“We challenged the (federal public safety) minister, as he has been challenged by every other municipal group in Canada, because we all get a bill if we don’t get this resolved,” says mayor Gerald Aalbers following a Dec. 5 meeting with Marco Mendicino.
The RCMP back pay bill facing Lloydminster is about $1.8 million and Aalbers adds that the minister said it will be dealt with shortly.
“He didn’t give us a firm answer, how he was going to deal with it, but he said, “It would be dealt with shortly.” So we will wait and see – patiently. It is certainly something that we don’t like hanging over our heads.”
Aalbers says the nature of the contract the Treasury Board of Canada signed with the RCMP has left all municipalities facing similar budgetary constraints to meet the retro pay bill.
“Every community that has an RCMP municipal contract as well as the provinces are going,”Where did this come from.” We expected somewhat of an increase. We have been given hints. We budgeted some money, but we are significantly short of the $1.8 million – that our bill would be if not more.”
Aalbers says their concerns have been conveyed to all the various levels of government.
“The federal government can’t say that they haven’t heard us. The question now is what will they do,” concludes Aalbers.