CPA members advance political agenda on Parliament Hill during Annual Police
Day

OTTAWA, April 20 /CNW Telbec/ - Today more than 125 front line police personnel representing over 41,000 members of the Canadian Police Association (CPA) are converging on Parliament Hill to meet with politicians to discuss law and order issues.

The CPA Annual Police Day affords an opportunity for legislators to hear first hand the perspective of front line police personnel, on justice and law enforcement issues that merit legislative change or government action. Over 200 meetings between members of the Canadian Police Association and their respective members of the House of Commons and the Senate have been scheduled throughout the day. This year, the CPA delegates are bringing three "priorities" to the attention of legislators:

    
    -   Funding Police for the future
    -   Independent Association for the RCMP
    -   Public Safety Officer Compensation Benefit
    

"Our advocacy experience has demonstrated the value in having the front-line police perspective brought to the attention of legislators", said Charles Momy, President of the CPA. "Our delegates bring forward a unique and valuable point of view in justice and law enforcement related issues. Today we are asking the government of Canada to reinvest in community policing and provide long-term sustainable funding to assist in keeping the citizens of Canada safe. We are also asking Parliament to provide RCMP Members with the legislative authority to form an independent police association and bargain collectively with their employer, a right afforded to all other police officers in Canada. Finally, the CPA is calling on the federal government to establish a national Public Safety Officer Compensation benefit in Canada, as an appropriate way for the nation to recognize the sacrifices made by public safety officer's and to address the financial security of the officer's family."

The CPA is the national voice for 41,000 police personnel serving across Canada. Through our 160 member associations, CPA membership includes police personnel serving in police services from Canada's smallest towns and villages as well as those working in our largest municipal cities, provincial police service, members of the RCMP, railway police, and First Nations police associations.

Legislative Fact Sheets on each CPA 2010 Advocacy Issues can be consulted at www.cpa-acp.ca under "Justice Reform"

For further information: Tim Smith, Government Relations and Communications, Tel.: [phone], Cell: [phone], Email: [email protected]