(CBC News) - The RCMP members association is demanding the federal government redo its investigation into the Mayerthorpe killings, claiming that the probe that was done lacked independence, CBC News has learned.
The association, which represents members of the force, is filing a formal complaint about the Mayerthorpe report prepared in February 2007 by Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC).
The association claims the report bears a striking resemblance to the RCMP’s own internal investigation into the incident which saw a gunman kill four RCMP officers on a rural farm in Mayerthorpe, northwest of Edmonton, on March 2, 2005.
In fact, the synopsis of events described in the HRSDC report mirrors almost word for word the synopsis in the RCMP report. The only difference is that the RCMP report, prepared in December 2006, says the “incident began quietly on March 2, 2005,” while the HRSDC report cuts the word “quietly” and simply says the “incident began on March 2, 2005.”
CBC News has obtained copies of both reports.
“Because of the content of the report that has almost been torn out of the RCMP report, obviously we have doubts about the independence of it,” said Staff Sgt. Gaétan Delisle of the RCMP members association.
Delisle noted that Bryan Lloyd, the health and safety officer who wrote the HRSDC report, now works for the RCMP.
Lloyd took a civilian health and safety job with the force in November 2007, a job that was posted just one month after Lloyd submitted his report.
“Because [Lloyd] is now a civilian member of the RCMP, further doubts happen,” Delisle said.
“We’re asking [the labour minister] to redo a complete investigation.”
The HRSDC is overseen by two federal ministers, Human Resources Minister Monte Solberg and Labour Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn.
‘We’re confident it’s fine’: HRSDC
Terry Baker, a manager of labour programs at HRSDC, said his agency stands by its report.
“We’re quite confident it was done well,” he said. “We saw no flaws in it.
“I mean there’s always things in an investigation if you go back over time and say, ‘well maybe we could have done something else,’ but there was nothing in here we saw as an open hole that we needed to fill. We’re confident it’s fine.”
The HRSDC wouldn’t comment on the specific complaint being lodged by the RCMP members association, explaining that the complaint hasn’t yet been filed. The RCMP also said it would wait to comment until after the complaint was filed.
CBC News contacted Lloyd for comment, but he said he wanted to speak with his communications officials before addressing the issue.
4 officers died on scene
RCMP officers Const. Anthony Gordon, Const. Lionide (Leo) Johnston, Const. Brock Myrol and Const. Peter Schiemann were investigating stolen car parts and a marijuana growing operation in a Quonset hut when property owner James Roszko ambushed the four and shot them to death.
Roszko then left the building and fired two rounds, which struck a police car near where fellow officer Const. Stephen Vigor was standing.
Vigor returned fire, hitting Roszko and forcing his retreat back into the building where he eventually killed himself.
On Friday, Vigor was honoured with the Governor General’s Medal of Bravery for preventing Roszko from escaping the scene.
Police have arrested two men from a neighbouring town in connection with the killings. Dennis Cheeseman, 23, and Shawn Hennessey, 28, each face four counts of first-degree murder.
8 responses so far ↓
1 Gendai // Mar 2, 2008 at 11:41
I`m sorry to admit this but reading this story sounds to me so much like;
Police officers today are just numbers and so their attitudes reflected says; lets forget this negative stuff, lets fix it and all agree we did a bang up job and lets move on.
2 GetReal // Mar 3, 2008 at 01:21
The so called association is a small band of mostly malcontents based in the Province of British Columbia and do not speak for more than 1/2 of 1% of the RCMP officers. The voice of the membership is the Division Staff Relations Representatives actually elected by the RCMP officers themselves. Numerous newspaper accounts delineate this fact.
3 Justbecause // Mar 3, 2008 at 22:41
Get Real …… I disagree . You sound like a White Shirt playing the company tune. The Division Staff Relation Representatives ( DSRR) are bound by the punitive measures of the RCMP act ..ect . Can one be that outspoken knowing that discipline can be commenced at any time for speaking out of turn against the organization.Speak to the DSRR’s about the issue. You did read the Brown Task Force and that sentiment echoed loud and clear over and over.
I guess we will wait until the public enquiry commences( 2010 my guess ) to get some of the truths .
4 speaking_my_mind // Mar 4, 2008 at 22:39
I agree with Justbecause on this one. Yes, the DSRR is democratic, but it is not atonomous enough to effectivley represent the members interests.
There is a saying I have, “be careful of the toes you step on today, they could be connected to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow.” This is the quagmyre the DSRR reps find themselves in.
5 GetReal // Mar 5, 2008 at 00:09
If you have read any of my earlier posts you will realize that my position is that the officers of the RCMP need a union. Without a collective agreement they cannot have a singular voice nor can they have even handed treatment with respect to grievances and the like. I read the Brown report and I see nothing to dissuade me from this view. I have also read the Duxbury reports, 2003 and the latest and once again they need a union, not locally elected, paid by the company, housed by the company, promoted by, or evaluated by the company representatives. Unfortunately, in my opinion, they can only use what they have, and that is the staff relations people in place.
Perhaps you could enlighten us with the actual number of paid up card carrying participants in this ‘Association’. The figures for the totality of the RCMP membership is right on their website so a little mathematics should not be too difficult.
6 Simon // Mar 5, 2008 at 00:32
The question is not whether or not Get Real wears a white shirt. The question is how much hardware he has on his shoulders. But it seems he is one of the few that avoided the lobotomy that you get with your first pip.
Having said that, like Justbecause, I question the true motivations of some of the DSRR’s. I question how many are upwardly mobile and motivated by future promotions, thereby needing to ingratiate themselves with upper management.
7 GetReal // Mar 6, 2008 at 01:33
Anytime your representatives are paid by, housed by, and assessed by the same management that you have to deal with and obtain concessions with respect to pay, benefits, working conditions, or promotion, there will inevitably be nepotism, corruption and self promotion. The only question to be asked is how deep does the river run.
8 speaking_my_mind // Mar 6, 2008 at 11:06
I don’t think there is a black and white answer here. Yes, it is black and white in respect to the system is bad and needs complete overhaul. However, within the current system like everything else it boils down to the human element. In most cases, I would rather have a 30 year S/Sgt in my corner than a 15 year Corporal. In such situations the guy who is in the less career focused position will be more likely to ruffle the required feathers.
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