FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 29, 2009

Feds compromise security of Canadians

MP Martin blasts the government for tearing up the RCMP’s wage agreement 

OTTAWA - Today, MP Dr. Keith Martin blasted the government during Question Period for tearing up a wage agreement Prime Minister Harper announced; one that would simply have given the RCMP wage parity with other police forces across the country. 

While Dr. Martin asked whether the government would, “do the right thing and honour the wage agreement they signed?”  The government’s response was appalling, saying that the RCMP must make sacrifices and were not being discriminated against. 

This is simply untrue as it is the rank and file members who are paying the price. 

“Reneging on this agreement is an affront to the hard working RCMP officers who put their lives on the line every day to protect our citizens. It is a terrible blow to the Force and has long term, negative consequences that have been lost on this government,” said Dr. Martin. “This terrible decision will accelerate the loss of officers from the RCMP to provincial and municipal police forces and make it more difficult to attract new recruits.”

This will exacerbate the huge manpower deficit that already exists, which compromises the Force’s ability to fulfill its crucial public safety duties. In the interests of our RCMP, which is one of the finest police forces in the world, and for the security of our citizens, the government should honour the wage agreement and stop this rollback. This is simply the right thing to do. 

Dr. Keith Martin is the Member of Parliament for Esquimalt - Juan de Fuca 

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More Information: 

The office of Dr. Keith Martin, MP
(250) 474-6505
Martik1a@parl.gc.ca

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