and neutral politically.

Personally I don't care if this individual is the ex Chief Constable from a UK city, or a Colonel in the military police, or the chief of security for a global corporation. What I do care about is that the RCMP can remain a world class force with a competent leader and more important we can learn from our prior mistakes.

I am perplexed at the comment made by Joan Blerk, who feels the RCMP should be disbanded.

Joan claims that "When you have CSIS and local police in action", the RCMP is a waste of money.

Excuse me Joan, not every municipality has a police force, many are too small. Further, there is a need for national level investigations. Joan, are you not aware that some criminals operate across municipal and provincial / territorial boundaries?

Besides, CSIS is no replacement for the RCMP. Joan, please try really hard to understand that CSIS has more important things to do than police small Northern towns and track down cross border counterfeiting operations.

Second Joan, you postulate that the RCMP has "hurt more people than they help". From where did you draw this statistic? I bet that most Canadians (other than criminals) feel the exact opposite.

Based on both your poor grammar and the lack of intelligent thought put into your comment Joan, I would like to think that you're a rebellious 13 year old with an unsupervised internet connection. I'll set my mind at ease by telling myself that you'll probably grow to appreciate the police as a necessary component of civil society when you're done puberty.

Who are we kidding?

This is all about Mahar Arrar! Forget about the corruption muse, hardly anyone ever said "BOO" in relation to Mountie corruption.

This is the Somalia inquiry a decade later only rather than disband the RCMP which would be an administrative and security disaster, "Zacc" gets the sack!

As soon as the government is through trying to pacify Mr. Arrar in ways that Washington has already rejected out of hand, there will be no major overhaul of the the Mountie brass as the allegations of deep seeded corruption there have yet to (and I doubt that they ever will be...) substantiated.

Whether a new Commissioner is chosen from inside the ranks of the RCMP or is "chuckles" a former CBC journalist ... okay CTV journalist (the Tory choice), is irrelevant because the story will quickly fade away!

The RCMP is our national police force and has many fine members,I feel the new leader should be from the ranks, but not just an administrator but also a rank and file member.

It's contribution to the nation is legend and is worthwhile honoring.

However the force has been thrust into many duties that have nothing to do with canadian policing.Sending memmbers to Haiti and other countries to oversee elections etc.

e.g.Why did we have members in the former Yugoslavia? We must have sufficient police work for them to do here.

I think this multi-functional direction has caused some of the problems.The force has too many irons in the fire.

One of the problems the RCMP has, I think is the perception that some canadians feel the force is untouchable.If I am not mistaken private citizens cannot sue the force for any wrongdoings.This of course seems to put them above the law.

A few RCMP members have stepped over the line at times and this has caused mistrust.

In this day and age officers are not on horseback interacting with the public,but in a patrol car which acts like a cocoon, which some times seperates them from the people they are protecting, hence the "them and us "viewpoint.

Put simply the RCMP is in place to serve and protect, and it is time for our leaders in Ottawa to make certain the force is doing just that and not making policies or interpeting the law to its own end.Internal policing also seems to be an area that causes suspicion among many in the public.

Maybe Canadians should be insisting that the RCMP commisioner ( really )be responsible to the minister in charge of that department.

In closing I would like thank all the fine RCMP members who do a remarkable job.

As a police officer serving with a force that has recently undergone a leadership change, I can honestly say that nothing but good can come from a choice outside the ranks.

No matter how well meaning they are and no matter what good ideas an insider can come up with, they are still constrained by the paradigms of the leadership they have been brought up with and therefore doomed to perpetuate the old style of thinking and problems that come with it.

Our previous leader had deep moral convictions and made policies based on this. However, changes were implemented on the backs of the front-line officers, while the rot at the top was left to fester.

Our new leader brings an old idea with a new twist: accountability in your job, but starting from the top of the ranks...

As a former member of the RCMP (1973 - 1978) I think it would be beneficial for the force to look for an experienced "outsider" to take the reins. The mounted police has a marvelous history and a very well defined internal "culture." That being said, "fresh blood" could do nothing but enhance the inner workings of this venerable institution. No one person, even one at the top-of-the-heap, could completely change the organization so the fears of the old "war horses" of losing the RCMP identity are unfounded. Let's get a breath of fresh air at the helm of the mounties!

I am the wife of a retired RCMP officer. We have been stationed in remote communities, villages, small and not so large towns. Those moments in time are our most cherished memories. I have not witnessed anywhere, (maybe the Armed Forces), the pride of spirit, dedication to their work, and of course the knowledge that they are continuing and upholding the traditions of the RCMP officers who came before, and most importantly the RCMP officers who have died protecting others in the line of duty. Have some officers made mistakes over the years? Of course, they are human after all.

