THUNDER BAY - The chair of the city's police services board is welcoming the appointment of Murray Sinclair to head up the independent review of the board.
The Ontario Civilian Police Commission on Monday appointed the senator as the investigative lead that will be looking into the police services board’s oversight and public confidence in the board’s ability to deliver policing services.
“It’s really very good news,” police board chair Jackie Dojak said after the board's meeting on Tuesday morning at the Balmoral Street police station.
“We think he’ll bring a lot of wisdom and experience to this investigation.”
Sinclair worked in the justice system for more than 25 years and was the first Aboriginal judge appointed in Manitoba, serving as co-chair of the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry of Manitoba.
He was also the chair of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission that examined the legacy of the residential school system, drafting 94 calls to action.
“We know in this community that reconciliation is a really important step moving forward,” Dojak said.
“We welcome [the] recommendations because we want to the best job we can for the community. We’re anxious to have the investigation done in a fair and comprehensive way and to see the results.”
Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler on Monday said in a written statement that he "welcomes the appointment," and hopes it will address the "crisis of confidence in policing."
"We are dismayed by the dysfunctionality of the [Thunder Bay] Police Services Board, and are pleased that the provincial authority over police boards [...] has taken swift and meaningful action,” Fiddler said.
Dojak said the board has not yet had any contact with Sinclair in the day since the announcement was made public.
“It’s all new ground for us, so it will be up to Justice Sinclair to tell us what our role is,” Dojack said.
At the same time, the police service is the subject of a review being conducted by the Office of the Independent Police Review Director to address concerns of systemic racism within the force, largely over their handling of Indigenous missing persons and death investigations.
Acting police chief Sylvie Hauth said the OIPRD director hopes to have his review completed by the end of the year, but there is no date set in stone.
“Obviously the process has been a bit longer than anticipated,” Hauth said. “There's been a lot of back and forth between my office and that of the director."
Hauth added the director Gerry McNeilly is conducting internal interviews with the members of the force.
“Certain officers throughout the service have been selected,” Hauth said. “I think it gives our officers an opportunity to voice what they represent… and offer their voice to the review.”
