A relative of mine had once expressed a keen interest to join the RCMP. He had all the markings of good cop-in-training, namely, size, strength, sense of justice—and he loved doughnuts. (Just kidding, officer, just kidding.)
He is busy pursuing other peace officer options at present, because of his two alleged liabilities: he's white and he's male.
According to his inside sources, the Force has to reflect all segments of a multicultural Canadian society. I'm not sure exactly where in the government labyrinth that that shortsighted nonsense came from, but I need to register my disappointment, via this column.
It seems that it's no longer a matter of “the best [person] for the job”: The driving force for this adjusted prerequisite is skin colour, gender, and ethnicity. At least that's what I hear; I sincerely hope that what I heard was an inaccurate exaggeration. It's bad enough if this was the human resources depart of, say, Safeway, or the student prerequisite at, say, the University of Lethbridge. But do you think retail outlets, school divisions, or even sports teams would take this approach? Me neither.
Now add to the situation a crisis where there is law and order on the line, or where life and death are in the balance: Will having the token appointed multicultural Canadian trying to break up a bar brawl or answer some domestic violence is the best way to respond? You're right again.
It's bad enough that the powers-that-be at the RCMP have fallen to this wobbly thinking, but I understand other first responders—the fire department, in particular—have likewise embraced or are open to embracing this flawed approach to hiring applicants. Again, this is one of the times I didn't get my facts straight.
Let me give you an example: I got very few “A's” in my public school life, where I was an average student in Richmond, BC. Why should I get an award, then, for academic gifting? I didn't qualify for it; I didn't deserve it. Rita and Shelley and Ken and Larry (real people, people) got the appropriate certificates because they earned the right to them.
It should be no different for any form of employment, unless a kind employer is trying to help someone enter the workforce--a token job here or there. I'm all for that.
But when it involves maintaining the law of the land, where there are everything from heartless punks to ruthless thugs engaged in crime, I suggest to you that the best-qualified person for the job should always get the nod. Law enforcement is serious business, folks, not a “touchy-feely” social experiment or academic exercise.
Does that mean that First Nations, women, people of colour etc., cannot become peace officers? You never read that here. Not even implied. If applicants who are First Nations, women, or people of colour qualify—like anyone else—they should get the job.
In other words, they get the job because they meet the standards—not because they fill a quota.
Here's another example: We nominate the best person to represent our party of choice; then we vote for the best candidate to represent our riding. And on the basis, the party in power would then appoint the best member for each particular portfolio.
Or at least this is what should happen. Political commentators, in my opinion, miss the boat completely when they do a head count on how many women or French, for example, assume cabinet posts—or whine as to how many did not. Wouldn't it make more sense if the best-qualified people were appointed. And the more women or French cabinet ministers, on that basis, the better.
None of the above should ever be based on such flimsy “qualifications” as race or gender. Ever. That would be a further example of political correctness out of control. Let’s not forget, the goal, folks, is law enforcement. We need the best qualified in the field, not a pretty diversity of non-white males “at work.”
Regardless of any cosmetic differences, everyone should have a chance to apply and succeed. The powers-that-be would then have the right to award the best-qualified people for said job. That's just simple common sense, people.
So in terms of “maintaining the right,” the first place to start is to maintain the right standards for applicants..
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