THUNDER BAY – After four months without the ability to vote, the Thunder Bay Police Services Board has its voice back.
Members of the Thunder Bay Police Services Board have regained their voting rights during a Thunder Bay Police Services Board meeting on Tuesday after completing two training programs in the last two months.
“I’m very pleased and I’m very happy that the board did the training and we are well on our way,” said Police Board chair, Celina Reitberger.
The board was stripped of voting rights following the release a report by Senator Murray Sinclair and the Ontario Provincial Police Commission that found the board failed to address the concerns of the Indigenous community.
Thomas Lockwood was appointed as the administrator to temporarily serve in place of the board. In order to regain voting rights, all members were required to participate in governance training and cultural sensitivity training, which were completed in February and March respectively.
The governance training was developed by Andrew Graham a professor in the School of Policy Studies at Queen’s University and Fred Kaustinen, executive director of the Ontario Association of Police Services Board and has become known as the Thunder Bay Course.
It explored what it is to be a board member, including duties and obligations, Lockwood said, and he expects it will be taught across the province.
“We expanded the people taking the training from just board members and we had members of the association present, members of the police services present, we had members of city staff present, and members from the provincial government present,” Lockwood continued.
The cultural sensitivity training by the Ministry of the Attorney General included a blanket exercise and Lockwood said it was a very emotional and intense experience.
“Because it was private or not public, people could ask tough questions,” he said. “We had a very good discussion because there is an issue here in Thunder Bay, but we are working to solve it and I think with everyone’s help, we can.”
“Knowledge is always power,” Reitberger said of the training. “We had a very special training with the board governance and I think it’s really focused us on where we want to go from here. The cultural training was a very positive response. It just opens people’s minds and understanding of where we are coming from.”
Even though the board members have their votes back, Lockwood will remain on the board as a voting member.
“Right now, because we are one member short, I am still on the board, I still have a vote,” he said. “If there is a deadlock, I have the deciding vote. It is unlikely to happen since there is five members of the board.”
A provincial appointment on the board is still vacant, but Reitberger said progress is being made and she is hoping an announcement of an appointment will be made very soon.
The Police Services Board also named Georjann Morriseau as vice-chair. Morriseau joined the board in January. Reitberger said she was pleased Morriseau stepped up to take on the role, adding she has a lot of ideas and a lot of energy.
