The RCMP & Defunding the Police w/ Jennifer Strachan

01/01/21 • 62 min

Small Conversations for a Better World Podcast

Last year on the podcast, we learned that health and security are a lot more closely linked than we ever imagined. The Covid19 pandemic amplified that fact exponentially. We realized that we had some big questions about systemic racism, misogyny and intolerance in Canadian policing. We also wanted a better understanding what it might actually mean to defund the police.

We reached out to BC RCMP Deputy Commissioner Jennifer Strachan for her take on things, and for a Canadian, and an historical context. In the aftermath of the Bastarache Report, Jennifer brought us her perspectives on where the RCMP has been, where the organization is now, and where it's headed. Join us for this wide-ranging conversation that explores everything from RCMP training, to police handling of culturally sensitive issues, to intolerance within the force, and what's being done to make things better.
For PDF copies of the Rainbow Project Initiative and the RCMP Guide to Supporting Transgender, Non-Binary and Two-Spirit Employees, mentioned in this episode, email us at [email protected] and we'll send you the PDFs.
About Deputy Commissioner Jennifer Strachan
With 32 years in policing, D/Commr. Jennifer Strachan spent 14 of those in a broad range of front-line policing roles in British Columbia. She has also worked in administrative duties at the Provincial and National level, in addition to completing a Peacekeeping Mission in Haiti in 1996. She also served as the desk officer responsible for peacekeeping deployments to the Former Yugoslavia.

Her frontline policing experience started with her first posting in Whistler, BC and then Westshore Detachment. She was commissioned in 2002 to the role of Executive Officer to the Deputy Commissioner of Corporate Management & Comptrollership and since then some of her postings have included: Officer in Charge of the National Child Exploitation Coordination Centre; Detective Inspector in Charge of Montreal Drug Section; and, Officer in Charge of Operational Policy and Programs in Contract & Indigenous Policing at National Headquarters. She served as a District Commander, Criminal Operations Officer, and as the Commanding Officer in "O" Division, Ontario, and the Deputy Commissioner responsible for Specialized Policing Services.

D/Commr. Strachan holds an Undergraduate degree from the University of Ottawa as well as a Master's degree from Royal Roads University. She is a graduate of the Canadian Police College Executive Development in Policing program and is an Alumni of the Leadership in Counter Terrorism Association. With a passion for supporting others in realizing their career goals, D/Commr. Strachan is a proud recipient of the 2014 Ontario Women in Law Enforcement - Mentor of the Year award as well as the 2014 International Association of Women Police - Mentor of the Year award. In 2016, she was invested as an Officer of the Order of Merit for Police Forces (O.O.M) by the Governor General of Canada.

She manages competing demands between work and home, thanks to the unwavering support and commitment of her husband and son.
BC RCMP (English)
GRC en CB (Français)
Find D/Com Jennifer Strachan on Twitter:
@RCMP_GRC_EDIVCO
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@bcrcmp (English) ; @grcencb (French)
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Previous Episode

Intro To Season 3

The Small Conversations for a Better World Podcast is officially one year old! And on January 1st, 2021, we're launching our third season. We can't wait! With a global pandemic as a backdrop, 2020 was a rollercoaster ride on an epic scale. The interconnectedness of things became even more apparent. Cracks in the foundation were revealed, and we realized it was even more important to talk about the things we see and experience around us that influence, and are influenced by our health. With that in mind, we've curated another fabulous lineup of authorities who can expand perspectives on our central theme: What is Health?
As we launch Season 3, we thought we'd take a few moments to re-introduce ourselves, and share what we've learned so far, and what we're planning for this year. There is so much to talk about! We're kicking off on New Year's day with an in-depth conversation with BC RCMP Deputy Commissioner Jennifer Strachan, who answered our questions about systemic racism and intolerance in Canadian policing.
That's just the tip of the iceberg! We'll talk about food security with Dr. Tammara Soma; about the social determinants of health with Kristy Kerr, Director of the BC CDC Foundation for Public Health. We'll talk about fitness and homelessness, and how they link in ways you might not expect. We'll dive deep into endometriosis, concussions, and Kangaroo Care. And we'll get an insiders perspective about Search and Rescue in BC.
Subscribe to the podcast - and Season 3, episode 1 will drop into your playlist on New Year's Day. After that, look for new episodes every Friday for the duration of the season. Check out the great conversations you may have missed from Seasons 1 & 2.
Follow us on social media to share your thoughts on the things we're talking about, to ask questions, and to let us know about things you think we need to talk about!
Small Conversations for A Better World Podcast
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Small Conversations Socials :
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Gillian McCormick, PT
www.physiogillian.com
Socials: @physiogillian
Susannah Steers
www.movingspirit.ca
Socials : @themovingspirit, @susannahsteersnv

Next Episode

The Social Determinants of Health w/ Kristy Kerr

We may not always connect the dots, but our social environment has a massive impact on our health and wellbeing. Social Determinants of Health involve a list of things that are proven to directly influence health outcomes. They include sex, gender identity, race, the level of education of your parents and of yourself, where you live, how much money you make, and a host of other factors. We reached out to Kristy Kerr, Executive Director of the BC CDC Foundation for Public Health to ask her about the Social Determinants of Health, and their impact on our health. She talked to us about some of the great initiatives this one-of-a-kind foundation is involved in, in efforts to address these social realities.
About Kristy Kerr
Kristy Kerr is the Executive Director of the BCCDC Foundation, a registered charity, working in partnership with the BC Centre for Disease Control, as well as other stakeholders, in order to improve public health outcomes in BC. She’s responsible for leading strategic direction, organizational development, and the consistent achievement of the mission, vision, and mandate of the BCCDC Foundation. Kristy believes that our best way forward to create a truly healthy society is to increase public health awareness and investment, and she is leading the Foundation with these goals in mind. Passionate about health promotion, prevention, health equity, and the social determinants of health, Kristy believes we need to shift our focus to upstream actions, that is, addressing root causes of issues and emphasizing positive and holistic health. Upstream thinking will shift our current primary focus on the acute care system toward an investment in stopping problems before they need to be fixed, resulting in a reduction in the burden on our healthcare system, and thereby improving it in the
process.
Prior to joining the BCCDC Foundation, Kristy worked in different research management
and grant- writing roles within the academic world. She also worked in international development and global health, spending time in Zambia and Kenya working with local stakeholders on various community-based initiatives. Kristy has a Master’s degree in Public Health with a specialization in Health Promotion, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Biology, and an Associate’s degree in Creative Writing.

A BCCDC Foundation Call to Action
The BCCDC Foundation needs advocates to spread the message that we all have a role
to play in population health: individual actions can have a population impact. By working together to shift how we see health and how we engage with our healthcare system, we can protect the health of our communities now and for future generations.
Are you interested in hearing more about the work of the BCCDC Foundation? Want to join our battle cry and Activate Health by becoming a health ambassador in your community?
Learn more at www.bccdcfoundation.org and join us on Twitter, Facebook, and
Instagram @BccdcFoundation.

If you’d like to support the BCCDC Foundation’s initiatives to address COVID-19, the
overdose crisis, or other priorities, you can donate online or reach out to donate @bccdcfoundation.org
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Find Susannah Steers at www.movingspirit.ca and on social media @themovingspirit.

Find Gillian McCormick at https://physiogillian.com/ and on social media @physiogillian