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House Hansard - 42

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
March 21, 2022 11:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 42 - Mar/21/22
Mrs. Cathay Wagantall (Yorkton—Melville, CPC)
  • Mar/21/22 6:37:39 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on February 11, I raised a question concerning the impact an RCMP payroll increase and back pay will have on the rural communities of Yorkton—Melville. The agreement reached last June between the federal government and the National Police Federation includes a $20,000 payroll increase for the more than 19,000 regular members of the RCMP. It also provides for retroactive pay dating back to April 2017. In rural Canada the RCMP are our source of stability and safety. Officers are our friends, neighbours and a staple of our communities. We know that our members and reservists are deserving of a long overdue raise. We are frustrated that the government has failed to increase the number of members in the west as promised, and we are deeply concerned for the health and safety of those who are serving rural Saskatchewan. I have raised this issue on behalf of my municipalities and constituents who had no say during the federal government's unilateral negotiations. I am asking the minister to answer to concerned mayors, councillors and my constituents who are footing the entire bill for this pay increase. The minister is not oblivious to the growing economic hardships of Canada's rural communities. He knows the government's spending is out of control with no plan to rein it in. Inflation is the highest it has been in over 30 years and four in five Canadians are saying they changed their food buying habits because of increased costs. He also knows that, effective April 1, the government’s carbon tax will add 12¢ to every litre of gas with further increases to come. We have a cost of living crisis in this country. Canadians do not have the flexibility to absorb yet another steep increase in their taxes, but that is exactly what will happen as a result of poor planning or intentional design on the part of the Liberal government. The largest of my riding’s communities is the city of Yorkton, and it is a prime example of how this deal has thrown a huge wrench into their budgeting plans. Yorkton councillor Quinn Haider has told me that, in addition to the increase in salary, they are being expected to absorb the retroactive costs from as far back as 2017. The RCMP agreement came their way with the cost being about $2.1 million and, like a responsible administration, Yorkton had been diligently planning accordingly by putting significant funds into an RCMP reserve for the back pay. However, the cost is ending up to be $1.4 million, nearly double the amount set aside. The city has used up its entire reserve and has had to draw from other reserves in order to cover these costs. The council has had no choice but to plan for a 4.86% increase in taxes this year, 2.36% of which is solely for the RCMP pay increase and back pay. The councillor told me, “I don’t believe anyone on council has a problem with the RCMP getting a raise, but this is a significant hit. We didn’t have any say in these contract negotiations whatsoever. We’re not the only city around who’s in the same predicament. Everyone is. This hurts.” For some perspective, last year, the city of Yorkton’s tax increase was 0%. The city honoured hard-working taxpayers and gave them a break during the difficulties businesses and workers were facing with COVID lockdowns by making sacrifices and finding efficiencies. This year, council was hopeful for a modest 2% increase in municipal taxes, but now, because of a well-intentioned but unfair federal deal, residents of Yorkton can expect to pay more than double that amount. Yorkton and many cities like it are being left to explain such a sharp tax increase to their residents and wondering what is motivating the federal government to stay so silent on doing its part. When will the Liberal government take responsibility by revisiting this deal and announce its commitment to cover the RCMP back pay, which it unilaterally negotiated and then dropped exclusively on the provinces and our municipalities?
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Context: House Hansard - 42 - Mar/21/22
Mrs. Cathay Wagantall
  • Mar/21/22 6:44:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, responding to my question on February 11, the Minister of Public Safety stated: ...to be clear, there are long-standing arrangements that exist between the federal government, the provinces and the municipalities. Of course, we remain in very close touch with them to ensure that there is fair and equitable support when it comes to the RCMP. We will always be sure that the RCMP are properly resourced.... Saskatchewan requested the federal government to absorb the retroactive costs of this contract and rightly accuses the government of ignoring the 2021 agreement, which states, “The contract parties are committed to a more co-operative and collaborative relationship.” The province and its municipalities were not consulted during negotiations. Minimal and infrequent information on progress is not consultation. If the minister was really committed to ensuring the RCMP is properly resourced, he would have worked collaboratively with Saskatchewan and its municipalities, which of course are prepared to honour future agreements. When will he announce that the federal government will absorb the financial impact of its unilateral decisions for retroactive compensation from 2017 to 2021?
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