NCJ Number
65942
Date Published
1979
Length
290 pages
Annotation
THIS BOOK ABOUT ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES BY THE ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE (RCMP) SECURITY SERVICE DISCUSSES THREE ILLEGAL PROJECTS, HOW RCMP TRAINING AND DISCIPLINE CONTRIBUTE TO LAWBREAKING, AND OTHER ISSUES.
Abstract
THE THREE ILLEGAL PROJECT DISCUSSED INVOLVED STEALING DURING TIMES OF CIVIL UNREST IN QUEBEC, BREAKING INTO THE OFFICE OF A LEGITIMATE LEFTIST ORGANIZATION AND STEALING FILES, AND BURNING A BARN USED BY LEFTISTS. WHEN EACH CASE WAS EXPOSED AND INVESTIGATED, IT WAS FOUND THAT THOSE MOUNTIES INVOLVED HAD BEEN UNWILLING TO QUESTION CLEARLY ILLEGAL ORDERS. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATIONS OF THE RCMP SECURITY SERVICE FOCUSED ON THEIR ACTIVITIES TO DEFAME LEFTIST ORGANIZATIONS, OPEN CITIZENS' MAIL, AND OTHER DIRTY TRICKS. MOREOVER, THE RCMP AND CERTAIN PUBLIC OFFICIALS JUSTIFY AND PROMOTE THIS WRONGDOING BY USING DECEPTIVE LANGUAGE WHICH CLOAKS ITS CRIMINAL NATURE OR BY CLAIMING IGNORANCE AFTER THE FACT. HOWEVER, THE STRUCTURE OF MODERN BUREAUCRACIES, SUCH AS THE RCMP, MAKE SUCH IGNORANCE UNLIKELY BUT EASY TO CLAIM. HISTORICALLY, THE RCMP HAS HAD GREAT POWERS OVER CANADIANS' CIVIL RIGHTS; IT HAS SINCE BEEN PRESERVED PRIMARILY AS AN AGENT OF A REPRESSIVE GOVERNMENT TO CONTROL MINORITY GROUPS. THE RCMP RECRUITS ITS SECURITY SERVICE FROM PERSONS ALREADY SERVING IN THE RCMP BUT PLACES GREATER IMPORTANCE ON LOYALTY THAN EDUCATION OR SKILLS. RECRUITS ATTRACTED BY THE RCMP'S 'SUPERCOP' PROPAGANDA ARE DISCOURAGED FROM INDEPENDENT THINKING THROUGH STRICT DISCIPLINE AND TRAINING. ORIGINALITY IS ALSO INHIBITED BY THE AUTHORITARIAN RULE OF OFFICERS. THE CANADIAN CONSTITUTION HAS THUS FAR BEEN INADEQUATE TO PROPERLY CONTROL THE RCMP, AND PARLIAMENT HAS BEEN UNABLE TO LAUNCH EXTENSIVE INVESTIGATIONS. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LIMITING THE RCMP SECURITY SERVICE ARE INCLUDED. NOTES AND OVER 100 REFERENCES ARE PRESENTED.