MAY I BEGIN BY SALUTING SENIOR DEPUTY COMMISSIONER SWEENY . . AND ESTHER SWEENY . . .
ASSIST. COMMISSIONER BROWN AND DEBORAH ANN BROWN . . .
CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT SMART AND DEBBIE SMART …
SERGENT MAJOR DES FOSSES.
DEPOT INSTRUCTORS AND STAFF
. . . WHO HAVE WORKED SO HARD TO GET OUR NEWEST MOUNTIES READY TO SERVE CANADIANS
. . . AND THE FAMILIES MOM’S AND DAD’S – BROTHERS, SISTERS AND SWEETHARTS THAT HAVE SUPPORTED OUR NEWLY-TRAINED RECRUITS ON THEIR GREAT ENDEAVOR.
I DON’T KNOW WHETHER IT’S SPEECHMAKING PROTOCOL TO MENTION SPOUSES . . .
BUT I DO KNOW THAT IT IS ALL BUT IMPOSSIBLE TO SUCCEED IN A POLICE CAREER . . . WITHOUT STRONG SPOUSAL SUPPORT.
SO I AM NOT JUST SALUTING ESTHER, DEBORAH ANN - AND DEBBIE. . . I AM SALUTING ALL THE SPOUSES HERE TODAY, MALE AND FEMALE.
YOU’VE GOT YOUR WORK CUT OUT, BUT WITHOUT YOU, NOTHING WORKS.
ONE LAST SPOUSAL MENTION . . . THERE IS SOMEONE HERE NAMED SHIRLEY. SHE’S A MOUNTIE TOO, AND A SUPER IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE. I’M PROUD TO SAY I AM HER SPOUSE. AND I AM DOING MY BEST TO SUPPORT HER.
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NOW LET ME TURN MY ATTENTION TO OUR GRADUATES . . . TROOP #49 . . . THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE MANAGED TO SURVIVE TRAINING . . AND ARE ABOUT TO LAUNCH THEIR CAREERS WITH A GREAT INSTITUTION.
AS A PROUD CANADIAN, I CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR ACHIEVEMENT . . . AND WISH YOU WELL ON THE CHALLENGING PATH YOU HAVE CHOSEN.
YOU ARE BEGINNING A NEW JOURNEY AS MEMBERS
. . . OF THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS AND RESPECTED POLICE SERVICES IN THE WORLD
. . . THE ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE.
ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-TWO YEARS AGO, THE CANADIAN CONSTITUTION ACT CALLED FOR “PEACE, ORDER AND GOOD GOVERNMENT.”
IT WAS THE MEN OF THE NORTHWEST MOUNTED POLICE WHO TURNED WHAT WAS REALLY JUST A HOPE . . . INTO REALITY.
FEW COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD HAVE A MORE PEACEFUL HISTORY THAN CANADA’S.
THE WAY OUR MOUNTIES HAVE HANDLED THEIR ONEROUS RESPONSIBILITIES OVER THE YEARS HAS MADE AN ENORMOUS CONTRIBUTION TO THAT REALITY.
OF COURSE, WE LIVE IN A MUCH MORE COMPLEX WORLD TODAY THAN THE NORTHWEST MOUNTIES DID.
. . . YET MODERN-DAY CANADIANS ALSO YEARN FOR PEACE IN THEIR LIVES . . . ON THEIR STREETS . . . IN THEIR COMMUNITIES . . .
CANADA NEEDS GOOD MOUNTIES MORE THAN IT EVER HAS.
THE RCMP HAS RECOGNIZED IN RECENT YEARS THAT IT NEEDS TO REINVENT ITSELF . . . THIS TRANSFORMATION IS ESSENTIAL.
IF IT IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE A SERVICE THAT CANADIANS CAN BE PROUD OF . . .
THAT CANADIANS CAN TRUST TO BETTER THEIR LIVES.
SO, HOW CAN MEMBERS OF TROOP 49 BECOME PART OF THE PROCESS OF MAKING THE RCMP . . .
AN EVEN GREATER TREASURE THAT IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN FOR CANADIANS?
WELL, LET’S START WITH THE FACT THAT YOU ARE JOINING A FAMILY.
THE RCMP HAS ALWAYS SEEN ITSELF AS A FAMILY, WITH THE JOB OF PROTECTING OTHER CANADIAN FAMILIES.
THAT’S A GOOD NOTION: FAMILY. BUT FAMILIES ARE MADE UP OF INDIVIDUALS . . . INDIVUALS WITH VALUES.
IT IS VITAL THAT EACH OF YOU HOLD ONTO YOUR PERSONAL VALUES . . .
. . . WHICH ISN’T ALWAYS EASY TO DO IN THE CRUNCH.
YOU WILL NEED TO DO THAT TO CONTRIBUTE TO AN EVER-IMPROVING RCMP.
YOU AREN’T JUST COPS ENFORCING LAWS. YOU ARE COURAGEOUS HUMAN BEINGS . . . TRYING TO MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR OTHER HUMAN BEINGS.
