Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says having an Indigenous person serve as the next commissioner of the RCMP is “an excellent idea.”
He made the comment in response to questions from reporters in Winnipeg today about a call from some First Nations leadership for the government to ensure the next top Mountie is Indigenous.
RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki is set to retire from her post this month, slightly before the end of her five-year term.
Get breaking National news
She was appointed in April 2018 and led the force during a chaotic few years that included the deadliest mass shooting in modern Canadian history, along with growing calls to defund the police and allegations of systemic racism in the force.
- End of the road coming for ‘End of the World’? Erosion impacts Edmonton viewpoint
- Anonymous $100M donation boosts Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation
- ‘Nothing can ever really bring justice’: Family speaks after guilty plea in Esther Jones homicide
- Northwest Territories latest to stay on daylight time year-round
Trudeau says the next RCMP commissioner will be selected through an independent process and he did not commit to ensuring Lucki’s successor is Indigenous.
He says bringing change to an institution like the RCMP “is not just about putting the right person at the top.”
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.