It must be said, "he who claims to never making a mistake in his/her job, please leave the door open when you leave"

Can a person outside this milieu become the next commissioner, of course not. Out of 25,000 members, there are many bright lights
who have risen through the ranks. As canadians in Ontario and Quebec are the only provinces where the RCMP do not police on the local level, it is not unusual to misunderstand the tremendous bond the RCMP officers have with canadians across this country. The majority of RCMP officers are stationed in small town Canada and are not affected by everyday events at headquarters.

Lorne from Edmonton expresses my thoughts. I would add that such a person would be intelligent enough to surround himself with a
competent, experienced staff in the event that he has not had a long personal experience in policing. His first duty ought to be toward the public whether one thinks of the public in general or as a specific individual. Often, I believe, an outsider who has not become so entrenched in the culture of any particular organization can bring fresh insights and a more fair minded attitude to a such a position.

The RCMP must promote from within to effectively respond to the needs of Canadians and the membership. " One must walk a mile in ones shoes to understand those shoes."

Hiring someone from outside the organization who has no clue what it takes to be a Peace Officer will only create further problems for the organization. I agree accountability is a must, however the Top Cop job is one of that must balance citizens, courts, and government objectives. Remember police do not make the laws courts and politicians do and most of them have no idea what implications they have when they adopt a new law or proceedure. Police have seconds to react where eveyone else has days and months to analyze...Police can only work with the tools that they are afforded.

A number of years ago the government hired a person outside of the RCMP as their financial Services Officer. He lasted a yar or two and quit. If I recall, the reason for his resignation was " how can you run an institution like the RCMP on miminal resources and funding" The government and the public are quick to criticize however we don't see them lining up to attend serious calls for service at 3:00 in the morning at minus 30 degrees.

Get a life people, unless you have walked in ones shoes you have no right to criticize, but then again I guess that is our RIGHT living in a FREE and democratic country... I will continue to give part of my pay cheque to the government, not hold accountable my local politician who votes his/her way rather than constituents and ensure I am accountable to them, rather than them accountable to me....A FREE country!! Oh Canada

God bless our Troops overseas. Maybe the Commissioner of the RCMP can be their Chief, hire from outside the ranks there too???

It matters not whether the person in charge comes from within or without. What matters is the right person is chosen. There would be numbers of persons in the force as well as numbers of persons outside the force that could do the job. It's not rocket science after all. Honesty, integrity, leadership, tactfulness, sympathy, empathy and vision are just some of the qualities we need from any leader of any organization. Most important is finding that special individual that can rise above the self-serving culture that has been allowed to evolve in the RCMP.

I think it is time to redefine the mandate of the RCMP. Is it going to be a police force, an intelligence agency, or continue to dabble in both? It may be time to separate the duties and proceed accordingly with respective heads of operations. In that case, I am not convinced that automatic promotions from within the organization is in the best interests of Canadians - the people who pay the bill! Get the best person to do the job.

The RCMP should be led by someone who can remember what its like on the front line. The Puzzle Palace in Ottawa needs a shake up. Canada needs to know that the "old boys/girls club" is alive and well there. The membership is sick and tired of their requests for resources falling on deaf ears until something tradgically goes wrong and a white shirt shows up on TV to say training and procedure has not suffered in the force. In most cases, the wrong people are getting promoted and no one is accountable. Crazy, in this day and age, that a professional organization like the RCMP is being run more like a corperation than a police force. It's time for major changes.

I am sure someone with a security or police background would be important. However, an executive in the private sector with exceptional people skills could handle the job. Unless there is a change in attitude within the RCMP nothing will change. It would be interesting to know who is watching over the force. Without outside checks and balances nothing will change and a new Leader will be subject to the " old ways ".

Wow! I initially thought the question was bogus when I first read it. I have to admit that although the concept is rather unique I cannot support an outside candidate. The RCMP, like the Canadian Forces, cannot be lead by someone from outside the rank and file of the force. I emphasize the rank and file as no federal organization (read political masters) should be compelled to choose its next leader from the top next in line candidates. Within the Canadian Forces it is widely understood that the current CDS -General Hillier - was not the most senior officer set to take command. The RCMP has excellent officers and they must be considered as the only qualified candidates.

