Letter to Commissioner Duheme following the MAB’s May 2026 Quarterly Meeting
July 20, 2026
Commissioner Mike Duheme
RCMP National Headquarters
73 Leikin Drive
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R2
Dear Commissioner Duheme,
On behalf of the Management Advisory Board (MAB) for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), I would like to thank you and the members of the Senior Executive Committee (SEC) for your participation in the MAB’s quarterly meeting held May 12 to 14, 2026, at the RCMP Strathcona County detachment in Sherwood Park, Alberta.
Discussions with you and SEC confirmed a consistent theme: progress is being made, but key challenges persist, underscoring the need to refresh and refocus efforts through a more solution-oriented approach in support of shaping the future of policing. Also evident was the need for us, as the advisory board to the Commissioner, to recalibrate our approach to contribute more directly to measurable outcomes where we can demonstrably influence and support progress.
Recruitment and workforce capacity
While recruitment modernization efforts are underway, the MAB remains concerned that gains will not offset attrition and rising demand. Improvements to the recruitment process itself will be meaningless if they do not produce a net increase in the workforce. The RCMP must establish a clear plan moving forward that includes measurable actions, aggressive yet realistic timelines, and robust reporting.
MAB is of the view that measurable progress will include:
- setting clear short-, medium-, and long-term outcomes, with regular reporting focused on impact (for example, applicant quality, training success, attrition), not just activities
- establishing an end-to-end approach linking current processes, transformation initiatives, and hiring 1,000 Federal Policing personnel to deliver sustained increases in operational capacity
- evaluating the recruitment transformation pilot results for effectiveness, scalability, delivery model (centralized vs. hybrid), and resource implications, with clear direction for next steps
- assessing the feasibility of a 6‑month application processing target, identifying constraints and concrete mitigation strategies
- reporting core workforce metrics regularly, including number of applicants going to Depot per month, cohort graduations, probationary releases, and retirement projections
- tracking performance of processing targets against actual timelines, identifying variances and corrective actions
Digital modernization
The gap between current capabilities and emerging demands is a growing risk. Continued reliance on aging infrastructure, including the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) system, and the rapid evolution of evolving threats such as artificial intelligence require urgent, sustained action.
The MAB acknowledges the RCMP’s progress in strengthening IM/IT governance, increasing transparency in spending, improving data integration, and reducing duplication. These are important steps. Delivering a “One RCMP” approach to align work across the organization through shared infrastructure, connected systems, modern tools, and streamlined processes will be critical, and progress must be demonstrable.
Moving forward, the MAB looks forward to regular, metrics-based updates on progress against defined targets, including implementation of its recommendations outlined in the advisory letter shared with you in February 2026.
MAB structure
Lastly, we appreciated the direct and candid discussion with you and SEC on the MAB’s structure, role, and purpose. We are committed to sharpening our focus to provide advice that is targeted, actionable, and tied to measurable outcomes. We are committed to working within the full limits of our mandate to provide advice intended to prompt the RCMP’s movement forward on matters of primary importance.
At our next meeting (August 18 to 19, 2026), we will develop a plan for concrete changes to how we operate, with a clear objective to increase our impact on RCMP decision-making and progress against core priorities. We intend to demonstrate the same level of discipline and accountability that we are expecting from the RCMP.
I look forward to meeting to discuss these priorities and to hear your views on the most pressing challenges ahead.
Sincerely,
Professor Angela Campbell
Chairperson, Management Advisory Board for the RCMP
CC: Minister of Public Safety
Deputy Minister of Public Safety Canada