Mayor silent on councillor, police board controversy

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This article was published 28/04/2022 (875 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MAYOR Brian Bowman has declined to weigh in on one councillor’s controversial comments at a Winnipeg Police Board meeting, after allegations her statements amounted to harassment.

City of Winnipeg integrity commissioner Sherri Walsh has informed Coun. Sherri Rollins a complaint was filed about her comments at the March 4 board meeting. The complainant argued the comments “equated the work of the board with that of the Thunder Bay Police Board.”

Rollins’ remarks referenced a 2018 report about the Thunder Bay, Ont., organization, which recommended that board be temporarily replaced for allegedly failing to address issues of systemic racism.

Bowman declined to weigh in on the matter Thursday: “I’m not privy to any specific complaints where I’m not a party, so I’m not able to offer comment.”

However, the mayor said the issue highlights progress on council, since there now is a way to cope with complaints against elected officials.

“The purpose of the integrity commissioner is to create that avenue for complaints to be adjudicated, and I fully support the integrity commissioner and her (role),” said Bowman.

Rollins has said her comments were geared at pushing the local board to get answers on how police handled the so-called “freedom convoy” at the Manitoba legislature that caused noise disruptions and traffic delays in her ward.

She described that call for scrutiny as a key part of her job.