Royal Canadian Mounted Police
www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Common menu bar links
Gazette - Teams to fight international corruption
Archived Content
Information identified as archived on the Web is for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It has not been altered or updated after the date of archiving. Web pages that are archived on the Web are not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards. As per the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, you can request alternate formats on the "Contact Us" page.
NEWS NOTES
By Caroline Ross
Combating international corruption requires a global effort. By April 2008, two new RCMP teams will have joined the fight.
The two RCMP international anti-corruption teams — one in Ottawa and the other in Calgary — will focus on detecting, investigating and preventing international corruption such as bribery, embezzlement and money laundering. The teams help fulfil Canada’s commitments under the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).
“The way to combat corruption on a global scale is for countries to work together to create a level playing field,” says Supt Stephen Foster, director of the RCMP Commercial Crime Branch under which the teams will operate.
The UNCAC includes several measures to improve global collaboration against corruption. One measure requires that each member state establish a preventive anti-corruption body to enforce appropriate anti-corruption policies, gather and disseminate knowledge, and assist foreign partners in the fight against corruption.
The RCMP teams will fulfil this requirement for Canada by specifically targeting public sector corruption, including bribery of national and foreign public officials and related laundering of the proceeds of crime.
“(The teams will) gather intelligence, make contacts and identify tactical targets for investigation,” says Foster. He adds that having investigators dedicated to combating corruption is important because it allows law enforcement agencies to thoroughly address corruption cases without stretching resources across other ongoing investigations.
The RCMP teams will work closely with foreign enforcement bodies, as well as Canadian partners such as the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) and Justice Canada, both of which are involved in implementing other Convention requirements on behalf of the Government of Canada.
The UNCAC is the first legally binding international instrument against corruption. The Convention came into force in December 2005 and has been ratified by over 100 member states, including Canada in October 2007.
Besides law enforcement, the UNCAC includes measures to improve public and private sector accountability and expedite the prosecution of offending parties.
