Letter signed by former police board members urges council to change vote

Despite a pressure campaign to get city councillors to rethink their appointment to London, Ont.'s police oversight body including a call from former members to select an Indigenous person to "break the cycle" of systemic racism local politicians say they won't change their votes.

Last week, eight councillors voted to appoint Ryan Gauss, a Liberal Party staffer and the mayor's campaign manager in the last election, to the board. Fifty-three other applicants were also in the running. Only Gauss, who is white, and two others receivedvotesJoe Wabegijig, an Indigenous man, and Zeba Hashmi, a Muslim woman. Hashmiwaseliminated after the first round of voting.

When she left the police board in January, human rights and labour lawyer Susan Toth, a Latina, called for her replacement to be Black, Indigenous, or a person of colour. She condemned Gauss's appointment as a step backwards for reconciliation and diversity in the city.

On Tuesday, city councillors willvote whether or not to confirm Gauss's appointment. Coun.Elizabeth Peloza, who was absent from last week's vote, said she plans to vote for Wabegijig, but councillors who voted for Gauss contacted by CBC News said they were not planning to change their minds, which would mean an 8-7 split.

The London Police Services Board (LPSB)oversees the direction of the police service, including its budget. The current board is also tasked with hiring the city's next police chief.

"I believe we missed an opportunity," said Peloza, who was absent from the initial vote because she was sick. "Considering the historical context of the overrepresentation of Indigenous people in the correctional system and the child welfare system, and of being able to bring that lived experience of the community forward, I do intend to speak to the missed opportunity."

Wabegijig is the executive director of Atlohsa Family Healing Services and sits on an Indigenous police services board in his home community on Manitoulin Island.

Hashmiis a community worker who sits on numerous boards in the city and ran for the provincial Liberals in the most recent Ontario election. She was also on Morgan's campaign team, and got Morgan's vote in the first round of voting before he switched it to Gauss.

In a letter to city councillors, Toth who was also on Morgan's campaign team along with former police board members Jeff Schlemmer, Dr. Javeed Sukhera, Jesse Helmer, Matt Brown, Steven Turner and Vanessa Ambtman-Smithcalled on the councillors to vote for Wabegijig.

"We know that it may be easier to choose someone who runs in your circles, feels familiar, has access to you and can pick up the phone and call you. This is how systemic barriers work," according tothose who wrote the letter.

"We are asking each of you to take a stand for inclusion, anti-oppression and diverse community representation," the letter states, adding thatthe signatories have a combined 26 years of police board experience.

"It is that lengthy experience that allows us to unequivocally state the need for greater, not less, diversity and representation on the LPSB...The next appointment needs more than just qualifications and a desire to serve. The next appointment needs to bring the lived experience of being from a marginalized and overpoliced community."

There have been calls for Gauss to step aside, but he said Sunday his interest to serve the community on the board remains. Gauss's experience includes civilian work for the RCMP and heading the Bethany's Hope Foundation board.

There have also been prompts for people to email their thoughts about the appointment to city hall before Tuesday's meeting.

"The 8-6 committee vote was not final and can be changed," wrote Coun. Sam Trosow on Twitter.

CBC News spoke to Mayor Josh Morgan as well as councillors Shawn Lewis, Peter Cuddy, Susan Stevensonand Jerry Pribil. All said they would not be changing their votes from Gauss. They spoke to CBC News before the letter from former members was sent.

CouncillorsSteve Hillier,Steve Lehman and Paul Van Meerbergen did not return phone calls, emailsortexts from CBCNews, but have given no indication their votes would change.

Asked whether they thought Morgan's close ties to Gauss were a problem, or if choosing a white man over an Indigenous candidate was problematic, councillorswere clear.

Councillors explain votes for Gauss

"I like Ryan. I feel comfortable with Ryan, and I am apolitical on this vote. I just think Ryan is a good candidate," Cuddy said.

"We chose a very qualified candidate and I think it's strange that we're even having this discussion. There are so many other pressing issues in this city."

Pribil said he has heard from constituents about the appointment and doesn't plan to change his vote.

"My whole entire life, I always hired people which I felt deliver the best possible results. I believe there need to be changes to policing and I believe the person I voted for will deliver the best results."

All of the people who have contacted him have praised his choice, said Lewis. He didn't know Wabegijig had been in London for seven years, and said it might be a problem that he sits on another police service board.

"I am not enamoured about someone sitting on two police service boards. I have always advocated that no one should be able to serve on more than one committee and that stands here. If we're going to talk about having different voices at the table, people shouldn't be taking up multiple spaces," Lewis said.

As for Morgan, he said he sought clarity from City Hall's integrity commissioner before last week's vote to ensure there would be no conflict if he were to vote for Gauss. Because neither Gauss nor Morgan stands to benefit financially from the vote, there is no conflict.

Morgan could have left the room when the vote happened, but didn't want to be seen as ducking a vote, he said. Morgan said he stands by his vote and by his track record of supporting diversity over the years.

"My commitment to diversity is unwavering," he said. "When I voted for Susan Toth to be on the police board, I thought she was the top candidate. I've voted for Ali Chahbar for chair, I voted for Mariam Hamou to be on council."

He and former councillorMo Salih also worked to overhaul a city grant program that gives community grants to groups fighting anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism, and other diversity and equity efforts.Morgan added. "You can project a lot onto one vote, but I tend to look at things from a broader perspective."

It's been difficult having his integrity and commitment to diversity questioned because of one vote, Morgan said. "I see what people are saying. It's hard to watch that. It's not how I portray myself."