Embattled RCMP boss consolidates power

Commissioner William Elliott has sidelined one of his major detractors and staffed two powerful positions with his supporters.

This summer senior RCMP officers took the unprecedented step of breaking ranks and complaining about Elliott’s dictatorial management style to senior levels of the federal government. Elliott is the first civilian to command the force, and was handpicked by Stephen Harper to right the Mounties’ ship after years of mismanagement. Elliott appears to have weathered the storm and announced yesterday that he was creating two new positions in Halifax and Vancouver, each of which will oversee operations in half of the country, to be staffed by Gary Bass and Steve Graham. Both have been loyal to Elliott throughout the controversy. One of Elliott’s major critics, Raf Souccar, was left out of high-level meetings recently and it’s rumoured he’s been asked to resign.