RCMP pay raises catches BC off guard

by The Canadian Press - Castanet Apr 6, 2012 / 9:00 pm
The federal government is responding to claims that it didn't inform municipal and provincial officials in BC about a pay raise to the RCMP.  Langley Mayor Peter Fassbender and BC Attorney General Shirley Bond said Thursday that they were caught off guard by the pay raise, which they learned about this week. Six provinces, including BC, and three territories recently signed a new 20-year RCMP policing deal with Ottawa. Vancouver radio station CKNW is reporting the federal Public Safety Ministry says the terms of the raises were discussed last year. Fassbender disagrees, saying the raises are retroactive to January and are beyond any budget forecasted by municipalities. Before the contract was signed, BC threatened to set up its own provincial police force if Ottawa didn't give it a greater say in managing local RCMP operations.