It amazes me what the RCMP has accomplished to date. All things considered, many in the past joined when they were 19yrs old. Yet, they were able to shape the organization to tackle complex issues, some of international proportions.

I do believe that the next commissioner should be from within. Someone who truly believes in the core values of the RCMP and with a good background in policing. Not one of the CO's who spent most of their service in Ottawa. Also, it doesn't matter if he or she could speak French either.

We do live in a privilege country and it amazes me sometimes the words people used to describe our government and its institutions. Mistakes do happen, but it was not the intent of the RCMP to have Arar sent back to Syria and be tortured. After all, it was his Native land that tortured him. Do you see their government officials resigning anytime soon. It would be nice to see Arar point some blame to that government as well.

In or out? Who cares? What matters is this person knows how to handle people and keep everyone within the laws of the country. To keep everyone in line we need a Civilian Board to oversee the operation to keep political hands off. This may help our country back to having a justice system rather than the legal system as it is now.

The RCMP is a joke.
They are a waste of my tax dollars and it is about time people wake up and see that there is no need for the RCMP anymore. Circus is over.

When you have CSIS and local police in action, why would you need to waste money on the RCMP who don't contribute anything major to society.

They have been rocked by scandals and hurt more people than help!

I think it is a great idea, if you base it on a perception of a new broom sweeping clean, to appoint a new commissioner from outside the Horsemen's ranks.

Unfortunately, by the time you hire someone with adequate experience, understanding of the particular niche the RCMP fill across Canada in their jobs as Federal as well as local law enforcement, bring that person up to speed on our roll nationally and internationally hand in hand with CSIS, it would be that person's retirement time, and it could begin anew. It has to be someone from within the ranks, and that is going to a short list.

To suggest that an all party committee review all to come up with the best candidate is sure to happen. But Stephen Harper has the final say to be sure. To think that politics could be removed from the quotient is naive. Why would any Prime Minister pick someone he has no faith in, because at this level personal politics do matter, it affects whom one person would want to see prosecuted, and perhaps persecuted, and those agendas have to mix evenly.

I think the idea of anyone accepting this position at this time will know they are being watched and the knives are already sharpened waiting for a mistake. This alone will be enough to perhaps question whether or not prospects even wish to have their names submitted. Of course this is a military organization, so chain of command says you accept the job whether you want it or not. There will probably be no surprises in the actual appointment.

It does not matter if the new Commissioner is recruited from outside or inside the RCMP. What does matter is that the new Commissioner have a deep understanding and respect for the separation required between the RCMP and the political process. In other words, we need a Commissioner with some common sense.

I was absolutely shocked in the last election when the RCMP publicly announced an investigation of Minister Goodale. This was a blatant attack on our democracy. I am even more shocked now that the outgoing Commissioner does not seem to realize how serious this action was and to what extent this political interference, and not the Arar case, is what cost him public support to this day among ordinary Canadians.

The issue is starkly simple: the RCMP carry guns and we don't. When people with guns interfere in the democratic process, it's very difficult for people who don't to respond without being afraid.

As a 56 year old white Canadian male, earning a living in his own business for years, I never thought I would see the day that I would be afraid of the RCMP but I was during the last election. If something this awful happens, who can be next? Will I be investigated for writing this email to the CBC for example?

I have no relationship with anyone in the RCMP but I was deeply offended by Mr. Zaccardelli's inference in his resignation letter that the Canadian public had lost confidence in the institution. We have not lost confidence in the institution, we have only lost confidence in its leadership.

That he includes the institution as a whole in his resignation letter is a great insult to all ordinary men and women who serve with competence, dignity and pride and an even worse insult to the families of those members who have given their lives to protect us.

My Newfoundland and Labrador friends have a saying that a fish always starts rotting from the head. With the recent history of the RCMP, I now understand the wisdom of this saying.

Whether or not the next RCMP commissioner comes from inside or outside the force, there needs to be a civilian watchdog, with real teeth, to look into complaints against, not just the RCMP, but every police force in Canada. That watchdog should have power to investigate and bring charges where charges are warranted.

Many writers here have mentioned the culture of self protection within the ranks of the RCMP. This is not a problem that is peculiar to the RCMP, it exists in most police forces. In some ways, considering the stressful nature of police work, it is necessary, but it also needs to be in check. It is when this "brotherly" protectionism supercedes the law that it becomes a problem.

I'm personally glad to see the past commissioner go, and I think he should be joined by those officers involved in the Arar case. However, there are other areas where the RCMP need to be called to account. The RCMP is a police force. Its job is to uphold and enforce the laws of the country. Its job is not to set public policy or to influence it.

