Canada’s State Police

150 years of the RCMP

Stripping away the myth of the RCMP, historian Greg Marquis offers an account of 150 years of a state police force acting on behalf of the wealthy and powerful. From its start policing Indigenous people in western Canada, the RCMP has gone on to surveil, harass and seek to jail labour organizers, leftist idealists, Quebec sovereigntists and now environmental activists. The RCMP has often made itself judge, jury, and executioner of who can live unmolested in Canada. Drawing upon all the available literature on the organization’s history, historian Greg Marquis lays bare 150 years of state police action. He highlights the force’s racism, sexism, misogyny, and internal dysfunctions. An invaluable resource, this book challenges the carefully constructed myths about the RCMP’s role in Canadian life.

Contributors

Greg Marquis

Greg Marquis is a Professor in the Department of History and Politics at University of New Brunswick at Saint John (UNBSJ), specializing in Canadian history and criminal justice history. Professor Marquis has developed a number of courses in the area of law and society, and is on the editorial board of Acadiensis and the Social History of Alcohol and Drugs. In addition to criminal justice history, his research interests include urban history and urban policy, the history of popular culture and the history of alcohol and drugs. Greg Marquis lives in Quispamsis, New Brunswick.

Chapter Contributors Pages Year Price
In this preface and introduction, Marquis examines the history of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, comparing official narratives to historical records. He explores how the RCMP prioritized …
16 $1.60
In this chapter, Marquis examines how colonial policies systematically reshaped Indigenous treaty rights in Canada through legal coercion and policing efforts. He contrasts traditional Indigenous …
29 $2.90
In this chapter, Marquis explores the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as tools of colonial expansion rather than neutral guardians. He examines how the courts enforced state control after settler …
30 $3.00
In this chapter, Marquis describes how the North-West Mounted Police became the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, expanding federal powers of policing while building a heroic public image that often …
40 $4.00
In this chapter, Marquis examines the RCMP’s domestic intelligence gathering during the Cold War era. He explores how senior Mounties and federal politicians prioritized ideological …
32 $3.20
In this chapter, Marquis examines how RCMP surveillance sparked debates over government interference with political activity. He highlights how reforms improved overall transparency but the force …
43 $4.30
In this chapter, Marquis examines how the Royal Canadian Mounted Police evolved through reforms and public scrutiny. He describes how Indigenous demands for treaty rights were attacked and …
32 $3.20
In this chapter, Marquis examines systemic governance flaws within the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, exploring how institutional reforms shape modern public safety practices. He highlights …
35 $3.50
In this chapter, Marquis discusses how RCMP operations clash with contemporary expectations of accountability and transparency from police. He highlights ongoing systemic biases against …
14 $1.40
Endnotes and visual credits to Canada’s State Police by Greg Marquis.
21 $2.10