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Mayoral candidates Catherine McKenney and Bob Chiarelli have requested the Ontario Civilian Police Fee to analyze the Ottawa Police Companies Board’s dealing with of the hiring course of for a brand new chief, suggesting there’s a battle of curiosity associated to board chair Eli El-Chantiry — an honorary co-chair of their opponent Mark Sutcliffe’s marketing campaign.

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A letter signed by the pair was despatched to the fee on Tuesday, in line with a web based publish made by McKenney’s marketing campaign staff whereas McKenney, Chiarelli and Sutcliffe had been collaborating in a dwell, televised election debate held by CBC Ottawa, together with fellow candidate Nour Kadri.

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“This arm’s-length investigation will reassure the residents of Ottawa that their Police Companies Board is serving their pursuits and exercising its mandate appropriately,” the letter states, including that Sutcliffe was “the one mayoral candidate” who had endorsed the hiring course of and the potential appointment of a brand new chief earlier than the municipal election subsequent Monday. Opponents have known as for the choice to be made after the brand new council is fashioned.

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The place of chief of the Ottawa Police Service opened up when Peter Sloly resigned on Feb. 15, only a few days earlier than the tip of the “Freedom Convoy” occupation in downtown Ottawa.

Former Waterloo area chief Matt Torigian was employed as interim chief however resigned simply days later within the face of great opposition at Metropolis Corridor to the police board’s transfer to rent him with out competitors. Finally, the job of interim chief was given to deputy chief Steve Bell.

The shakeup of the police providers board that adopted led to the ouster of Coun. Diane Deans as chair. She was changed by El-Chantiry, who had beforehand served within the place.

Tuesday’s letter from McKenney and Chiarelli to the civilian fee additionally criticized the police board for trying to substantiate a brand new chief earlier than the findings of the continued Public Emergency Administration Act Inquiry are identified. It mentioned a number of Ottawa Police Service witnesses had been anticipated to be known as to testify, together with Sloly, Bell and Performing Deputy Chief Patricia Ferguson.

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“The findings of the inquiry shall be pertinent to the deliberations of the Board, together with the choice of a brand new everlasting Chief,” the letter states.

Throughout the televised supper-hour debate, moderated by CBC Ottawa’s Omar Dabaghi-Pacheco, all 4 of the collaborating candidates knocked what they collectively described as a lack of belief and failure of management at a number of ranges in policing and political circles.

Kadri mentioned authorities in Ottawa ought to have seen the “Freedom Convoy” coming all the best way from Vancouver and been extra proactive in getting ready to deal with it. He, like Chiarelli and McKenney, mentioned the hiring of the brand new chief shouldn’t be finalized till after the municipal election.

Sutcliffe has famous the chief is employed by the police providers board, not by the mayor or metropolis council, though the board might embrace the mayor, three different councillors and a city-appointed citizen member.

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The time period of the present police providers board ends Nov. 14.

Chiarelli criticized the present metropolis council and the town solicitor for not heeding the counsel of those that beneficial that the town apply for a court docket injunction to provide police the facility to take away automobiles blockading downtown streets and to challenge fines to violators.

“They frequently refused to do it and so they might have completed it in 24 hours,” Chiarelli mentioned.

McKenney fired a political shot in Sutcliffe’s course by quoting from a newspaper column by which he wrote that authorities ought to have proven extra compassion to the occupiers, and mentioned, “as your mayor, I’ll by no means let (an occupation) occur once more in your metropolis.”

Sutcliffe pushed again instantly, saying the quotation was taken out of context and the column had really been concerning the failure of all ranges of presidency in coping with the occupation at the moment.

For probably the most half, the 4 candidates, amongst a full area of 14 pursuing the highest political publish at metropolis corridor, caught to their tried and true marketing campaign speaking factors — after they weren’t attempting to speak over one another in an sometimes turbulent show, at the least.

“That is the division that exists in our metropolis and we have to transcend that,” Kadri mentioned.