Province seeks new member for Thunder Bay Police Services Board
'We have indicated our desire that the vacancy be filled by an Indigenous person,' board chair says
The Thunder Bay Police Services Board is seeking a new member, but the board says it has little control over whether the vacancy will be filled by an Indigenous person as recommended by a coroner's inquest, First Nations leaders and the board itself.
The vacancy was created when Allan Laakkonen's term expired two months ago. He was one of two provincial appointees on the five-member board. Municipal councillors, and a community representative — chosen by council — make up the other three seats.
A posting for a new appointee went up on the Ontario government website last week.
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"We have indicated our desire that the vacancy be filled by an Indigenous person," said Jackie Dojack, the chair of the Thunder Bay Police Services Board.
But, Dojack said, there is no mechanism under the provincial appointment system for the board to have input, or for the position to be limited to candidates of a certain race or gender.
'It's not something over which we have authority'
"We're not involved at all in the interviewing or any part of the process. We recognize that we've stated our opinion and that's what we can do," she said. "Beyond that, it's not something over which we have authority."
There is a way to create designated spots on police services boards but that's a long-term process and the board wanted the vacancy filled as quickly as possible, Dojack said.
The appointment comes at a time when Thunder Bay police, and the board responsible for it, are under scrutiny for its dealings with Indigenous people in the city.
The board is currently under investigation by the Ontario Civilian Police Commission after complaints about the way the board responded to concerns from First Nations leaders.
The police service itself is under a systemic review of the way it handles investigations into the deaths of Indigenous people. Ontario's chief coroner requested York Regional police take over the investigations into two recent deaths of First Nations teens.
A 2016 coroner's inquest into the deaths of seven First Nations students in Thunder Bay recommended that the police services board have Indigenous representation.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Community Safety and Corrections told CBC News that, while the province is following its normal procedures for filling a vacancy, it is "committed to ensuring Police Services Boards represent the people they serve and our appointment will reflect that commitment."
In March, the police board added an Indigenous resource person, in a non-voting role. At the time the board said it was an interim position until an Indigenous person could be appointed as a full member of the board.
Police services boards "govern police within their jurisdictions primarily by establishing priorities, objectives and policies for police services in their community and monitoring performance of their police service and its leader, according to the Ontario Association of Police Services Boards.
with files from Cathy Alex