Latest news with #training program
National Post
4 days ago
- Politics
- National Post
RCMP union pushes for change to help force attract talent from U.S., other countries
Article content That excludes a large pool of well-trained public safety personnel, including members of the Canada Border Services Agency, provincial sheriffs, conservation officers and other law enforcement agents who may not meet the threshold, the report says. Article content Forcing these candidates to repeat a full 26-week training program at the RCMP training depot 'creates a barrier to recruitment and results in missed opportunities to bring skilled, experienced candidates into the RCMP,' the report adds. Article content It also says the federal procurement process is too slow and unresponsive to the urgent needs of modern policing, and drains valuable government resources. Article content 'Delays in rolling out life-saving equipment, including service pistols, body armour and body-worn cameras, threaten both officer safety and public trust,' the report says. Article content During the spring election campaign, the Liberals promised to recruit 1,000 more RCMP personnel to tackle drug and human trafficking, foreign interference, cybercrime and car thefts by organized crime. Article content The Liberals also pledged to create a new RCMP academy in Regina and increase pay for cadet recruits. Article content Watson acknowledged the promise to hire more Mounties and said Public Safety recognizes the importance of cadet pay in broader efforts to support recruitment and retention. Article content The RCMP did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication. Article content The police force has been told to trim two per cent of its budget as part of a governmentwide cost-cutting exercise. Sauve said he is 'cautiously optimistic' the Liberal government will follow through on its commitment to strengthen law enforcement, set out in a May mandate letter. Article content The RCMP provides policing services through contracts with all provinces and territories, except Ontario and Quebec. RCMP policing agreements cover much of rural Canada, all of the North and many towns and municipalities in contract provinces. The police federation acknowledges that some continue to ask whether the RCMP should shed its contract policing role across Canada and become more like the FBI by focusing on federal criminal matters. Article content Article content In March, before Mark Carney became prime minister, the Liberals published a paper outlining a new vision for the RCMP. It suggested the force concentrate on federal policing, reflecting its 'essential mandate and where it is best placed to lead investigations.' Article content The federation flatly rejects the idea Article content 'The RCMP's integrated pan-Canadian policing model remains one of its greatest strengths, due to its ability to leverage co-ordination, consistency and efficiency across all jurisdictions,' the June report says. Article content It argues that moving away from the current model 'would create deep service gaps, duplication and costly public safety and economic inefficiencies with no evidence of better results.' Article content The federation calls for dedicated funding for federal policing, saying RCMP officers carrying out those duties must no longer be used to backstop vacancies in contract jurisdictions. Article content 'Federal assets should be used solely for federal mandates,' the report says. 'If federal members are redeployed for non-federal purposes, those services must be cost-recovered from contract partners.' Article content
Yahoo
03-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hernández: Lakers' commitment to Luka Doncic raises questions about LeBron James' role
Near the conclusion of the news conference to address his contract extension with the Lakers, Luka Doncic detailed the training program that contributed to his striking weight loss. When he was finished talking about how he lifted weight and refrained from playing basketball for a month, general manager Rob Pelinka made it a point to offer some thoughts. 'Luka's done all the work,' Pelinka said, 'but it's important to have a support system around you to help you do the great work.' Pelinka went on to praise Doncic's trainer, Anze Macek, and physiotherapist, Javier Barrio. He remarked how Macek and Barrio have 'worked seamlessly' with the Lakers' staff. He name-checked Doncic's agent, Bill Duffy, and business manager, Lara Beth Seager. Read more: 'Just the beginning': Luka Doncic on why he agreed to a three-year, $165-million contract extension These weren't garden-variety compliments. This was a pledge of allegiance. Shortly after Doncic was traded by the Dallas Mavericks to the Lakers last season, stories emerged about tensions between his inner circle and former team. Pelinka's words contained an indirect message: We will support you the way Mavericks didn't. This is your team. The commitment was formalized on Saturday, the Lakers signing the 26-year-old Doncic to a three-year, $165-million contract extension. The news conference ended with seven Lakers players and coach JJ Redick emerging from the back to take a picture with Doncic as he held up his jersey. A couple of the players, center Deandre Ayton and guard Marcus Smart, were personally recruited to the team by Doncic. Doncic is now officially the center of the Lakers' universe, and as inevitable as that seemed from the moment Pelinka acquired him, the dynamic intensifies a question that was initially raised last season: What does this mean for LeBron James? Too much shouldn't be made of James' absence from the news conference on Saturday, as Austin Reaves wasn't there either. However, James is under contract for just one more season and Doncic for at least three more, and how will James deal with not being the focal point of his franchise? James is a player who is used to exercising boundless influence over teams that employ him, enough to where the 17-time NBA champion Lakers drafted his undersized son. While the Lakers once had visions of Anthony Davis replacing James as the face of their franchise, the imaginary baton was never passed. The Lakers didn't make as big a deal of Davis' extension two years ago as they did with Doncic's on Saturday, for which a Doncic-themed photo gallery was erected for the news conference. There's an uneasy feeling about the situation, in large part because James hasn't clearly communicated his thoughts. When James exercised his player option for the upcoming season, his agent said that because James wanted to play for championships and the Lakers were 'building for the future,' their camp wanted 'to evaluate what's best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career.' The 40-year-old James will have a say in what happens, as his deal includes a no-trade provision. Asked how James viewed the Lakers' summer and whether he thought James would retire with the team, Pelinka replied, 'So all the interactions we've had with LeBron and his camp, [agent Rich Paul] in particular, have been positive and supportive. So very professional and Rich has been great. The dialogue with him has been open and constant. 'In terms of LeBron's career, I think the number one thing we have to do there is respect he and his family's decision in terms of how long he's going to play. I think that's first and foremost and we want to respect his ability to come up with his timetable on that. I think that's really important, but if he had a chance to retire as a Laker, that would be great." In other words, there wasn't enough clarity for Pelinka to be able to say with any degree of certainty, yes, he thought James would retire a Laker. Doncic accepted an offer from the Lakers to be their next headliner. That was an important development for them. But for them to be able to properly showcase their next act, they will have to close their previous one, whether it's by him accepting a supporting role or deciding to take his talents elsewhere. Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things Lakers. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
