Fragiskatos not concerned about political staffer seeking police board appointment amidst diversity questions
Despite mounting criticism over his pending appointment to the police board, Ryan Gauss is still interested in the seat.
On Tuesday, council members selected Gauss over 53 other candidates to fill a seat on the London Police Services Board (LPSB) vacated earlier this year by lawyer Susan Toth.
Gauss’ appointment would leave the seven person police board with only one member from a diverse background, Chair Ali Chahbar.
“If you don’t have people in that space representing the Indigenous community, is that community really going to step up to serve when they don’t see a place for themselves at the table?” Coun. Elizabeth Peloza asked.
Peloza is a Métis woman.
She was absent from Tuesday’s committee meeting when council chose Ryan Gauss (eight votes) over Indigenous applicant Joseph Wabegijig (six votes) for a seat on the London Police Services Board.
Gauss isn’t backing down despite a call by Toth to step aside.
He told CTV News London in a statement, “Assuming council supports the formal nomination, as committee of the whole did unanimously on Tuesday evening (14-0), my interest to serve in this capacity remains.”Mayor Josh Morgan and Ryan Gauss prior to the 2023 State of the City Address. (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London)
To be clear, Gauss received the narrowest majority — 8 votes (out of 14) during the actual selection process when council chooses between candidates.
However, once a candidate receives a majority of the support during the selection process, council members usually come together to fully support that individual with a formal motion.
That result was 14-0.
Gauss worked for over a decade in a civilian position with the RCMP. More recently, he was the campaign manager for Mayor Josh Morgan during the 2022 election.
Morgan voted for Gauss during the deciding round of the selection process and said he believes the board is diverse because it has gender parity and the chair is from an under-represented group.
Currently, Ryan Gauss works as director of operations and personnel for London North Centre MP Peter Fragiskatos.
Fragiskatos told CTV News London in a statement that the appointment is council’s decision to make, “The board itself is not tied to the federal government. As his employer, I do not have any concern with Mr. Gauss serving our community in this capacity.”
Fragiskatos said that Gauss consulted with the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Federal Ethics Commissioner that determined being on the police board would not breach any ethics laws.
He added that it’s not uncommon for staff of MP’s to serve on community boards.
Joseph Wabegijig finished second in the selection process to fill a vacant seat on London’s Police Services Board. (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London)However, New Democrat MP Lindsay Mathyssen of London-Fanshawe said her staff understand the concerns that can be raised by seeking roles on outside boards, “I always try to be very, very clear with the people in my office.”
Mathyssen believes it’s important to keep commitments to Truth and Reconciliation in mind, and said, “Make the room that hasn’t been made in the past, [so] that we hear from that diversity of voices.”
Second place finisher Joseph Wabegijig, who received six votes during the selection process, has expressed disappointment.
He has served on the Wikwemikong Tribal Police Services Board, which is one of Ontario’s largest First Nations police boards, and held an advisory role to the federal government and prime minister’s office.
He was recently hired as the executive director of Atlohsa Family Healing Services.
Peloza said that council has taken a strong stance supporting diversity and inclusivity in its draft 2023-2027 Strategic Plan.
She intends to raise her concerns to colleagues prior to next week’s vote, “Lived experience, either of themselves or of others that they’re close to, brings that lens to the table. It’s really important for me and that will be what I’ll be speaking to.”
Council will consider finalizing its appointment to the LPSB on Aug. 4.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
"It's a bit of a complicated pattern; we've got a lot going on," said Jennifer Smith of the Meteorological Service of Canada in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "[As is] typical with weather, all of these things are related."
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.