In the past federal election campaign the RCMP released information about an investigation in to former finance minister Ralph Goodale. This was entirely inappropriate. They also came out against the safe injection site in Vancouver, which was an even more agregious lapse. The safe injection site isn't their business. It is in a city that has its own police force and is outside RCMP jurisdiction.

Both these incidents, it seems, were designed to assist the current Conservative government in way of a public relations hit. There is absolutely no way the mounties or any other police force should be getting involved in politics. Thier job is to uphold the law, not make the laws.

What's most important now, for the RCMP and the Canadian people, is that the people have some control over how the police do their business and that the police become answerable to the public, not to themselves.

Particularily through the Sponsorship Scandal and Shawinigate, the RCMP was perceived to be at the will of the Prime Minister, especially with Jean Chretien. In the spirit of the new accountability that Prime Minister Harper brings to government, I would hope that the next RCMP commissioner is hired through an all party oversite committee, independent of Parliament, such as recommended in the hiring of Federal judges. Equally important is that the new candidate is the best candidate with lesser emphasis on Political adroitness.

As a Canadian Army officer with 32 years of service, I have served through the travails and sufferings of our own large, unique, tightly-knit organization as it struggled for a decade with senior leadership failures, ethical scandals, and severe loss of credibility of leaders in the eyes of junior ranks. We failed to meet the expectations of Canadians. We gradually got past all that, but only by dint of a huge, comprehensive effort that is still going on. If there are things wrong in the RCMP,(and my sense is that there are) they will not be fixed overnight, and certainly not by any political "parachute" appointee (or, far worse, a candidate with no credible police leadership experience). Select a respected, experienced police leader, preferably a Horseman but not necessarily. Give them very clear guidance and accountability, but also give them the authority and support to lead, to fix things and bring about intelligent change. Put the public scrutiny spotlight on the force, but with the intent to improve it, not to shame and slander it. The RCMP are a proud national institution, not just some other government agency. I wish them luck.

There is no evidence to suggest that the RCMP as an organization is so complex that a civilian who has studied/worked with (not for) the RCMP for many years couldn't hold this position. The military, RCMP, Police and even Correctional Officers have a long history of the 'brotherhood' syndrome where covering each others behinds often override common sense and at times the law they are supposed to uphold. It is that brotherhoodism that an outsider would hopefully be able to break so that there are fewer doubts that the job is being done fairly and without a conflict of interest. This in not an attempt to paint all officers as unethical cover-up artists and criminals but an attempt to address a reality (and well studied one) that most officers want to downplay.
As for Mr Arar...I am saddened to see so many racist replies on this site. I couldn't imagine enduring what he did and I would be using my compensation to ensure every last person involved in my ordeal was brought to justice for it. I doubt anyone else would feel differently if it were them or a loved one who went through this. But that would involve an ounce of empathy...

The next Commissioner should have extensive police experience within the RCMP as did most former RCMP commissioners. This member should have "worked" up through the "ranks" thus avoiding another Zaccardelli type failure.The Commissioner must replace present failing RCMP policies and programs to bring the RCMP back to an effective police force. The focus of the next commissioner should not be on himself but on his follow police officers and the public it polices!

Try a leader from outside of the RCMP. The FBI do very well with their choices for Director and many of them were not members of the FBI.

The proud history of the RCMP is as old as our country. The serving members and those who have gone before share a history that makes each one proud to continue the traditions.

I believe the Commissioner was not well briefed by his senior officers as would be expected when he first testified, the second time around the mistaken date was corrected, but, it was already too late. My opinion is that he took the fall for his officers who failed him in their reports to him. But he was a gentleman to the end.

Under no circumstances should the next commissioner be a civilian. It would be a travesty in the extreme. There's plenty of new new blood from which to choose in the RCMP.

Mr Maher's recent demands are getting very tiresome. Is this never going to end? I think he should just take his millions and be happy for the rest of his life.

The RCMP is a proud organization and its members are rightly proud of ourselves and our co-workers (both police officers and all of the civilians that work with us and support us in our policing duties). For those saying that an outside Commissioner would address their concerns I ask you to consider the reality of the situation. Every municipal police force in the country is overseen by a civilian police commission of some sort, and most municipal police services hire outside chiefs to command their police services at least from time-to-time. Have either of these solutions managed to make any municipal police service in the country better than the RCMP? Have these solutions made any municipal police service capable of operating without mistakes ever being made?

