Putting the emphasis back on diversity for the London Police Services Board
For a time, the London Police Services Board was a model of diversity; with Black, Muslim and Indigenous representation. But the new interim-chair says that’s not the case now.
“If I am the face of diversity on the board, then we’re in trouble,” says Lawyer Susan Toth.
Toth was born in South America and is proud of her Latin American roots. Appointed on Thursday as interim-chair, she says the board has to have broader representation.
“I identify as a person of colour but I can’t possibly be the most diverse person there,” she says.
Former chair Mo Salih stepped away from the board last year, saying he wanted to make room for more representation by women and others of colour.
Javeed Sukhera has just ended his term as chair of board, as he heads to the U.S. for employment reasons. Sukhera says he has valued his time at the helm.
“The work is not easy and it’s not always rewarding but the impact just one of us can have can hopefully be long-lasting,” he says.
As a Muslim, Sukhera helped give voice to the impact the Afzaal family deaths had on that community after the alleged targeted killings on June 6.
Alexandra Kain, organizer of London’s Black Lives Matter protests, says, it’s why diversity should be a priority for all boards, “Especially when you’re an agent of care, you’re responsible for the community, the care of the community. It needs to be reflected in the folks that make the decisions for the community.”
The London Police Services Board has seven member, four filled by city hall and three appointed by the province.
In a controversial move in February 2020, the province declined to renew its appointment of Vanessa Ambtman Smith, the first Indigenous woman to be named to the board.
And while Toth doesn’t want to diminish their work or their commitment to the board, she notes the two most recent provincial appointments didn’t reflect diversity.
Toth believes another Indigenous appointment needs to be one part of the broadening of representation on the board.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
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.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.