The decision to include a ribbon skirt in the RCMP uniform received a weak reception from two former Mounties.In Ottawa, retired Mountie Larry Comeau suggested the indigenous ribbon skirt was par for the Liberal course.“Nothing the RCMP does surprises me anymore. In this case (Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau is doing more pandering to the indigenous and the RCMP has delivered what he wanted. Tradition is meaningless under this government and uniforms can be adorned to appease a certain group,” Comeau told the Western Standard by email.“Unless things have changed the number of indigenous RCMP members is very small. Male members can already wear long braids. I guess next the Stetson will be replaced by feathers!”Comeau, who lived in the UK for awhile, said the "willy nilly" changes in Canada contrast with the long-held military traditions across the ocean. "Now, in Trudeau’s DEI-woke Canada, traditions have become totally meaningless. This latest modification to the RCMP uniform has many of my retired RCMP friends wondering if full indigenous head dress will be coming next! In both the military and RCMP uniforms are an integral part of these organizations' history and should not be modified simply on a whim or to appease a particular group," he said."Trudeau claims diversity is our strength! In reality without history and long held traditions Canada will end up with no real identify, but a country made up of meaningless symbols! We are still seeing Canada deeply divided because of Pierre Trudeau’s multiculturalism policy! That policy has resulted in Canada having no real identity, but a collection of ethnic groups clinging to their languages, customs, religions, values and even laws!"From Nova Scotia, former Mountie Leland Keane shared similar sentiments with the Western Standard.“This will do nothing to make Canada safer and is not a priority of those who work the actual streets in critically short detachments who lack resources or support for their actual job. This is a puff piece of Liberal-NDP propaganda to divert attention from what ails the RCMP: unsuccessful recruiting and retention of qualified personnel,” Keane said.“This is merely politics and has absolutely nothing to do with police work. How does it result in more convictions, cases cleared or victims supported? How does it make Canada and Canadians safer?”The ribbon skirt was unveiled on Twitter (“X”) by RCMP Commissioner Mike Duharme. He replaced commissioner Brenda Lucki in the interim in March 2023 and was confirmed as the lasting commissioner earlier this month..“Duheme and his pathetic predecessor have done a very good job of dividing the membership with platitudes and virtue signalling instead of supporting them with actual tools to do their job," Keane said.“Duheme is a member of the 100-125 members of the RCMP's overpaid and underwhelming Senior Executive Committee who wants to make it illegal to criticize our elected officials. He's a politician not a policeman, the same people who unlawfully ordered their members to commit violence on peaceful Canadian protesters in Ontario and Alberta in 2022."Keane, an RCMP firearms instructor in BC until 2019, said the esprit de corps should keep a uniform "depersonalized."“I am ever so proud to have worn the red serge. I was part of a band of brothers who made me humble to serve regardless of race, gender, creed etc. Individualism is destructive in occupations that require the reliance on all and not a few. Individualism is not welcome in military or police circles as a result from day one in basic training," Keane said.“A uniform is worn by all as to indicate acceptance of all according to the oath of impartiality. The personalization of a dress uniform is exclusive not inclusive."Keane, who enforced law for more than 32 years, insists he values the indigenous and their traditions.“When I retired I was presented with a carved walking cane by the local indigenous band and also honored by a drumming ceremony. I lost a comrade on a call who was indigenous, which haunts me to this day, despite my attempts to save him. I have close friends who are indigenous members of the force," Keane explained."Their indigenous race and my Irish Catholic heritage is not what binds us. It is that we served together in a common purpose."
