RCMP protection of MPs placing ‘significant strain’ on resources, memo warns

The demands of protecting parliamentarians and other public figures are placing “significant strain” on RCMP personnel and taking resources from other federal policing priorities, warns an internal briefing note.

The national police force is “forced to walk a delicate balance” in providing protective services in response to threats flagged by parliamentarians, says the newly released February memo.

“The limited capacity of the RCMP’s protective services must be prioritized based on these assessments.”

The briefing note, obtained from the RCMP through the Access to Information Act, was prepared for a meeting of the deputy ministers’ protection committee, co-chaired by the national security and intelligence adviser and the deputy minister of Public Safety Canada.

The note, one of a series of early 2024 memos released under the access law, emerges amid ongoing concerns about shielding MPs, senators and other prominent figures from a rising tide of online vitriol and physical threats.

“As the number of threats continues to increase, the RCMP and other departments must be strategic in their analysis of this threat environment,” says a January note.

Balancing risk against “strained resources” requires a constant review of protective priorities and identification of any residual concerns, adds the note.

“Responsible departments must communicate and work together to ensure appropriate leveraging of security resources to complement RCMP protective activities, and steps to mitigate risks.”

Labour market conditions and specialized training requirements for “close protection” officers pose challenges and a potential risk of delay in fully staffing funded positions in the immediate term, the February note says.

Given a ramp-up time of about