Project 83: The Paramount Existence Of The RCMP

Student Name(s): Samara

School: Edmonton Islamic Academy

Grade: 4

Bibliography: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1_5RK1QexsxNQ3Eyo9Ad3h659U8rq6Ebn

Research Topic / Main Questions:

Who are the Royal Canadian Mounted Police?
What was the RCMP originally known as?
What is the motto of the RCMP and how does it reflect Canada’s heritage?
In what year were women accepted in the RCMP? What are some of the experiences women dealt with while working in an iconic role?

Why did you choose this topic:

The reason for my choice of topic is because the RCMP is a symbol of Canada: I was fascinated with its history in providing national policing and its adaptation to change in order to include all Canadians. I was also interested in learning more about women’s experiences and found very intriguing stories from women who served in the RCMP; it made me want to read more! Not only were these Canadian women strong and capable, but they fought hard to be treated equally within a male-dominated role. Today, 21.5% of RCMP police officers are women and the RCMP is committed to increasing the number of female officers to 30% to better represent the communities they serve across the country.

Please summarize your experience in researching this project?

Researching information about the RCMP was easy and accessible; but the stories about women’s experiences could not be found easily online. In fact, little is known about the history of women in Canada’s iconic police force. As a former police officer herself, Karen Adams gave an account of her experience because she was aware of the valuable history waiting to be told. I found her story very interesting: “When the first class of 32 female recruits arrived at Depot in Regina for training, we were issued purses that were supposed to carry our guns and handcuffs. We were also given heeled shoes that were not ideal for running after suspects, but we did it anyway.” The battle against the purse was the women’s first fight against the establishment – and fight they did! With the support of their firearms instructors, by the time they graduated from training six months later, the women were issued holsters.

How did you personally connect to this project?

Being a young Muslim Female Canadian, I am hoping to become a police officer when I am older so that I can make a difference in my local community and my Muslim community. I am hoping that I can show Muslim females that we can follow our dreams and ambitions and become someone we can be proud of. On August 24th, 2016, the RCMP adopted a new policy to allow female Muslim officers to wear the hijab. This shows how Canada is working towards treating its citizens fairly.

What are your conclusions about your topic?

In conclusion, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police has a paramount existence in Canada along with a rich history and a successful story. The RCMP has evolved into a world-renowned organization of more than 28,000 people! They really do reflect the words we sing in our country’s national anthem: the RCMP are the true north strong and free.