This morning, CUPE Quebec and its 9-1-1 Committee appeared before the Comité consultatif sur la réalité policière (CCRP) to ask that its members act prudently with respect to proposals from certain stakeholders to group together 9-1-1 emergency services.
Comité consultatif sur la réalité policière (CCRP) to ask that its members act prudently with respect to proposals from certain stakeholders to group together 9-1-1 emergency services.
CUPE Quebec is not necessarily opposed to amalgamating 9-1-1 call centres (CAU 9-1-1). However, it has insisted that any eventual recommendation made to this effect must emphasize public safety above everything else rather than potential savings.
The costs of 9-1-1 emergency call centres should be evaluated transparently to determine whether savings are possible. “In other words, this would involve adding the amounts of tax for 9-1-1 service, which are collected every month on our corded and cellular telephone accounts,” said Jocelyn Bourdon, President of the Conseil provincial du secteur municipal and secretary of the CUPE Quebec 9-1-1 Committee.
“We have also pointed out that the delays and costs of implementing new generation 9-1-1 service should be considered by the Committee, since this new technology will inevitably result in the reorganization of work in emergency services,” indicated Patrick Gloutney, the general secretary of CUPE Quebec and the political chair of the 9-1-1 Committee.
In conclusion, CUPE has asked the CCRP to favour public sector 9-1-1 emergency call centres in its recommendations, which includes the answering and distribution of calls, to guarantee their effectiveness and accountability to citizens.