B.C. RCMP contract talks to resume in Ottawa

RCMP contract talks between the B.C. and federal governments have been scheduled to resume next week.

B.C. Attorney General Shirley Bond said Tuesday the province's negotiators will return to the task of hammering out a potential 20-year deal.

"We are looking forward to having our team ... in Ottawa at the beginning of next week to go through the list of outstanding issues," she said.

B.C. is leading the block negotiations that also include Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and the territories. Alberta and Saskatchewan broke ranks earlier and signed their own policing contracts with Ottawa.

Bond said B.C. and Ottawa are working towards renewing the existing RCMP contract. However, she did note the province continues to research the creation of a provincial police force, in case the talks with Ottawa break down.

"This is a very significant decision, obviously, both for the province and the country and I'm very pleased to say we have presented the information to Public Safety Minister Vic Toews," she said. "I'm pleased we're still in a position where we can work through the issues. I remain optimistic."

Negotiations over the contract have been rocky. Ottawa handed B.C. an ultimatum early in the process, demanding the province either settle by the end of November or face possible withdrawal of the Mounties by 2014.

The RCMP's website says about 26,000 regular and civilian employees work for the force across Canada.

Of those, more than 9,500 regular and civilian employees work in B.C.'s E Division, the largest of the RCMP's 15 divisions in Canada.

The Surrey, B.C. detachment is the largest in Canada, employing 640 regular and civilian members and a support staff of 238 municipal employees.