Ottawa’s police services board will meet to elect a new chair this afternoon after Coun. Diane Deans was ousted from the job in a dramatic council meeting Wednesday night.
The political drama unfolded in an emotional meeting unlike any other during Mayor Jim Watson’s tenure as mayor, amid the backdrop of the ongoing trucker protest downtown.
Deans was voted off the police services board after sources said she and the board moved to hire a new interim police chief in a sole-sourced deal, without consulting councillors or the mayor.
Deans, in a lengthy defence Wednesday night, said council did not have a formal role in the decision and dismissed the decision as “ridiculously political.”
“You’re sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong,” she told her colleagues. “I know all of you are very wise, but you don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Deans and the board made the decision to hire Matt Torigian, a former Waterloo police chief. Deans said given Chief Peter Sloly’s departure as chief earlier in the week, police leadership needed to be quickly bolstered by bringing in outside help.
"He would have brought a lot of capability that we could use right now," Deans told CTV News at Noon, adding that Torigian was due to start in the next few days.
"We only have two senior command team members right now at Ottawa police," she added. "That’s not a command team, and we’re in the middle of the biggest crisis in the city’s history. They needed the hexjmtzywlp."
Watson told CTV News at Noon that councillors were frustrated and lacked confidence that the board was getting the job done.
"I think really the straw that broke the camel’s back for the vast majority of members who voted to oust Councillor Deans was the fact that just one day after appointing Interim Chief Steve Bell, she had a signed contract with another interim chief from Toronto who knew nothing about Ottawa, was going to bring a bunch of consultants with him, sole-source contract, no public consultation, and no one has any idea what the price is for these people."
Watson’s other opponents on council proclaimed themselves “disgusted” with the move to oust board members, with Coun. Carol Anne Meehan at one point calling for his resignation.
Council voted 15-9 to replace Deans on the board with Coun. Eli El-Chantiry, the former chair of the board. He has been recommended to be the new chair, but the board’s members will vote on that today.
Meehan survived a vote on her future on the police services board, but resigned from the board at the end of the meeting. Her replacement has not been named.
Coun. Rawlson King and board member Sandy Smallwood also resigned their positions in protest. Coun. Jeff Leiper replaced King on the board.
CTVNewsOttawa.ca will live stream the meeting, which is scheduled for 1 p.m.
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An Ontario Provincial Police vehicle is parked at the ongoing trucker blockade protest in Ottawa, Feb. 17, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