AS SUCH YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE MORE THAN STRENGTH . . . MORE THAN COURAGE.
YOU ARE ALSO GOING TO HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE INTEGRITY . . . AND INTELLIGENCE . . . AND PATIENCE . . . AND UNDERSTANDING.
THESE ARE ALL KEY PARTS OF THE TRANSFORMATION YOU ARE CONTRIBUTING TO.
LIFE IS VERY COMPLICATED IN THE 21ST CENTURY
. . . AND THE LIVES OF PEACE OFFICERS HAVE BECOME MUCH MORE COMPLICATED.
MOST CANADIANS, I KNOW, SHARE MY BELIEF THAT A NEW GENERATION OF MOUNTIES WILL BE UP TO THE COMPLEX TASK OF MODERN POLICING.
SOMETIMES YOU WILL HAVE TO USE YOUR WEAPONS . . .
THE ONES ON YOUR BELT, OR IN THE TRUNKS OF YOUR VEHICLES.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE A PICTURE AT HOME THAT I TREASURE . . .
IT IS OF A CROWD OF PEOPLE FLEEING IN ONE DIRECTION
. . . OBVIOUSLY TRYING TO ESCAPE SOMEONE OR SOMETHING DANGEROUS.
AT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PICTURE IS A LONE PEACE OFFICER HEADED IN THE OTHER DIRECTION . . . TOWARD DANGER.
HE HAS A REVOLVER IN HIS HAND
. . . AND HE IS PUTTING HIMSELF BETWEEN THE SOURCE OF DANGER AND THE PEOPLE HE HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED TO PROTECT.
SOME DAY . . . YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF IN THIS SITUATION
. . . I HOPE NOT TOO OFTEN.
. . . IF AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS IT WILL BE YOUR COURAGE . . . AND YOUR PHYSICAL SKILLS
. . . THAT CANADIANS WILL BE COUNTING ON.
BUT ONE HOPES THERE WILL BE MANY MORE TIMES WHEN YOU WILL . . USE YOUR MIND AND MOUTH
. . . IN HARMONY, TO GET THE JOB DONE, WITH THE LEAST DAMAGE TO ALL CONCERNED.
THE OTHER DAY I MET A DIMINUTIVE MOUNTIE AT THE SENATE GYM ON PARLIAMENT HILL.
SHE WAS CERTAINLY STRONGER THAN ME . . . BUT SHE COULDN’T HAVE WEIGHED MORE THAN 110 POUNDS.
SHE HAS BEEN SERVING ON THE HILL FOR A FEW MONTHS . . .
BUT SHE COULDN’T WAIT TO GET BACK TO HER SECOND REMOTE POSTING IN THE CANADIAN NORTH.
I ASKED HER HOW SHE MANAGED TO CONTROL SITUATIONS IN THAT KIND OF ROUGH-AND-READY ENVIRONMENT .
SHE SMILED AND SAID SOMETIMES SHE RAN INTO PEOPLE THAT HAD
COMMITTED AN OFFENCE . . . BUT DIDN’T PARTICULARLY LIKE THE IDEA OF BEING ARRESTED.
IN THESE KINDS OF SITUATIONS, SHE SAID, IT IS USUALLY BEST TO TAKE YOUR TIME. TAKING TIME TENDS TO LEAD TO PEACEFUL SOLUTIONS.
IF YOU GET A DIALOGUE GOING, SHE TOLD ME, YOU SOMETIMES END UP CONVINCING PEOPLE TO COME AROUND TO YOUR WAY OF THINKING.
SHE MENTIONED ONE INCIDENT WITH AN INEBRIATED NORTHERNER IN WHICH HER SIDE OF THE CONVERSATION ESSENTIALLY WENT LIKE THIS:
“JOE, YOU CAN COME ALONG WITH ME, AND I THINK EVERYTHING WILL GO JUST FINE.
OR YOU CAN WAIT HERE AND I’LL COME BACK LATER WITH A BUNCH OF MY BUDDIES.”
JOE MULLED THAT OVER, AND DECIDED TO COME ALONG.
I HAVE NEVER BEEN A PEACE OFFICER, BUT I AM TOLD THAT A LITTLE THOUGHTFUL DIALOGUE CAN OFTEN CALM THINGS DOWN.
I HAVE BEEN A POLITICIAN . . . FOR LONGER THAN I CARE TO ADMIT . . .
AND WHILE, AS A PERSON, I HAVE MY FLAWS LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE
. . .
AS A POLITICIAN I THINK I’M VERY USEFUL TO CANADIANS.
WHY DO I SAY THAT?
BECAUSE I’M NOT A SLAVE TO MY POLITICAL PARTY . . .
ANY MORE THAN YOU SHOULD BE A SLAVE TO WHATEVER OUTDATED THINKING YOU MAY RUN INTO WHILE TRYING TO DO YOUR JOB.