The RCMP is a unique and complex organization much like the national military is, and I would fear the day that someone came to believe that a non-military person should actually be handed the reins of command over the Canadian Armed Forces. The RCMP is already subject to civilian review at every level of its operation. The Commission for public Complaints against the RCMP is a civilian agency that reviews any public complaint about the RCMP. Furthermore, every municipal, provincial and even the federal government that contracts the RCMP can choose at any time to hire any other police force, or to create another police force, and the RCMP is subject to a lot of review that other police agencies usually are not. The auditor general, royal commissions, and every contract partner of the RCMP regularly delve into the inner workings of the organization, recommendations are frequently made and the RCMP changes and adapts based on those recommendations and the needs of the organization.

Is the RCMP perfect? Certainly not! But I challenge you to identify a better civilian police force anywhere in the world.

There is no way that an outsider could fill the RCMP commisioner's role effectively. They would simply be another highly paid poster child who is essentially useless to the Canadian Public. Personal agendas would get them appointed and then they would make sure that they had an RCMP "consultant" involved in the decision making process to lay the blame on, in case, and heaven forbid, the RCMP made another mistake. Zaccardelli is getting dragged over the coals here. He admitted he made a mistake, a big one, he's sorry, and he resigned for crying out loud! Isn't that good enough? The government needed a "fall guy" and he was it, plain and simple.

Sure Arar should be upset. Should he get three zillion dollars? NO! If there are severe psychological problems, etc. money won't solve that, no matter how much. An apology and his freedom are all that he deserves. After all his freedom is in the greatest country in the world; and I'm sure Syria has vacancies. It's very unfortunate that he experienced what he did but it wasn't Canada that tortured him. Mistakes happen and in this day and age with the world going to hell in a handbasket we need to err on the side of caution.

Give Zaccardelli his job back before hiring an outsider.

To choose anyone from outside of this most respected and internationally recognized organization would be a grave error. This organization is complicated and I would think next to impossible for an outsider to understand and manage with any acceptable level of effectiveness.
Let's trust this organization to recommend the top people from within capable of taking on the role of commissioner.

Sir Winston Churchill said it best: 'Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body.' We would be wise however as citizens of this country to understand the root of this discussion and the consequences of re-inventing the wheel.

The RCMP has kept this country safe for many years and will continue to do so in spite of it all. The RCMP model has served us well and its leadership will learn from its mistakes. Now, if we could get all these arm chair Commissioners to realize this, progress could begin to take place.

If I were so select a new RCMP Commissioner, it would be Bev Busson. She has shown great leadership at all of her posts over the years. A woman who has come up from the ranks. Her advancements within the Force have been well earned and deserved.

I find it interesting that people are so shocked regarding the RCMP's recent handling of the Arar case. Canadians are quick to forget the so-called "dirty tricks" era of the 1970s which, saw the Mounties involved in, among other things, vandalism, mail tampering, warrentless raids and needless shakedowns of political dessenters.

Indeed, this was one of the main reasons the MacDonald commission suggested the creation of an independent civilian service that would over see security and intelligence matters, recognizing the need to separate intelligence needs and law enforcement.

Historically, the Mounties have always functioned better as police officers than intelligence officers. Moreover, they have always been slow to change and recent events don't suggest otherwise.

In sum, the Mounties are generally effective gumshoes but perhaps security, intelligence and terrorism matters should be left up to CSIS or the CBSA with the RCMP playing more of a supportive role.

My comments don't answer the replacement question because I think Zack was a good Commissionar abandoned by politicians and unfairly targeted. By Arar's accounts you'd have thought it was the RCMP who physically tortured him instead of the Syrians.

Reading the Commissionars resignation and Arar's latest comments, my message to Arar is don't do the public anymore more favours by continuing this search for anyone who is remotely linked to your case and bringing them to justice. I find it interesting if not hypocritical that he talks about bringing justice and accountability to the Canadian government but has done little to publicly call for accountability, let alone rebuke, Syria for its part.

The US were only doing what it thought was right based on faulty intel. But Arar, a Syrian born national himself, is a hypocrite for not pushing as hard with the Syrian government to the forfront of the international court or working with Amnesty.

I respect that he was falsley accused by Canada but let's not forget it was the Syrians who physically tortured the man. He pursues this hunt because he knows the Syrians would make it difficult for him and his family still there and/or ignore him.

But in Canada, when it comes to national security mistakes do happen. On the aftermath of 9/11 does he think its fair to drag the Canadian government and the country along this long path fours years later because he was suspected of being a terrorist by association.

