WHEREAS the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General has taken a neutral approach to complaints received from small municipalities and regional district electoral areas on the matter of service levels and policing priorities and there are no individual policing contracts between the RCMP and small municipalities and regional district electoral areas similar to existing contracts between the RCMP and municipalities with populations of 5,000 plus; AND WHEREAS the RCMP contract is due for renewal in 2012 and the Community Safety Committee of the UBCM is advancing the discussion on the renewal of the RCMP contract: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Province of British Columbia undertake extensive consultations with smaller communities and regional district electoral areas to establish the accountability of detachment Commanders to the communities they serve; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the contract administration responsibilities be clearly outlined in the future RCMP contract, given that the effective January 2007 electoral areas and municipalities with populations under 5,000 are taxed for policing.
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND SOLICITOR GENERAL As part of the contract negotiation process for renewal of the RCMP Agreements, all provinces and territories have agreed that each jurisdiction has a responsibility to: -meet with their municipal representatives to get their input; -represent municipal issues at the negotiating table; and -brief municipal representatives on the progress of the negotiations. The Union of British Columbia Municipalities is in the process of selecting a Local Government Representative to the British Columbia contract renewal team. This individual may attend the federalprovincialterritorial negotiating meetings as an observer to ensure all municipal issues are being addressed. Accountability is an issue for everyone and has been identified as an important element of the contract renewal process.