"RCMP Headquarters in Ottawa stopped an independent survey of front-line RCMP officers in 1995."

Ottawa – Today, Garry Breitkreuz, MP for Yorkton-Melville and Firearms Critic for the Official Opposition, released more embarrassing documents obtained under the Access to Information Act. This time Breitkreuz caught the RCMP playing partisan politics to hide the fact that front-line RCMP officers oppose the Liberal’s gun registration scheme. One document shows that the RCMP surveyed 291 serving RCMP officers in Saskatchewan and found 91% opposed to ‘the registration of all firearms as proposed in Bill C-68’. The document added, ‘Most of the comments accompanying the survey indicated that they felt the legislation would be unenforceable, too expensive and labour intensive.’ Breitkreuz revealed, "Another document stamped ‘SECRET’ proves the RCMP did what the government needed and suppressed any further polling of RCMP members."

The ‘SECRET’ letter dated May 23, 1995, put a stop to an independent survey of RCMP members to determine their views on gun control legislation. The Commanding Officer of ‘E’ Division in Vancouver, B.C. had already approved a signed agreement with Dr. Gary Mauser of Simon Fraser University to conduct the survey. The ‘SECRET’ letter signed for the Deputy Commissioner of Operations, F.G. Palmer, from RCMP Headquarters in Ottawa stated, "Further, the benefit of this survey at this point in time is questionable since the Commissioner has already stated his position on Bill C-68."

"Clearly, the Commissioner of the RCMP had taken a position to support the Liberal government’s controversial gun registration scheme without even considering the views of his front-line officers," observed Breitkreuz. "RCMP officers are now calling my office and explaining the problems this ill-conceived legislation is creating for them in the field. Add this to the budget and staffing problems and it’s no wonder the RCMP are ‘demoralized’ as stated in a Canadian Police Association news release."

Portions of the ‘SECRET’ letter have been blanked out, but one line tells it all. Deputy Commissioner Palmer wrote, "Despite the written agreement, once the survey is conducted, acknowledgement of it cannot be denied. We must ensure the RCMP is not perceived as partisan."

"Breitkreuz commented, "So it’s not partisan for the Commissioner of the RCMP to support the most controversial piece of legislation passed since the Liberals took power, but it is partisan to report what thousands of RCMP officers actually think of this same legislation. In the minds of the Commissioner and his brass puppets, it’s only partisan if you oppose the Liberal agenda but not if you support it."

Another document in the package clearly showed the political connection. Sgt. G.F. Poth wrote in a May 12^th, 1995 memo: "This misinterpreting would place the RCMP in a very embarrassing position by seemingly bringing into disrepute the position of the Commissioner, the Deputy Commissioner, NPS and the Solicitor General have taken on Bill C-68." Breitkreuz concluded, "Now, does anyone still think the RCMP brass operates independently of their political masters?

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