Series consists of files created and/or compiled by the RCMP in the course of various investigation commissions, namely the Royal Commission on Security (Mackenzie Commission), the Commission of Inquiry Concerning Certain Activities of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (McDonald Commission), the Commission d'enquête sur des opérations policières en territoire québécois (Keable Commission) and the Commission of Inquiry into the Non-Medical Use of Drugs (Le Dain Commission). Most of these files were created and /or maintained at the RCMP headquarters, but some had been created in its divisions.
The series contains RCMP files related to the Royal Commission on Security, or Mackenzie Commission, as it was known, which was created under the Order in Council no. 2148 of November 16, 1966. Three commissioners, Maxwell Weir Mackenzie (Chairman), Yves Pratte and James William Coldwell, were appointed to conduct a confidential investigation into the security intelligence methods and procedures, and to formulate recommendations on the means that could be used to improve them while taking into account the necessity to maintain national security and to protect individual rights and duties. In its report, submitted on September 23, 1968, the Commission recommended that a security service be created, separate from the police force. Some of the files dealing with the Mackenzie Commission that the National Archives of Canada has in its custody are found in volumes 4272, 4273, 4215 and 4307.
The series also contains RCMP files related to the Keable Commission. This commission was appointed by the Quebec Government under the Ministerial Order nos. 1968-77, 2986-77, 3719-77 and 217-77, and was chaired by Jean F. Keable. Originally named the "Commission d'enquête sur la perquisition à l'Agence de presse libre du Québec, au Mouvement pour la défense des prisonniers politiques du Québec et à la Coopérative de déménagement du 1er mai", it took its official name in November 1977. Its initial mandate was to investigate into the circumstances of the search of the premises at 3459 St-Hubert St. in Montreal during the night of October 6-7, 1972, and to make recommendations on measures that could be taken to avoid such incidents in the future. The RCMP, the Sûreté du Québec and the Police Department of the Montreal Urban Community had then broken-in the premises of the Agence de presse libre du Québec (APLQ), the Mouvement pour la défense des prisonniers politiques québécois (MDPPQ), the Coopérative des déménagements du 1er mai and the Loisirs Aubergine, and seized many administrative files and records, address books, cheque books and lists of members and sympathizers. The purpose of the police operation was to neutralize the APLQ and the MDPPQ, and to gather intelligence. The mandate of the Commission was modified several times between September 1977 and January 1979. Commissioner Keable submitted his report on March 6, 1981. Approximately 161.3 m of the files in this series concern the Keable and McDonald commissions.
The series includes files created or compiled by the RCMP in the course dealing with the McDonald Commission and also includes 3.0 m of records originating from the RCMP representatives Pierre Lamontagne, Richard Mongeau and Philippe Roy at the McDonald Commission (vols. 4567-4581). On July 6, 1977, a commission of inquiry on certain RCMP activities was created under the Order in Council no. PC 1911, and three commissioners were appointed: David C. McDonald (Chairman), Donald S. Rickerd et Guy Gilbert. Their mandate was to investigate into the use (scope and frequency) of investigation techniques or other activities not provided for in the law, and to examine the policies and procedures that the RCMP applies to maintain national security. The Commission submitted its first report, Security and Information, on November 26, 1979, its second report, Freedom and Security Under the Law, on January 23, 1981, and its third report, Certain R.C.M.P. Activities and the Question of Governmental Knowledge, on May 15, 1981, which was to be followed by a supplement, presented on January 30, 1984. Parts of the second and third reports have not been immediately made public, for national security and privacy reasons. Approximately 161.3 m of the files in this series concern the Keable and McDonald commissions.
Also included are files created or compiled by the RCMP in the course dealing with the Le Dain Commission. The Commission of Inquiry into the Non-Medical Use of Drugs was created under the Order in Council no. PC 1112 of May 29, 1969. Chaired by Gérald Le Dain, its mandate was to investigate into the determining factors or associated causes of the non-medical use of drugs. The Commission sought to determine the motivation for the non-medical use of drugs and to place its occurrence in a suitable social and philosophical context. Its hearings were held both in public and in private, and the RCMP was specifically invited, amongst others, to participate in the latter. The Commission submitted its report in December 1973. Some of the files dealing with the Le Dain Commission that the National Archives of Canada has in its custody are found in volumes 4831-4834.
