OTTAWA — The head of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police has raised direct concerns with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation over a joint production that targeted RCMP veterans, expressing deep worry for their mental health.
Commissioner's Statement
Mike Duheme, who has served as commissioner since 2023, revealed that a female member of the RCMP Veterans' Association volunteered for what she believed was a CBC documentary about life after policing. However, during filming in Vancouver in March, she reported being subjected to a prank. The production was a show titled 'Northland Tales,' created for CBC Entertainment and the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network.
"Since that time, the RCMP has been working on behalf of the veterans' association and has communicated our concerns directly to CBC. It is our understanding that the CBC has put production on hold," Duheme said in a statement on Monday. "I am deeply concerned for the mental health and well-being of the veterans affected by this experience." He added that the force would continue collaborating with the veterans' association to ensure affected individuals have access to appropriate resources.
Union and Veteran Reactions
The National Police Federation, which represents around 20,000 active and retired Mounties, had earlier raised concerns. Many former members deal with psychological distress and injuries from their service, and the union worried that a spoof-style show targeting them could exacerbate these conditions. Brian Sauve, president of the federation, told National Post that while exact figures of contacted officers are unknown, it was "not a one-off scenario."
At least one former RCMP member shared on YouTube that he was contacted to participate in what he thought was a series about transitioning to civilian life. While filming in Vancouver, he discovered it was a prank, which included a fake video of King Charles III announcing the dissolution of the Mounties due to historical dealings with First Nations.
CBC's Response
Chuck Thompson, head of public affairs for CBC, stated that production was paused in light of the concerns. He emphasized that the news wings of CBC and APTN had no involvement or prior knowledge of the production. "The broadcaster is reviewing the footage collected to date," Thompson said, adding it was important that the entertainment series does not negatively impact the news brand.
He described the show as an "Indigenous-led unscripted, half-hour comedy series," first pitched as part of a festival in 2024. "Social experiments and satirical prank shows are a long-established television format used by broadcasters and streamers around the world, including many public broadcasters," Thompson wrote. "In this case, the Indigenous creators are using the format for 'Northland Tales.' A form of comedy is being deployed to increase better understanding of historical injustices against Indigenous peoples and support truth and reconciliation in Canada."
