Global TV reports:

. . . The National Post published details Tuesday of a copy of a so-called “mandate letter” it obtained that had been given several weeks ago to Toews’ predecessor Peter Van Loan. Mandate letters are issued from time to time to each cabinet member and contain what are essentially the minister’s marching orders from the prime minister.

The report said Van Loan’s mandate from Harper was to begin the most sweeping review since 9/11 of the country’s public safety system — everything from the RCMP to border control to its intelligence agencies. . . .

The mandate issued by Harper is “to BEGIN the most sweeping review. . . ” That confirms our observations that, in recent years, the Conservative Government has had no commitment to change at the RCMP, despite the hollow statements of federal politicians.

Could it be that Conservatives are finally hearing the voices of common sense from citizens. We want to be proud of our police institutions, not fearful.

National Post’s John Ivison reports that Wesley Wark, a security specialist at the University of Toronto, expressed “skepticism about the prospects for reform of agencies that are resistant to change, unless there is a sustained commitment from the Prime Minister and his Cabinet.”

We’ve seen that proved correct until now. Will it change under Vic Toews? Possibly, but only through sustained public pressure.