My opinion, Mr. Arar, you've received your compensation, got your public inquiry and now the resignation of the RCMP commisionar. Quit whining and be grateful you're yet another Middle Eastern immigrant who's wife can freely wear the hijab and that you can enjoy the compensation instead of worrying about still being in that Syrian torture cell. I think it's time you move on.

Whoever is appointed to be the new commissioner there needs to be an overarching civilian oversight of all organisations involved in security matters.

Whether the new commissioner is from inside or outside he or she needs to hold members of the force responsible for their mistakes. Zaccardelli failed absolutely in this. He even refuses to acknowledge or recognise the significance of erroneous information passed on to the Americans that led them to describe him as a member of Al Qaeda and ultimately decide to render him to Syria.

Documents sent to the Americans included ones that described him as part of an Ottawa Al Qaeda cell, and he and his wife also as Islamic extremists probably connected to Al Qaeda. This misinformation was never corrected.

This is a just a small sample of RCMP "mistakes". Far from being punished some involved in this have been promoted.

I find it amazing that your expert said that the Commissioner had good leadership skills. As a current member of the RCMP I can state without hesitation that Mr. Zaccardelli was only concerned about one thing in the outfit, the Commissioner's office. He did not feel he was accountable to his membership and has demonstrated that on several occasions, i.e. Bob Stenhouse.

How can one be a good leader and not be accountable to those that he wants to lead. I personally will not shed one tear that Mr. Zaccardelli has gone. Our next Commissioner should come from outside the outfit. In this day and age we can no longer afford to keep "the old boys club" in tact. New blood is a must!!!

Given the current RCMP scandal to deal with, it's a good idea for the Government to hire an outsider to fill the position of RCMP Commissioner.

Hopefully this will help to ensure any subersive relationship elements among RCMP Officers at the top, will come to a quick stop.

Oh please,there's no way that anyone outside of the force would qualify for such a position. Zack was trained since the beginning fully knowing that one day he would have the position.

I see Killam would be a likely candidate for the position, but if the organization's culture has changed enough over the past few years, perhaps a woman such as Busson could lead. Whom ever it is, having worked with a few of them in the past - All DComms are solid candidates.

It is with regret that many proud citizens of a great nation have to hear about the recent fobiles of the RCMP Commissioner.

Those of us that have studied Canadian history and particularily the RCMP history are aware of the services the NWMP.RNWMP and the RCMP have offered to the country.

Having said this I don't think that hiring an outsider to manage the RCMP is the right thing to do. The potential candidate will have to know the history, training regime at deport, how to manage 15 divisions and support services including headquarters staff and the Ottawa political scene interaction with interpol and other world police agencies as well as police forces within Canada.

You have to ask yourself how will a twenty year member of the RCMP relate to a new commissioner that has no understanding of the RCMP? What will they have in common?

I think the time has come to perhaps promote a female deputy commissioner for two reasons; firstly it would show Canadians that the government is serious about promoting minorities in government positions and secondly the previous twenty commissioners have all been men, why not have a woman in the role to bring a fresh perspective to the role of RCMP Commissioner?

I would very much like to see someone outside of the RCMP become the next Commissioner.

What concerns me is the behavior demonstrated by the officers has become so ingrained that I think any Commissioner will fail to make any effective changes.

The RCMP commissioner is already responsible to the government through the Minister of Public Safety. If the minister does not have the bandwidth to manage the force, then a Parliamentary Secretary for the RCMP should be added to caucus.

Let a Mountie manage the RCMP, bringing someone from the outside will hurt morale of the force and that person will probably spend most of his/her tenure establishing and building relationships that would already exist for an internal candidate.

I'm rather annoyed with the majority of comments I've read regarding appointing a commissioner from outside the RCMP. It sounds like those that posted these comments don't think there's anyone in the RCMP who's trustworthy enough for the position.

There are thousands of RCMP officers across the country. The mistakes of a few shouldn't reflect on the whole.

I'm not saying that those who've made these mistakes shouldn't be accountable, but infering that the RCMP can no longer manage itself because some individuals in their organization made a mistake is a bit hard to swallow.

I hope the members of the RCMP don't think this is the general view. I for one am quite happy with the service we receive from the Mounties, and hope they appoint someone from within; someone who has worked towards the position and has earned it.

Also, the suggestion that the RCMP interfered with the last federal election is ridiculous. Had the RCMP NOT announced it was investigating the Liberals, and the Liberals had won, then people would complain that the RCMP withheld the investigation from the public, thereby interfering with the election. It seems like they're damned if they do, damned if they don't.

