Ottawa city council calls for new policing model in Canada's capital

A month after the so-called Freedom Convoy was cleared out of downtown Ottawa, city council is pressing the federal government for a new model of policing for the core of the nation's capital.

At its first in-person meeting in more than two years Wednesday, city council passed two motions asking for the federal government to enter serious talks about the future security of the city's downtown and the parliamentary precinct.

"I think [both motions] are looking for ways on how we can better co-ordinate our responses to serious situations, and do a much better job of intelligence gathering before something like another truck convoy comes back and takes over our city and does so much harm," Mayor Jim Watson told reporters after the meeting.

A few reviews have already been set in motion to look at how the protests were able to grip the downtown for four weeks, and how a possible lack of co-ordination between the Ottawa Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police and the RCMP delayed an end to the protests.

• After the occupation, City of Ottawa reflects on how to prevent a sequel

Late last month, city manager Steve Kanellakos told council there's no formal process for senior bureaucrats at various levels of government to speak with each other when an emergency arises in the capital. Kanellakos called it a "big gap" that players in the capital only come together in an ad hoc manner.

Ottawa city council, and two local MPs, have also already asked the federal government to make Wellington Street part of the parliamentary precinct.

The section of Wellington Street that runs on the south side of Parliament Hill, between Bank and Elgin streets, remains closed with no set date to reopen it. 

Working group and new policing model

The National Capital Region has long struggled with its jurisdictional layers, and Rideau-Vanier Coun. Mathieu Fleury said it's time to clarify those roles and modernize the oversight.

His motion called on the federal government to form a working group of officials from the Ontario and Quebec governments, the cities of Ottawa and Gatineau, the National Capital Commission, the federal public works department, and Indigenous elders. 

Local residents and businesses shouldn't have to bear the financial burden of events that are national in scope, Fleury adds.

Innes ward Coun. Laura Dudas also argued the jurisdictional obstacles need to be solved "once and for all."

She tabled a motion that goes even further, petitioning the federal government to enter into "formal discussions" with the two provincial governments and two municipal governments for a completely new policing model for the capital. 

Her motion points to Washington, D.C., as an example of "concurrent jurisdiction" where a number of policing agencies work together to oversee 200 blocks around the United States Capitol building.

Dudas said the federal government could look at other jurisdictions for ideas, as well, "but they just need to choose to do something." 

Both motions were passed unanimously.

Kanata North councillor appointed to police board

In a more practical move on the policing file, council also appointed council's newest member, Kanata North's Cathy Curry, to the Ottawa Police Services Board.

Police governance has been chaotic in the past two months after Peter Sloly stepped down as chief in the middle of the convoy crisis, and council removed Coun. Diane Deans as board chair. Three other members resigned at the time.

Council named three people to the board last month, while one spot remained vacant.

Then earlier this month, all three provincial appointees to the board stepped down after it was revealed one had attended the protest. That left the board with only three members — and the board couldn't meet with so few members.

Curry, the only council member to express interest in the role, said she has a keen interest in governance as she sits on a number of boards.

"I often say nobody cares about governance until they do," Curry told CBC News. "When we had the convoy, it was pretty clear that governance really matters. So I think I can bring that to the police board."

Curry said she agreed with where the Ottawa police had been headed in terms of "progressive policing," and wants to reassure the community she's still committed to that model. She said there needs to be "extensive consultation" with the public before hiring a new police chief. 

The next police board meeting is scheduled for Monday and it is set to take place in person.