G7 Summit: Kananaskis/Calgary
With preparations underway for the upcoming G7 Summit in Kananaskis/Calgary, we recognize the impact on Members who have been deployed or those who are backfilling positions. We appreciate your dedication and commitment to the safety of world leaders, delegates, Canada and Canadians despite these challenges.
We understand and share your frustration for the lack of information we have been able to share leading up to this event. When the event was first announced, the NPF reached out to RCMP Management with a request to be involved with the strategic planning team in order to mitigate issues and minimize disruption to you and your work. Regrettably, the RCMP did not accept our offer and proceeded with planning without the NPF’s involvement; leaving us with limited information on event details and planning, logistics, mobilization/demobilization, scheduling, etc. This has led to the very disruptions and issues we initially aimed to mitigate but were deterred by the RCMP.
NPF Prairie Region Directors Kevin Halwa and Jeff McGowan and Vice-President Michelle Boutin will be on site to support and assist you throughout the event. Vice-Presidents Dennis Miller and Rob Farrer are also available to provide guidance from a Collective Bargaining perspective to ensure the Collective Agreement is respected and enforced when/where applicable.
If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to the Member Services Centre at [email protected] or by calling 1-833-673-8326 (1-833-NPF-TEAM).
Private Accommodation Allowance Eligibility
As many Members are undertaking relief work this summer, we wanted to address questions surrounding the Private Accommodation Allowance (PAA). In 2022, the NPF became aware that the RCMP and Treasury Board were taking a different interpretation of the PAA than it had in previous years. Since then, the NPF has been working diligently to change the RCMP and Treasury Board’s interpretation to ensure Members receive PAA entitlements where eligible. In the meantime, we are reminding Members of the following regarding PAA claims and denials.
While performing relief work for the RCMP, if you stay in Crown-owned housing rented out on a long-term or permanent basis to other RCMP Members, it is the NPF’s position that you are eligible for PAA. This is the case regardless of whether the other Member who lives in the Crown-owned housing is there during your stay or not.
This interpretation and eligibility for PAA does not apply to Crown-owned housing that is empty (i.e., housing that does not have a long-term/permanent renter or housing assigned as “temporary quarters”).
The NPF has been actively engaged with the RCMP and Treasury Board on the issue. As the NPF continues to advocate on Members’ behalf, Members should keep in mind that the NJC Travel Directive does not make it mandatory for an employee to stay in Force Housing (except in a place such as Depot, CPC, or a Divisional Headquarters). As such, the NPF encourages Members to utilize commercial accommodations (such as hotels) if available.
If you think you are eligible for PAA and it has been denied by the RCMP, please contact the Member Services Centre at [email protected] as soon as possible so that we can assist in preparing a grievance. Note there is a 25 working day time limit to file NJC grievances and the NPF requires time to review your situation and prepare the documents for your submission.
Sincerely,
