With changes to Alberta's Victim Services model of delivery expected this fall, the president of the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) continues to pressure the government to alter its course.
Victim Services works to help victims of crime or tragedy, and a key objective is to work directly with the RCMP. Situations can range from domestic violence to sexual assault, or sudden death.
According to the province, program delivery is in the process of shifting to a four-zone model, which aligns with RCMP districts.
An issue that prompted the changes was that 14 communities weren't being served.
"Their response to the 14 communities that weren't being served was to dismantle the entire thing, (re-structure) it into a zonal model, and basically break it all down and re-deploy it in a centralized model," said Paul McLauchlin, who is also reeve of Ponoka County.
"So we, as the RMA, said that it just didn't make any sense. If you are trying to provide services to 14 (communities), dismantling the whole system...dismantling of Victim Services is the exact opposite of what we would ever want.
"We have been speaking out against it. I met with the minister on two occasions on this topic, and I've met with the premier," he said.
"Fast forward to today - and the government is proceeding with dismantling Victim Services all over the province. They are claiming that they are hiring more staff, but they are actually hiring staff in a centralized model that won't have any interaction with victims of crime," said McLauchlin.
"If you ask someone to solve a problem, there are two types of people. There are those who solve it by working with others cooperatively, or there will be somebody who will solve the problem by doing what they think is best. I think that in this situation, this is one vision of solving a problem that could have been solved quite easily by partnership and collaboration," he said.
"That is not the case of what we are seeing right now. They are doing the exact opposite. It's upsetting that they have gone this far," he said, adding that it also seems out of character for a conservative government.
"A conservative government is about 'local'," he said.
But, Arthur Green, a spokesperson for the office of the deputy premier and Public Safety and Emergency Services (PSES), said representatives met with the RMA to discuss victim services on Jan.15 of this year.
"On July 4, PSES also met with the Alberta Police Advisory board where Minister Ellis was able to share information with the RMA on victim services," said Green, adding that staffing is going to increase under the new model.
"The old model had approximately 130 full-time equivalents whereas the new model is funded for 153 full-time frontline staff. In addition to this increase in the number of frontline staff, the new model will also add up to 10 executive and support staff in each of the four regions," he explained.
"Staffing and resource allocation is managed directly by the independent regional victim serving societies, not the government, and hiring is still underway," he said.
"Our goal is to increase the number of staff and the level of service across the province, not vice versa."
But McLauchlin isn't backing down in trying to convince the province to re-think the plan.
"I think the victims of crime will be at a disservice by this new model. In small centres throughout Alberta, we will have less access to people who could help you on the worst day of your life," he explained.
"I think also that those 14 communities gladly will have service," he said. "But to give them service, (the government) has decided to dismantle the entire program. I've been quoted as saying, 'You've had a leaky tap and you've knocked down the whole house.
"We could have had standardized service, and all the things that they say that this new system is going to be - we could have done all that with the retention of amazing employees and an increase in service in all members," he added.
"It could have been done cheaper, faster, and more effectively than (how it) is being done right now."
Green noted that the transition began on April 1, 2024, and should be concluded by October.
"RCMP detachments in Stettler, Bashaw and Castor will be supported by navigators employed by the Central Alberta Regional Victim Serving Society," said Green.
