General

RCMP commissioner will step down in July

William Elliot faced heavy criticism from top brass

William Elliot, the beleaguered RCMP commissioner who became the first civilian chief of the force in 2007, announced on Friday that he will step down next July. Complaints began to surface in July of last year from RCMP officers who said that Elliot was abrasive, bullying and difficult to work with. Former CSIS director Reid Morden was later hired for $28,000 to produce a “workplace assessment” of the force. Many of Elliot’s critics were replaced, such as Deputy Commissioner Raf Souccar. CTV News’ Don Martin expressed surprise at Elliot’s resignation, saying “he seemed to have won,” while noting that Elliot himself had previously stated that “the mood of the senior leadership of the RCMP is very positive.” Liberal public safety critic Mark Holland says that with Elliot’s resignation, it is an opportune time to reform the RCMP.

CTV News

Looking for more?

Get the Best of Maclean's sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for news, commentary and analysis.
  • By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
FILED UNDER: