Canadian Public Safety Minister: New RCMP commissioner will be hired in June

April 2, 2007

Canadian Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day says a new and permanent commissioner for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) will be hired in June.

Day said he is still not sure if the new chief will come from within the force who has worked up the ranks, or will be appointed from outside the force. "We've said we want the best person," said Day. "That could be somebody who's worked their way up through the ranks, that inspires confidence from within. But we've also said that it can't be limited to that."

Bev Busson, the Deputy Commissioner, who has been doing the big job as the interim since Giuliano Zaccardelli resigned over the Maher Arar incident, stating last December that she didn't want the post to be permanent for her.

Recently a parliamentary committee alleged mismanagement and possible fraud in the RCMP's pension plan.

Busson says that anyone with possible evidence will show up. Day also has called an investigation into the suspected "mismanagement and possible fraud" that the parliamentary committee found.

The investigation will be carried out in private but a report that has yet to be made public will be released. Day is resisting calls for a full-scale inquiry. A person to head the investigation has not been named.