Vol. 139, No. 51 — December 17, 2005

Regulations Amending the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Regulations, 1988

Statutory authority

Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act

Sponsoring department

Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

REGULATORY IMPACT
ANALYSIS STATEMENT

(This statement is not part of the Regulations.)

Description

Section 75 of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Regulations, 1988 (RCMP Regulations) was introduced in 1988 (SOR/88-361) to allow the RCMP to reimburse applicants for travel and related expenses at Treasury Board of Canada rates when reporting for

(a) final documentation and attestation;

(b) medical or dental examinations or physical fitness testing;

(c) second language evaluation and second language aptitude testing;

(d) a suitability interview; or

(e) an interview by a selection board in the case of candidates in the professional, scientific or technical categories.

The RCMP's submission to repeal section 75 of the RCMP Regulations was made due to evolving budget constraints, principles of good administration and modern management/comptrollership. Given the RCMP's ever-changing approach towards the recruitment and hiring of personnel, new directions and changes that are and have been taking place at the RCMP's Training Academy, as well as the fiscal implications inherent in section 75 of the RCMP Regulations, there is a need to repeal this section of the Regulations.

The payment of these expenses will be provided for, where it is justified, by contract between the RCMP and the applicant. This new procedure will be set out in a policy statement. This will enable the RCMP to exercise a greater level of control over the fiscal aspects of its recruitment process.

The payment of expenses by the RCMP would apply, for example, in situations where applicants are from disadvantaged and isolated areas, such as the Northwest Territories and Newfoundland and Labrador, and are in need of financial assistance when required to travel to RCMP detachments to participate in the recruitment process.

The payment of expenses would also be considered in the administration of specific recruiting programs targeting applicants from designated employment equity groups, such as First Nations communities.

This would be in line with current practices of other police forces' policies across Canada, which require that applicants be responsible for their own expenses incurred during the recruitment process.

Alternatives

There was one alternative to the preferred option of replacing section 75 of the RCMP Regulations with a policy statement indicating that the RCMP would enter into a contract with an applicant to pay such expenses.

The option of achieving the same objective by way of a Commissioner's Standing Order, pursuant to subsection 21(2) of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act, was rejected because the RCMP's objective could not be achieved without first repealing section 75 of the RCMP Regulations.

Consequently, the only viable option to provide the flexibility the RCMP is seeking in the management of its funds directed to its recruiting process is through the repeal of section 75 of the RCMP Regulations and the creation of a policy statement.

Benefits and costs

The proposed repeal of section 75 of the RCMP Regulations will provide the RCMP with greater control over costs associated with the recruitment process. This may capitalize on the potential for long-term cost savings to the Force.

Consultation

Extensive internal consultations were conducted between 2002 and 2004 with RCMP national policy centers, Commanding Officers of each division, RCMP Regional Human Resources Officers, various representatives from RCMP divisional recruiting centers, RCMP Civilian Member Policy Section, RCMP Legal Services, as well as RCMP Staff Relations Representatives. These consultations were conducted through the dissemination of discussion papers and numerous meetings relating to the repeal of section 75 of the RCMP Regulations.

Through this extensive internal consultation process, consensus was achieved that this provision should be repealed and replaced with a policy statement in the RCMP's Recruitment Policy indicating that the RCMP may enter into a contract with an applicant whereby the RCMP would agree to pay for specific expenses. None of the stakeholders consulted indicated a negative impact on recruiting practices or funding.

In December 2004, the RCMP consulted with nine universities and colleges that offer law enforcement courses. The consultation was conducted through the dissemination of letters informing those consulted of the RCMP's intention to repeal section 75 of the RCMP Regulations. The letters also explained that a policy statement is replacing section 75 of the RCMP Regulations. Those consulted were requested to provide their comments and concerns and none of the stakeholders reacted negatively to the proposed recruiting practices.

Contact

Staff Sergeant Peter Kirchberger, National Staffing Policy Branch, Human Resources Sector, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, 295 Coventry Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R2, (613) 993-4057 (telephone), (613) 990-2605 (fax).

PROPOSED REGULATORY TEXT

Notice is hereby given that the Governor in Council, pursuant to subsection 21(1) (see footnote a) of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act, proposes to make the annexed Regulations Amending the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Regulations, 1988.

Interested persons may make representations with respect to the proposed Regulations within 30 days after the date of publication of this notice. All such representations must cite the Canada Gazette, Part I, and the date of publication of this notice, and be addressed to Melad Botros, Policing Policy Division, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, 340 Laurier Avenue West, 11th Floor, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0P8.

Ottawa, December 6, 2005

DIANE LABELLE
Acting Assistant Clerk of the Privy Council

REGULATIONS AMENDING THE ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE REGULATIONS, 1988

AMENDMENT

1. Section 75 of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Regulations, 1988 (see footnote 1) is repealed.

COMING INTO FORCE

2. These Regulations come into force on the day on which they are registered.

[51-1-o]

Footnote a

R.S., c. 8 (2nd Supp.), s. 12

Footnote 1

SOR/88-361

NOTICE:
The format of the electronic version of this issue of the Canada Gazette was modified in order to be compatible with hypertext language (HTML). Its content is very similar except for the footnotes, the symbols and the tables.

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