THE LIBERAL PARTY IS MY EXTENDED FAMILY. THE RCMP IS YOUR EXTENDED FAMILY.
BOTH YOU AND I NEED TO BE LOYAL TO OUR EXTENDED FAMILIES.
BUT WE ALSO NEED TO INJECT VALUES THAT WE KNOW ARE RIGHT FOR THAT FAMILY.
PMO
WE ALSO NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT OUR GREATEST LOYALTY MUST BE TO THE PEOPLE OF CANADA . . . THE CITIZENS WE ARE BEING PAID TO KEEP OUT OF HARM’S WAY.
HERE, AS A POLITICIAN, IS HOW I TRY TO DO THAT:
ONE OF MY PRIMARY MISSIONS IN OTTAWA, AS CHAIR OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL SECURITY AND DEFENCE . . .
IS TO DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO GIVE CANADIANS THE SECURITY THEY NEED TO LIVE GOOD LIVES.
TO LIVE GOOD, SECURE LIVES, THEY NEED A HEALTHY, FULL-STRENGTH MILITARY
. . . AND THEY ALSO NEED A HEALTHY, FULL-STRENGTH RCMP.
UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS NOT NEARLY ENOUGH FUNDING COMING OUT OF THE PUBLIC TREASURY RIGHT NOW . . .
TO ALLOW OUR SOLDIERS TO DO THE JOB THAT WE KEEP ASKING THEM TO DO . . .
NOR IS THERE ENOUGH FUNDING TO ALLOW OUR NATIONAL POLICE SERVICE DO THE JOB WE’RE COUNTING ON IT TO DO.
BOTH THE CANADIAN FORCES AND THE RCMP ARE STRETCHED TOO THIN . . . AS YOU WILL SOON DISCOVER.
TO MAKE THIS DEFICIENCY CLEAR TO THE PEOPLE WHO RUN THIS COUNTRY . . .
I, AND SOME OF MY MORE NON-PARTISAN COLLEAGUES – LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES ALIKE – HAVE CRITICIZED THE CURRENT CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT FOR NOT PROVIDING MORE ADEQUATE FUNDING.
BUT WE ALSO (AGAIN, LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES ALIKE) SEVERELY CRITICIZED THE TWO PREVIOUS GOVERNMENTS . . . BOTH OF WHICH WERE BOTH LIBERAL.
IN FACT, DESPITE THE FACT THAT I’M A LIBERAL AND I HAVE BEEN THE COMMITTEE CHAIR, WE’VE PROBABLY BEEN EVEN HARDER ON THE LIBERALS.
NONE OF US HAS HELD BACK IN CRITICIZING OUR OWN PARTIES
. . . WHY?
BECAUSE OUR PRIMARY LOYALTY HAS NOT BEEN TO THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY OR THE LIBERAL PARTY . . . BUT TO THE PEOPLE OF CANADA.
FROM YOUR SIDE, YOUR PRIMARY LOYALTY MUST BE TO CANADIANS – THE PEOPLE YOU ARE SERVING.
THEY WILL POP UP IN EVERY SHAPE AND FORM . . .
YOU’LL RUN INTO EVERY PERSONALITY YOU CAN IMAGINE
. . .
. . . EVERY RACE, CREED AND COLOUR,
. . . EVERY SHADE OF GOOD AND BAD . . . AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.
THAT’S A HUGE CHALLENGE, TO PUT YOUR LOYALTY TO THE CANADIANS YOU ARE SERVING AHEAD OF ALL OTHER LOYALTIES . . .
AND TO BE CONSTANTLY THINKING OF WAYS TO PROTECT THESE PEOPLE . . . ALL THESE PEOPLE
. . . BECAUSE EVEN THE BEST OF THEM AREN’T ALWAYS RATIONAL.
SO, THESE ARE MY MESSAGES . . .
FIRST, USE YOUR MIND AND MOUTH AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.
SECOND, NEVER BE A YES-MAN OR A YES-WOMAN WHEN IT COMES TO DEFINING VALUES IN DIFFICULT SITUATIONS . . .
YOU’RE SIGNING ON TO IMPROVE THE RCMP, AND YOU CAN’T DO THAT IF YOU JUST LOOK THE OTHER WAY EVERY TIME THE FORCE FAILS TO LIVE UP TO WHAT IT SHOULD BE.
TRUST IN THIS INSTITUTION IS OF HUGE IMPORTANCE TO ALL CANADIANS . . .
SO IT MUST PLACE INTEGRITY ABOVE ALL OTHER VALUES . . . AND SO MUST YOU.
THIS IS A NATIONAL POLICE SERVICE THAT HAS SERVED CANADIANS SPLENDIDLY OVER THE HISTORY OF OUR NATION.
HELP MAKE IT EVEN BETTER.
WE’RE COUNTING ON YOU. I’LL BE WATCHING TROOP 49, WITH HIGH EXPECTATIONS.
THANK YOU FOR GRANTING ME THE PRIVILEGE OF SPEAKING TO YOU.