On 31-Mar-2005, Scott Weiser wrote:

But I still say that the RCMP retains its authority in *all* provinces to
enforce federal laws, and that it has jurisdictional superiority over
provincial and local law enforcement in that sphere.

And you'd still be wrong. The RCMP takes a back seat to all local and
provincial police in enforcing federal law. If an RCMP officer observes
a person violating a federal law in an area under the jurisdiction of
a local police force, they are able to make a _citizen's_arrest_ and
call in the local cops. The only exceptions are where the RCMP work
directly with local police on a specific case - such as drug rings,
smuggling etc.

The priority structure of police in Canada allows that, for example,
the provincial police can be called in where local police are under
suspicion or are compromised. Similarly, the RCMP can step in to
investigate provincial police in the same way.

The only way they enforce laws directly is where they have exclusive
jurisdiction - such as federal buildings, airports etc. In provinces
where they are contracted to provide local policing, they obviously
have authority.

Mike