A secret RCMP report warns of societal unrest in Canada’s future due to increasing levels of distrust towards authorities and the cost-of-living crisis.
The report titled “Whole-of-Government Five-Year Trends for Canada” was originally retrieved by Matt Malone, a law professor at BC’s Thompson Rivers University, after he filed an access to information request.
“The coming period of recession will … accelerate the decline in living standards that the younger generations have already witnessed compared to earlier generations,” the report reads.
“For example, many Canadians under 35 are unlikely ever to be able to buy a place to live,” the report states, adding that Canada’s situation will only “deteriorate further in the next five years.”
As reported by The National Post, the document is labeled “secret” and predicts that the next five years “could have a significant effect on the Canadian government and the RCMP.”
Growing distrust
The report further states that “authoritarian movements have been on the rise” in nations such as Canada, and warns the RCMP to be “adaptable” and ready for “unexpected crises.”
It mentions the country has experienced “increasing mistrust for democratic institutions” caused by “misinformation” and “conspiracy theorists.”
“Law enforcement should expect continuing social and political polarization,” it states, adding that populists will capitalize on “the rise of political polarization and conspiracy theories.”
Destructive weather patterns
The report further warns that law enforcement should expect “destructive weather patterns” that will “affect all facets of government, including damage to critical infrastructure and increasing pressure to cede Arctic territory.”
Additionally, extreme weather crises and complex environmental challenges “will likely happen in close succession or even concurrently” according to the report.
“Pressure is quickly growing for wealthier nations like Canada to share the severe and increasing burden associated with climate change. In addition to monetary funding, governments may be expected to provide aid in the form of supplies, personnel, and/or expertise,” it states.
Environmental crises listed include hurricanes, tornadoes, worsening drought, floods, and persistent heat waves.
American citizens’ trust in institutions has dropped from 86% in 2019 to just 69% in 2023, according to a national survey conducted by the Survey Center on American Life.
