On September 23–24, USJE attended the Alberta Municipalities Association Tradeshow to advocate for keeping the RCMP in Alberta. Representing USJE were USJE Local 30010 President Isabel Betancourt, PSAC Regional Representative Hon. Oneil Carlier, and a member of the USJE Communications team.
The event draws approximately 1,200 elected officials, municipal and government staff and other provincial stakeholders. Held at the Edmonton Convention Centre this year, the convention is the largest annual municipal gathering in Alberta. It is an important opportunity for municipalities to network and participate in relevant sessions and discuss emerging issues.
USJE representatives spoke directly with many municipal leaders about the Albertans for RCMP campaign and the Serving Together campaign. Local President Betancourt, a USJE member who works for the Alberta RCMP, provided a personal connection for those who stopped by the USJE tradeshow booth. Her presence and personal experience as a non-uniformed federal public service employee at the RCMP put a face to a discussion often reduced to numbers.
Delegates who stopped by USJE’s booth received a handout on the role of USJE members within the Alberta RCMP, as well as an insert with the latest news and statistics on the issue. Conference attendees were able to spin the USJE prize wheel to take home a prize: a phone stand, bandage dispenser or mints. Also given out at the booth were ‘I support Alberta RCMP’ fans and the ever-popular Albertans for RCMP sticker sheet. Several delegates noted they would be using one or more of our promotional campaign items to spark conversations in their communities on the importance of Alberta’s RCMP.
Most of the convention attendees USJE spoke with voiced support for keeping the RCMP in Alberta, with many mentioning a positive interaction they had with uniformed and non-uniformed RCMP staff. This is echoed by a recent independent Alberta-wide poll on behalf of the National Police Federation (NPF) which found that 78 per cent of Albertans in RCMP-served communities want to retain the RCMP rather than replace it. Financial and operational costs were another strong concern raised in many conversations USJE had at the event. According to the same independent poll, 75 per cent of Albertans would rather see funding directed toward existing police services than spent creating a new provincial police force. This sentiment was backed up by the discussions USJE had with delegates while at the event.
Advocacy for keeping the RCMP in Alberta had strong representation at the event, with the National Police Federation and the Alberta RCMP also having exhibitor booths at the tradeshow. Each group shared their unique perspectives on the value and importance of keeping the RCMP as the province’s police force of choice, while reinforcing each other’s messaging.
USJE will continue advocacy efforts on the Albertans for RCMP campaign at the Rural Municipalities of Alberta Association Convention and Tradeshow in Edmonton the week of November 2, where we will have a tradeshow booth.
Stay tuned to USJE’s website and social media pages for the latest updates on USJE’s Serving Together campaign and Albertans for RCMP campaign.