B.C. must accept same contract as other provinces or lose RCMP

by Anonymous on 29 Sep 2011

The federal Conservative government stood by its threat to pull the RCMP out of British Columbia, saying Wednesday the B.C. government must decide whether it will accept the same policing contract as other provinces.

Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said all provinces, including B.C., are being offered the same terms and conditions for an RCMP contract.

Toews later told reporters Alberta and Saskatchewan have already agreed to take on the terms.

The Opposition NDP accused the government of jeopardizing public safety in B.C. by issuing an ultimatum that the RCMP would withdraw police services by 2014 if a contract isn't signed by Nov. 30.

In the past month, Alberta and Saskatchewan signed 20-year deals with the RCMP, breaking away from a group of provinces and territories negotiating new contracts. That seemed to prompt the federal government's take-it-or-leave-it stance on negotiations.