The president of the National Police Federation, representing a large number of Mounties, expressed concerns about the potential negative impact of the Liberal government’s plan to establish a new financial crime enforcement agency on the already strained RCMP. Rob Farrer addressed a parliamentary committee reviewing Bill C-29, which aims to create a dedicated Financial Crimes Agency (FCA) to tackle financial crimes like money laundering and online fraud, tasks traditionally handled by the RCMP.
Farrer suggested that the RCMP could effectively handle the responsibilities of the proposed agency with improved resources. He emphasized the importance of providing sustained staffing, modern tools, and specialized support to enhance the RCMP’s investigative capabilities in combating financial crimes.
The proposed FCA would operate as a specialized police organization with its own mandate and commissioner, separate from the RCMP. However, the bill includes provisions for assigning RCMP personnel to the new agency, with the government considering deploying 150 RCMP members to address financial crimes. Farrer highlighted concerns about workforce capacity, emphasizing the need for experienced RCMP investigators and cautioning against disrupting ongoing investigations and increasing workloads without adequate replacements.
The union leader also pointed out the extensive time and training required to develop expertise in investigating financial crimes. He highlighted the long-standing recruitment and retention challenges faced by the RCMP, which were recently highlighted by the auditor general’s report on officer shortages.
The FCA is expected to comprise civilian investigators, criminal and financial intelligence experts, asset recovery specialists, and specialized prosecutors. Farrer raised questions about the accountability of RCMP officers assigned to the FCA, particularly regarding safety, performance, discipline, and disclosure. The union advocated for new funding for the FCA, separate from the RCMP budget, and emphasized the importance of ensuring that Mounties assigned to the agency have adequate replacements and a smooth transition plan to safeguard ongoing investigations.