Ed Mason (iNews 800) - The RCMP has hired a senior civil servant and former journalist to manage its public image.
Commissioner William Elliot has appointed Sheila Bird to the newly created position of Executive Director Public Affairs.
Elliot, in an internal message to Mounties obtained by iNews 880 says Bird will lead the development of initiatives to better inform the public as well as RCMP employees, our partners and stakeholders about the RCMP.
The Commissioner’s message goes on to say: “Bird will also provide leadership and support on initiatives to provide professional communications, marketing and outreach advice and services to senior executives”.
Elliot adds: “The Executive Director position also includes the responsibility for the RCMP’s Access to Information and Privacy program. We need strategies and practices to assist the RCMP in ensuring that an appropriate balance is struck between sometimes competing interests, like privacy and the public’s right to know”.
“In the past we have been criticized on occasion for releasing information and at other times for withholding information. We also need to ensure we are better prepared to respond appropriately and in a timely manner to issues that arise as a result of ATIP requests”.
Elliot asks all RCMP employees to “join me in welcoming Sheila Bird to the RCMP and to her important new position”. (ED, ccg)
1 response so far ↓
1 Alcan // Nov 29, 2008 at 09:49
“In the past???
the RCMP have been criticized - try it’s always been all about you… and occasionally about others would be more like the truth.
About being better prepared; does this mean we need a better back up plan so we don’t look so bad next time in the public eye because we need to use them to do our work…
Anyways the history shows us that anytime a decission is made, it’s really only made to keep things quiet and preserve the image.
I would rather like to see the issue of Accountability in Governments which includes the RCMP be addressed that new departments formed at our expense to keep things under rap.
New ways to impliment old ways sounds pretty cute but unless it’s done in the right way you will still see things back firing and people will continue to see you parade in Communities, Towns and Cities and point you out as you drive by them with egg on your face…
Don’t just use words to vindicate the RCMP if you are going to do something to fix things for the people just do it and stop spending money on ways to cover up the cancer cut it out.
The funny thing about that dreaded sickness is this; it starts with a dead cell and the only program it knows is that it’s got to take over the whole body and little does it know in doing so it also kills that very body…. some would use the illustration of the bad apple in the barrel - whatever one works use it it hs the same message.
Continue to clean out the rotten dead cells or apples before it’s to late and maybe eventually, if that’s still possible today to change a mentality or a system of doing things in the RCMP, the respect the founders once had will be returned but if it’s not the people will know it because the RCMP who watch others are now themselves being watched.
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