There should be some type of confirmation hearing, aka, the U.S. they know how to grill prospective candidates to lead high level public offices so we don't get this type of situation again. Unfettered political appointments are faulty at best.

Two things are needed of the new head for the R.C.M.Police. One, how to keep good notes so that when someone asks you a question later about a matter of some consquence, you have the required notes 'made at the time' to answer the questions. Hell, this is police work after all, you are accountable! Your memory is useless without the notes and unreliable. Second, pick someone who can manage and has a proven track record of successfully dealing with difficult situations in a large organization.

I am floored by what I have seen in the press over the past months. Sadly, I predicted it would end this way. The system demands accountability and so it must be.

So, to answer the question further, pick somone outside the Ottawa circle and maybe even outside the force. It's time to get tough on crime and on the running of a great institution. It deserves better.

My first instinct is for someone outside the RCMP to fill Zacardelli's shoes but,(and no,I am still not sure he did the right thing) at the same time,I have reservations about this route.

Policing experience of some sort should be a criteria in order to deal with issues that arise that are not easily understood by the general public.

Whether or not the RCMP can in fact police itself, is a major issue and needs to be better studied.Unfortunately I tend to think they cannot, and perhaps outside monitoring really is needed going forward.

It would also seem to me that they need to start at the bottom.I base this on a long close association with a number of RCMP members over the years.All good people but it appears that they really DO regard themselves as "different" from the everyday joe, and tend to stick to their own kind.Sometimes to the point of thinking that they actually ARE better than the average citizen.The old "them" and "us" syndrome.

They have been accused of looking after their own, and it is likely true to a degree.Why not? After all,"they" are not like "us".Attitude is a major factor.They rarely form strong bonds with people outside the force to any extent,and I cannot help but wonder if this is not subconciously instilled in new recruits in training.

Get ready to be "different".Or do we make them different?In the end,they are really just people, with all the same faults and hang-ups that we all have.

So... if they DO feel they are different and isolated,and separate themselves from the real world,how then can they instill trust in the general public? A very complex issue at best!

Stepping into Zaccardelli's position of RCMP Commissioner will take an individual who is aware of these issues and is willing to begin correcting things from within and without. Public trust and the RCMP traditional image are severely damaged.This position needs to be filled only after a long slow study proccess,free of the politics.

It is extremely important the new commissioner comes from within the RCMP. People outside the force should not even be considered.

To adequately address the needs of the various sections of the force, the individual must have come up through the ranks so he/she is familiar with the internal workings of the force.

Obviously the commissioner must be a good communicator, be firm but flexible, be innovative, be knowledgeable about the inner workings of the Force, care about people, and obviously have good educational background.

The diversity of the force demands a person with vast policing experience to replace the current commissioner.

The RCMP should pick their next commissioner from with in its ranks.

The RCMP has always operated with the well being of Canada and her citizens being first and foremost. It would counter productive to pick some one from outside.

The politicians want to twist and distort what was a mistake into a witch hunt that attempts to smear the whole force as being unable to police themselves. The Liberal party who was in power at the time should bear the brunt of the responsibility for what happened and the then minister of public safety should be held liable.

I think Major General Lewis Mac Kenzie should be the new RCMP Commissioner.

I would favour the selection of a new rcmp commissioner from outside the ranks.....preferably someone with a legal and or judical background.

The national police force which is one of this country's most cherished institutions needs renewal which is unlikely to be driven by someone steeped in the force's culture

I think that the RCMP can promote from within, I feel pretty confident in saying that members who have worked their way up the ranks are well qualified to handle the position of Commissioner.

However, I do believe it is time for the present Government to acknowledge that the past ten years the former Government made too many cuts to the RCMP.

Why should we have to live in a society that has drugs and crime scene increasing every day? If the RCMP were more visible in Communities the crime rate would be drastically reduced.

Perhaps Mr. Harper could make the justice system work more smoothly and be more accountable to him if he integrated the positions of RCMP commissioner and Solicitor General into the portfolio of his own Minister of Justice?

Mr. Toews would look more than impressive all dolled up in a Commissioner's uniform and, integrating these functions could help Mr Harper and Mr Toews streamline the enforcement end of our justice system.

The only remaining issue for them would be integrating the court system into the new department thereby gaining control over those pesky judges.

A vertically integrated justice system like this combined with a return to corporal punishment for all offenders in addition to their sentences would greatly reduce crime and allow for proper justice system planning.

