The demands of protecting parliamentarians and other public figures are putting “considerable pressure” on Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) personnel and taking resources away from other federal policing priorities, an internal briefing note warns.
The federal police force is “forced to strike a delicate balance” in providing protective services in response to threats reported by parliamentarians, the recently released February memo said.
“The limited capacity of the RCMP’s protective services must be prioritized based on these assessments,” it reads.
The briefing note, obtained from the RCMP under the Access to Information Act, was prepared for a meeting of the Deputy Minister Protection Committee, co-chaired by the National Security and Intelligence Advisor and the Deputy Minister of Public Safety Canada.
The memo, part of a series of memos released in early 2024 under the Access to Information Act, is part of ongoing concerns about protecting MPs, senators and other prominent figures from a growing wave of hateful online comments and physical threats.
“As the number of threats continues to increase, the RCMP and other services must take a strategic approach in their analysis of this threat environment,” a January memo said.
Balancing risks with “limited resources” requires constant re-examination of protection priorities and identification of residual concerns, the note adds.
“Responsible services must communicate and work together to ensure appropriate use of security resources to complement RCMP protection activities and take steps to mitigate risks.”
Labor market conditions and specialized training requirements for “close protection” officers pose challenges and a risk of delays in fully staffing funded positions in the short term, the February note said.
Due to the implementation delay of approximately one and a half years, the RCMP “will face constraints in meeting current and future demands for protective services.”
Additionally, planning has begun for major events scheduled to take place in Canada — including a North American leaders’ summit, the 2025 G7 leaders’ meeting and the 2026 FIFA World Cup — that have a “significant need for close protection,” the February memo said.
“The precise impacts will become clearer in the coming months as plans for these events begin to take shape. While the RCMP receives dedicated funding for these events, it is often not provided in the year in which the expenditures are incurred.”
Recruitment
In response to questions about the memos, the RCMP said it is working to overcome staffing challenges through various recruiting and hiring strategies.
The force is making full use of available funding and continues to fill priority positions, said Robin Percival, RCMP spokesperson.
An additional 235 close protection officers are expected to be required under the protection program over the next five years, based on increased demand for services, as well as the historic attrition rate of 20 per cent the RCMP faces each year due to promotions, transfers and retirements, added Ms.me Percival.
“We are working closely with our federal partners to ensure we are ready.”
RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme said in May he wanted the government to consider drafting new legislation that would make it easier for police to charge people who threaten elected officials.
However, Justice Minister Arif Virani later suggested that existing provisions in the Criminal Code were sufficient.
More recently, former Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino called for the creation of “protective zones” around constituency offices to protect MPs and their staff.