February 1st will now be a day for Manitobans to honour RCMP officers working in the province. Manitoba legislators have passed Bill 208, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Day Act, introduced by Emerson MLA Cliff Graydon who felt it was important to recognize the men and women who bring law and order to our communities and enforce our nation's laws.

"Over the past few years we've had some RCMP that were killed in action (or) badly wounded, and so they haven't ever been recognized officially and this is one way that we can do that."

He says the day is also a chance for Manitobans to take pride in the province's history in forming the RCMP, noting many people don't know that Canada's police force got its start in the province.

In 1873 the Parliament of Canada established a police force, the North-West Mounted Police, to enforce the law in Canada's newly acquired territory which was referred to as Western Canada at the time. Three hundred officers were dispatched from Fort Dufferin, which is at Emerson. In 1919 the Parliament of Canada voted to form a national police force by merging the North-West Mounted Police and the Dominion Police of Eastern Canada and on February 1st, 1920 the newly formed police force was named the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Graydon adds February 1st will also be a day to recognize how the force has advanced over the years.

"In 1874 I would submit that there was no women that were in uniform, although there were women in the cattle-cade the left Fort Dufferin heading west, they were the wives of the male officers. The very first troop of female members commenced training in September of 1974 and graduated from Depot in 1975."

He notes the RCMP truly has become Canada's police force, having diversified to include all cultures and leaving no person excluded from joining.

Meantime, Graydon would also like Manitobans to use Royal Canadian Mounted Police Day as a time to think of officers families.

"You have to think of what they think when their loved ones go out to enforce the laws and whether they will return."

He encourages us the next time we spot an RCMP officer to tell them they are doing a good job.

"When they stop you for speeding they're doing it for your benefit, to save your life and perhaps someone else's life."

Bill 208 will officially become law once it receives Royal Assent. February 1, 2017 will be the first Royal Canadian Mounted Police Day in Manitoba.