Retiring RCMP Commissioner Lucki to present on 'handling mass casualty events' at global conference

A week before her retirement as the head of Canada’s national police force, RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki is scheduled to speak at a global conference focused on “police innovation.”

According to a post Tuesday on her official Twitter account, Lucki is speaking at the World Police Summit being held in Dubai from March 7 to 9. Lucki’s last day as RCMP commissioner is March 17.

The event's website lists Lucki as a featured speaker for two sessions. The first is a plenary session titled “Commissioners Session: Trust, Fairness, and Resilience: The Evolving Dynamics of Police Leadership,” with a general focus on “choosing the next best officer to lead the force.”

The other is a session on “Handling Mass Casualty Events.” According to the website, Lucki is the sole speaker for that particular event.

RCMP Headquarters confirms Lucki is attending in person to speak about “organizational resilience and about the evolution of police leadership. She will also take the opportunity to discuss issues of common interest with international policing partners in attendance.”

As for the cost of the trip, an RCMP spokesperson told CTV in an email that the full cost of attending will be finalized at the end of the summit.

Lucki’s tenure as Canada’s top cop has been controversial, facing criticism most recently for her handling of the police response during and after the Nova Scotia mass shooting in April 2020, and the “Freedom Convoy” protests in Ottawa last year.

Her retirement comes two weeks before the Nova Scotia Mass Casualty Commission's final report into Nova Scotia’s 2020 tragedy, which will be made public at an event in Truro March 30.

Former Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner and CTV public safety analyst Chris Lewis says the timing of her presentations misses the mark.

“I don’t think it’s a well-thought-out decision on the commissioner’s part,” he says. “Comparatively I spent the last few weeks of my career visiting people in the province who supported me and worked hard to protect the province of Ontario ... Obviously her decision.”

As for the topics she will be addressing at the event, Lewis says the optics aren’t good.

“She’s not necessarily leaving on a high note, unfortunately, some of that probably unfairly earned and some of it maybe not,” he says.

“But the bottom line is the RCMP response to the mass casualty wasn’t necessarily great, and that’s not always the fault of the commissioner, but she played a role in that, and there was a lot of issues there that ultimately she was criticized for.”

“So I don’t think it’s necessarily a good taste decision on her part,” Lewis adds. “Why not send potential replacements?”

Former Nova Scotia RCMP constable Brian Carter says he doesn’t fault Lucki for honouring an invitation to speak at the event.

“From my own experience with respect to speaking at conferences,” says Carter, “these things are pre-planned months in advance and the speakers are sought out … so for the commissioner to be asked to this one in Dubai, she would have been asked and it would be part of her duty to do that.”

“They planned this conference months and months ago, maybe years ago, and it just happens to be coinciding with the release of the [Mass Casualty Commission] report, so it’s really coincidental on that side,” he adds.

In the Feb. 15 statement announcing her retirement, Lucki said it was a “personal decision” to leave the force.

“This was not an easy decision as I love the RCMP and have loved being the 24th commissioner," said Lucki.

She said as commissioner she was asked to address the RCMP's “internal challenges” – a task she called “a significant mandate.”

“With the support of my senior executive team and the commitment of all RCMP employees, we've accomplished a lot,” said Lucki. “I did my best and take comfort that the RCMP is well placed to shine in its 150th year.”

CTV News also reached out to organizers of the World Police Summit on Lucki’s appearance and has yet to hear back.

This is a developing story … More to come.