We need to appoint someone from outside the RCMP, with integrity and be able to hold high values.

We have seen too many wrong doings and cover-ups within the current administration and therefore appointing someone from within the ranks, will only continue the status quo.

There is a recent history of questionable decisions that have been attributed to the RCMP. This implies systemic problems that would require an outsider to investigate and correct. I agree that this is not a “policing” position but one of management that seems to have accountability problems.

Any promotion from within would carry the cloud of cover-up and would not be fair to the person so promoted.

I would suggest that an experienced and impartial manager be appointed on an interim basis for 1 to 2 years whose role would be to make a complete and sweeping review of the structure and operating procedures.

The interim manager could then recommend a permanent replacement based on a comprehensive report on personnel and system changes required and the criteria for the top job.

It really does not much matter where the person comes from provided Stockwell Day does not make the selection, appointing that person to the cabinet is sofar Mr. Harpers biggest mistake.

Police forces must not just do the job but also the public must perceive them to do the job if they are to have public support when the chips are down.

Thus the new commissioner MUST BE SEEN TO BE above reproach,which frankly right now seems to be synonymous with someone outside the force.

Somewhere out there must be a senior individual with sufficient public standing in the law enforcement community to be acceptable to the mounties themselves, and a public image that gives confidence to all the skeptics like me.

If my understanding of this process is correct, the new Commissioner will be apointed by the Prime Minister (with a reccomendation by the Minister of Public Safety) from amongst the 7 Deputy Commissioners.

These are all intelligent and talented Mounties who have worked their way up through the ranks and generally hold at least one post-seccondary degree. They are also shrewd bureacrats, having gotten this far into the upper echelons of the RCMP.

By the time you become the Commissioner, the job is largely about politics and protecting the RCMP's position in Canada.

I'm not sure that simply apointing a new Commissioner is good enough at this point. From the questions regarding the death of Ian Bush in RCMP custody here in B.C. to the continuing probe into the Arar affair, the Mounties seem to be reeling from crisis to crisis.

I think it would be prudent to have a Royal Commission into the RCMP as a whole to determine the problems and reccomend solutions.

I don't care if the person is picked from within or outside of the RCMP. I just really, really hope that they pick a person with experience, sensibility, and honour. Not just a political lapdog.

*IF* the stories about the last commissioner are true (being protected by Harper despite calls within the Conservative for the Commissioner's dismissal.

This after he launched the investigation against the Liberals in the middle of the last election, knocking the last leg out from under the Liberals and catapulting the Conservatives into power), you really have to be disturbed with the possible implications.

The new Commissioner must commit to hold a full inquiry into the RCMP interference in the last election - as close as Canada has come to a coup d’état.

While I have no particular knowledge of policing per se, I do know a lot of people who either work in police departments or have studied police forces extensively (or both).

Given that, while I think it might be both more ethically and politically prudent to appoint an administrator from outside the RCMP, I don't think that it is a viable solution.

Most police forces, I have been told, are extremely close knit; outsiders find it difficult to create effective policy directives and difficult to properly manage officers who have come up through the force subculture, because they are seen as outsiders.

In some cases, these appointed administrators can be stonewalled when their policy directives run counter to established police proceedural culture.

Moreover, unfortunately, leaving the appointment of the RCMP commisioner open as a political appointment is to invite folly due to patronage.

The best man for the job should be appointed, regardless of his (or her) political leanings. Given all that, and seeing as it appears that the culture, so to speak, of the RCMP is not particularly in need of changing, why not just grab the outgoing gentleman's top deputy and assign him?

Sure, it politically probably won't look good, but I bet he's the best man availible for the job at the moment.

Unless I am mistaken, final say in RCMP matters lies with the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness so regardless of who the Commissioner may be, end power is already held by an elected civilian.

That being said, the RCMP is far more than a typical police force and is recognized around the globe as one of the top organizations of its type anywhere so the idea of a Commissioner being appointed who has less than extensive policing experience is ridiculous.

The RCMP and in particular cases CSIS, have their own power struggles but also act as our main line of civil defense in a country with comparably few law enforcement agencies.

If the culture has become too “internal” then perhaps a leader from outside of the force is necessary, at least temporarily, but recent events should not necessarily require a complete management shake-up.

Ultimately, the RCMP, as with any national intelligence/policing agency anywhere cannot operate at too much of a length from public scrutiny and would be wise to understand and deal with governance and image issues as a priority rather than an afterthought.