Above the Law: The Crooks, the Politicians, the Mounties, and Rod Stamler

Mary Powell teaches in the Department of Political Science at Laurentian
University.

This book is a mixed bag. The first half tells an often gripping story
of the early years of Rod Stamler and the creation of the Commercial
Crime Branch (later the Economic Crime Directorate) of the RCMP. Toward
the middle, this tale is interspersed with an argument about the
political “handcuffing” of the RCMP that gives the reader
conclusions without enough evidence or explanation. In the last 100
pages, the book collapses into sketchy tales and much railing against
the political correctness and mediocrity that are apparently paralyzing
the RCMP.

At its best, Above the Law is a compelling account of Stamler’s
investigations into bid-rigging, fraudulent DREE applications, and other
scandals. These stories are important and are told very well,
effectively taking the reader through a mass of detail and layers of
complications. Palango had access to Stamler’s notes and records, as
well as many hours of interviews with the former Mountie and some of his
colleagues. The author paints a picture of entrepreneurs and politicians
who apparently have no conception of any public interest, only a
willingness to profit privately from opportunities wherever they are
found. His focus on political corruption is especially welcome, given
the scant attention this crucial subject has received.

The stories are the strength of this book, and the early ones, perhaps
those Stamler now sees most clearly, are the best. Unfortunately, the
closer the book gets to the present, and the more it tries to engage in
analysis, the weaker it becomes. Part of the problem is that the book is
neither a biography of Stamler nor an analysis of key developments such
as the McDonald Commission. Palango is persuasive when he is presenting
Stamler’s views about how the RCMP should be governed, about the
important issues. But at other times, he apparently believes he is
offering us independent analysis, when instead we get conclusions
without supporting argument. For example, on the key question of the
relationship between the RCMP and the government, the author seems to
adopt the view that any government control over the force is political
interference. This might be understandable if it were offered as a view
from within the RCMP, but it does not substitute for a real exploration
of the issue. Too often, with this and other issues (the role of
language and official bilingualism, the distinction between the security
service

and the police force within the RCMP, etc.), Palango hints at important
questions but does not explore them. Above the Law has some good
stories, but it stops short of being a good book.